Ingredients
- 2 oz Vodka
- 1 oz Lime Juice
- 3 oz Ginger Beer
- 1 Wedge Lime
Instructions
- Fill a chilled highball glass with ice cubes.
- Add Vodka and lime juice.
- Top up with ginger beer. Garnish with lime.
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
Three people invented the Moscow Mule in Los Angeles in 1941 at the Cock 'n' Bull pub on Sunset Boulevard. John Martin had Smirnoff vodka nobody was buying. Jack Morgan had Cock 'n' Bull ginger beer nobody was buying. Sophie Berezinski had 2000 copper mugs nobody was buying. They put the three together and one of the most successful marketing collaborations in cocktail history was born.
Smirnoff sales went from negligible to dominant in less than a decade because of this drink. The copper mug became iconic. Entire vodka brands now exist that wouldn't without the Moscow Mule.
What it tastes like
Crisp, fizzy, gingery, with a sharp lime kick and the vodka holding everything together without making itself known. The copper mug actually does something: keeps the drink cold longer and gives a slight metallic crispness.
The drink lives or dies on the ginger beer. Cheap, sweet ginger beer makes the drink taste like ginger ale. Spicy, dry ginger beer (Fever-Tree, Bundaberg, Q) makes the drink come alive.
The technique
Build directly in a copper mug filled with ice. 50ml vodka, 15ml fresh lime juice, top with 120ml cold ginger beer. Stir once gently. Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint.
Cold mug, cold ingredients, cold ginger beer. A warm mule is a sad mule. Some bars put the mug in the freezer for 30 minutes before service.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The vodka
- Use
- Smirnoff (the historic choice), Tito's, Absolut, or any neutral vodka
- Skip
- Flavoured vodka (clashes with the ginger)
- Why
- Smirnoff is the canonical match. Any clean neutral vodka does the job.
The ginger beer
- Use
- Fever-Tree, Bundaberg, Q, Goslings (proper ginger beer)
- Skip
- Ginger ale (different drink, weaker spice)
- Why
- Real ginger beer has bite. Ginger ale is just sweet soda.
The lime
- Use
- Fresh lime juice
- Skip
- Bottled lime cordial (tastes flat)
- Why
- Fresh acid is what cuts through the ginger and the sweetness.
Variations
Other vodka highballs and bucks (ginger beer + spirit + lime).
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Bourbon turns it into a Kentucky Mule. Tequila makes a Mexican Mule. Gin makes a Gin-Gin Mule. All workable, all real drinks.
Ginger ale plus a 5ml splash of fresh ginger juice or 2 thin slices of muddled ginger. Closes some of the gap.
Bottled lime juice works in a pinch but tastes flat. Fresh is meaningfully better.
Muddle 2 thin slices of fresh ginger in the mug before adding the rest. Or add a 5ml splash of ginger syrup.
Skip the vodka. Add 15ml extra ginger beer and 5ml extra lime. Now it's a Virgin Mule that drinks well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Moscow Mule?
Vodka, fresh lime juice, ginger beer. Standard spec: 50ml vodka, 15ml fresh lime, topped with 120ml cold ginger beer in a copper mug over ice.
How do you make a Moscow Mule?
Fill a copper mug with ice. Add 50ml vodka and 15ml fresh lime. Top with 120ml cold ginger beer. Stir gently once. Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig.
Where did the Moscow Mule come from?
Cock 'n' Bull pub in Los Angeles, 1941. Three people had unsold inventory: John Martin (Smirnoff), Jack Morgan (ginger beer), Sophie Berezinski (copper mugs). They combined them and the drink became one of the most successful marketing campaigns in cocktail history.
Does the copper mug really matter?
It does keep the drink colder longer because copper conducts heat away fast. It also gives a slight metallic crispness on the lip. The drink works in a Collins glass too.
Are copper mugs safe?
Modern copper mugs are lined with stainless steel or nickel, which is safe. Pure unlined copper mugs can leach copper into acidic drinks. Check the inside of your mug.
Moscow Mule vs Dark and Stormy?
Both use ginger beer and lime. Moscow Mule uses vodka. Dark and Stormy uses dark rum (specifically Goslings Black Seal in the trademarked Bermudian original).
Ginger beer vs ginger ale?
Ginger beer has more spice and a fuller flavour. Ginger ale is sweeter and milder. The Moscow Mule needs ginger beer; ginger ale makes a flatter drink.
How strong is a Moscow Mule?
About 8 to 10 percent ABV in the glass. Sessionable. Drinks fast.
What food goes with a Moscow Mule?
Spicy food, bar snacks, fish tacos, seafood. The ginger and lime pair brilliantly with chilli heat and salt.
Can I make Moscow Mules in batches?
Premix the vodka and lime juice in a bottle. Refrigerate. Top with ginger beer at serving time only. The bubbles go flat fast.
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