As a food blogger I pushed the classic into playful territory with a secret ginger blend and a few clever swaps in my Moscow Mule Variations that home bartenders will rush to try.

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I love that first clink of metal when vodka preferably chilled meets ginger beer chilled, it feels like a promise you want to keep. I get oddly picky about small details, and I keep a Moscow Mule Kit close for nights I plan to impress or when I just need a drink that makes me think.

I mess around with timing and temperature, totally nerd out over tiny differences, and sometimes I’m wrong and that’s the fun part. The little obsession turned into a habit, and now my notes on Moscow Mule Variations read like a travel journal of flavors.

Ingredients

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Ingredient Quantities

2 oz vodka preferably chilled

1/2 oz fresh lime juice (about half a lime)

4 to 6 oz ginger beer chilled

Ice cubes or crushed ice

1 lime, wedges or wheel for garnish

Fresh mint sprig optional

How to Make this

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1. Chill your mug or glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice to cool it down, and make sure the vodka and ginger beer are nice and cold too.

2. Add a generous handful of ice cubes or packed crushed ice to the chilled mug. Crushed ice chills faster if you want it extra cold.

3. Pour in 2 oz chilled vodka.

4. Squeeze in 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, about half a lime, and drop the squeezed half in if you like a bit more lime flavor.

5. Slowly top with 4 to 6 oz chilled ginger beer depending on how strong or fizzy you want it, leave a little room so it doesn’t fizz over.

6. Give it one or two gentle stirs to combine, don’t over stir or you’ll lose the fizz.

7. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel and a fresh mint sprig if you want; clap or rub the mint between your hands first to wake up the aroma.

8. Taste and adjust: add more lime if you like it tart, or a bit more ginger beer if it’s too strong. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Chilled mug or copper mug or highball glass — the cold one you froze or filled with ice
2. Measuring jigger or marked shot glass (2 oz and 1/2 oz)
3. Citrus juicer or reamer, or even a fork for squeezing that lime
4. Small paring knife and a cutting board for wedges or wheels
5. Ice scoop or tongs, or a resealable bag + rolling pin if you want crushed ice
6. Long bar spoon or a tablespoon for gentle stirring
7. Bottle opener or can opener for the ginger beer
8. Small tongs or just your fingers for placing the mint sprig and lime garnish

FAQ

Q: Can I use ginger ale instead of ginger beer? A: You can, but ginger ale is milder and sweeter so the drink will be less spicy and less true to a Moscow Mule.

Q: How much ice should I use? A: Fill the mug or glass almost to the top, lots of ice keeps the drink cold and prevents dilution.

Q: Can I make this in a pitcher for a group? A: Yes, scale ingredients up keeping the ratio about 2 oz vodka to 1/2 oz lime to 4 to 6 oz ginger beer per serving, add ice just before serving.

Q: Is fresh lime juice necessary? A: Fresh is best, bottled tastes flat and will change the flavor, but in a pinch use bottled.

Q: What type of vodka works best? A: A clean, neutral vodka is ideal, but flavored vodkas like citrus or ginger can be fun if you want a twist.

Q: How do I make it non alcoholic? A: Leave out the vodka and top with extra ginger beer and a splash of soda water, add more lime to keep the balance.

Moscow Mule Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Vodka (2 oz) substitute: 2 oz blanco tequila or light rum. Tequila adds an agave, peppery note, rum makes it sweeter and more tropical, same measure and temperature.
Fresh lime juice (1/2 oz) substitute: 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice or about 3/4 oz fresh grapefruit juice. Lemon keeps it bright, grapefruit adds a slightly bitter citrus twist so use a touch more.
Ginger beer (4 to 6 oz) substitute: 4 to 6 oz ginger ale plus 1/4 to 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger or 1/4 oz ginger syrup and a splash of club soda for fizz. Ginger ale is milder so you need extra real ginger for the bite.
Fresh mint sprig garnish substitute: fresh basil, cilantro, or a thin lime wheel. Basil gives a sweet herbal note, cilantro adds a bright savory pop, lime wheel works if you dont have herbs.

Pro Tips

– Chill everything you can, not just the booze. If your mug, vodka or ginger beer arent cold it melts faster and gets watery. No freezer nearby? Fill the glass with ice and cold water for a minute, dump it, then build the drink.

– Get as much lime juice as possible. Roll the lime on the counter first then press while you squeeze, or microwave it for like 10 to 15 seconds to loosen it up. Use a fork or reamer to get the little bits of pulp out if you dont want them.

– Pick your ginger beer with intention. Some are spicy and aggressive, some are sweet and mellow. If you like it fizzy, pour slowly over the back of a spoon to keep bubbles down until the end. Taste as you go, its easy to tweak.

– If you use mint, bruise it lightly instead of tearing it up. Clap or rub the leaves between your palms to wake up the aroma. And remember serve it right away, ice and fizz dont wait for nobody.

Moscow Mule Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

As a food blogger I pushed the classic into playful territory with a secret ginger blend and a few clever swaps in my Moscow Mule Variations that home bartenders will rush to try.

Servings

servings

Calories

290

kcal

Equipment: 1. Chilled mug or copper mug or highball glass — the cold one you froze or filled with ice
2. Measuring jigger or marked shot glass (2 oz and 1/2 oz)
3. Citrus juicer or reamer, or even a fork for squeezing that lime
4. Small paring knife and a cutting board for wedges or wheels
5. Ice scoop or tongs, or a resealable bag + rolling pin if you want crushed ice
6. Long bar spoon or a tablespoon for gentle stirring
7. Bottle opener or can opener for the ginger beer
8. Small tongs or just your fingers for placing the mint sprig and lime garnish

Ingredients

2 oz vodka preferably chilled
1/2 oz fresh lime juice (about half a lime)
4 to 6 oz ginger beer chilled
Ice cubes or crushed ice
1 lime, wedges or wheel for garnish
Fresh mint sprig optional

Directions

Chill your mug or glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice to cool it down, and make sure the vodka and ginger beer are nice and cold too.
Add a generous handful of ice cubes or packed crushed ice to the chilled mug. Crushed ice chills faster if you want it extra cold.
Pour in 2 oz chilled vodka.
Squeeze in 1/2 oz fresh lime juice, about half a lime, and drop the squeezed half in if you like a bit more lime flavor.
Slowly top with 4 to 6 oz chilled ginger beer depending on how strong or fizzy you want it, leave a little room so it doesn't fizz over.
Give it one or two gentle stirs to combine, don't over stir or you'll lose the fizz.
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel and a fresh mint sprig if you want; clap or rub the mint between your hands first to wake up the aroma.
Taste and adjust: add more lime if you like it tart, or a bit more ginger beer if it's too strong. Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.