The Best Ginger Moscow Mule

Looking for a great Moscow mule recipe? Look no further. This recipe uses plenty of freshly grated ginger to give it an extra spicy punch and fresh lime and orange juice for a refreshing taste. Perfect on ice for a hot summer day, a fun evening with friends, or a lazy evening on the couch!

What Is A Moscow Mule?

A classic Moscow mule recipe is made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, most often served in a copper mug and garnished with a lime wedge. It is part of the buck family, which are cocktails made with a citrus juice, any type of liquor, and topped with ginger ale or ginger beer. A Moscow mule can be referred to as a vodka buck.

The drink was first invented in 1941 in New York City. Jack Martin, owner of the Cock’n’Bull pub on Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, who also had his own brand of ginger beer, met John Martin, owner of Smirnoff Vodka distillery, at the Chatham Hotel for a couple of drinks. Both of them were having trouble promoting their products and discussed combining the two to create one of those classic cocktail recipes everyone could enjoy. After adding a squeeze of lime juice, the Moscow mule was born.

Ginger Ale vs Ginger Beer

While ginger beer used to contain alcohol (hence the name, ginger beer), it is now mostly sold as a non-alcoholic beverage. However there are still subtle differences between the two that are easy to spot:

• Ginger beer is spicier and stronger in taste than ginger ale.
• Ginger ale is more carbonated than ginger beer and tends to be sweeter.

Moscow Mule Ingredients

• Vodka: Smirnoff Vodka, Belvedere Vodka, Skyy Vodka, Grey Goose Vodka. Any vodka will do!
• Fresh ginger: Freshly grated ginger is what gives this moscow mule some heat and a unique touch.
• Granulated sugar: A little sugar is used to balance the acidity of the drink so it’s smoother to drink.
• Basil leaves: Fresh torn basil leaves are muddled to infuse hints of anise, pepper, and mint. It makes the drink that much more refreshing!
• Orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice is always my favorite but store bought 100% organic pure orange juice also works.
• Fresh lime juice: Lime juice adds a tart and refreshing element to this cocktail.
• Ginger beer or tonic water: Use ginger beer for a sweeter moscow mule and tonic water for a more fruity and tart drink.
• Lime wedge or orange wedge: You only need a couple to use as garnishes.

Best Ginger Beer To Use

Finding the best ginger beer to use all depends on your personal preference. Here are a few good ginger beers to consider:

• Royalty Ginger Beer: This is a great ginger beer if you prefer a sweeter, more old school ginger ale.
• Q Ginger Beer: This ginger beer has more complex flavors as it is made with additional ingredients such as rose oil, orange peel, coriander, and cardamom.
• Maine Root Ginger Brew: Packed with spicy ginger root flavor and made with carbonated pure water and Fair Trade Certified cane sugar.
• Reed’s Strongest Ginger Beer: If you are looking for the ultimate spicy ginger beer, this is the brand to choose for a serious ginger kick.
• Fever Tree Ginger Beer: Not overly sweet, with notes of lemongrass, and made with three different types of ginger sourced from India and Nigeria.

How To Make A Moscow Mule

1. In a mug or regular glass (a highball glass is too tall) add the sugar, ginger and basil and gently muddle for a few seconds until basil becomes fragrant (until you can smell it).
2. Add vodka and stir well until sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Add orange juice, lime juice and a few ice cubes (3 or 4 big cubes) and stir.
4. Add soda water and give it a quick stir.
5. Serve this Moscow mule recipe garnished with a wedge of lime or orange.

Moscow Mule Recipe Variations

All of the best Moscow Mules come in variations! Not a fan of vodka? That’s okay. There are several other alternatives you can use to create similar refreshing cocktails for those hot days! Here are just a few:

• Mexican Mule: This recipe contains tequila instead of vodka.
• Kentucky Mule: This recipe contains bourbon whiskey instead of vodka.
• Irish Mule: This recipe contains Irish whiskey instead of vodka.
• Dark ‘N’ Stormy: This recipe is made with dark rum instead of vodka.

How To Serve Moscow Mules

Traditionally, Moscow mules are known to be served in copper mugs. The copper aspect provided a fun, new look compared to the other simple cocktail looks of the time. It became widely popularized amongst celebrities and continues to be a favorite to many to this day! It’s also said that the copper aspect keeps the drink cooler for longer.

While I do have my own collection of copper mugs and love to use them for regular moscow mules, I find the light pastels and fresh ingredients of this particular moscow mule so pretty that I didn’t want to hide them, which is why I chose a clear glass.

You can make the base of this Moscow mule recipe in advance to save time if you are hosting a party or enjoy having more than just a glass. Muddle the sugar, ginger and basil, stir in the orange and lime juice and leave in the mixture the fridge.

When your guests arrive, you’ll only have vodka and soda water to add to the mix and voila! This fresh ginger Moscow mule recipe can also be served virgin for the younger crowd. Everyone’s happy!

Some light and bright snacks to serve with this fresh ginger Moscow mule recipe: crunchy quinoa and kale salad with peach dressing, baked chips and easy spicy guacamole, baked fennel and olive pizza, and a sweet and bright watermelon, strawberry and tomatillo salad.

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