Joanne and I love this classic Moscow mule recipe! It is super simple to make and incredibly refreshing! With just a few required ingredients, this cocktail is perfect for when we are serving a crowd.
Not long ago, the Moscow mule, a vodka cocktail made with ginger beer and lime, seemed to be fading in popularity. Now this classic cocktail is making a big comeback.
We’ve noticed Moscow mules popping up on cocktail menus and being promoted at local bars. This cocktail is so refreshing on a hot summer day. This is one of Joanne’s favorites since she is a huge ginger beer fan!
Key Ingredients
- Vodka: Use a vodka you already know and enjoy. Tito’s is a popular choice, but other mid to high-shelf options (like Stolichnaya, Belvedere, or Ketel One) work just as well.
- Ginger Beer: Don’t confuse ginger beer with ginger ale (they’re not the same!). Ginger beer is much more gingery and spicy. Fever-Tree is a widely available and excellent option, but feel free to use your favorite brand. Cock’n Bull, Gosling’s, and D&G are also great. We also use ginger beer to make this dark and stormy cocktail.
- Lime: Freshly squeezed lime juice is essential for this cocktail. I like to add the juice directly to the drink and then garnish the glass with a lime wedge or two for extra flavor and aroma.
- Glass or Copper Mug: I stick with a tall glass with ice, but for the full experience, you can buy yourself a copper mug, which you can keep in the freezer so it’s super cold!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
Our Favorite Moscow Mule Variations
Kentucky Mule – This variation switches the vodka for bourbon if you want a deeper richer flavor. I am a huge bourbon fan so I love this version! One of my favorite cocktails of all time is an old fashioned.
Add seasonal flavors – You can make your Moscow mule seasonal by adding seasonal flavors. Consider blending peaches and mixing them in for a peach ginger mule or using a bit of applesauce for a fall based cocktail. This version is particularly good if you make your own homemade applesauce.
Perfect Moscow Mule
- PREP
- TOTAL
This classic cocktail only requires three ingredients. It is easy to make and perfect all year round. This is hands down one of the most frequency made cocktails we use when serving a crowd.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
Half of a lime
2 ounces (¼ cup) vodka
4 ounces (½ cup) cold ginger beer
Ice
Directions
1Squeeze half of a lime into a tall glass (or copper mug), then drop the lime half into the bottom.
2Fill the glass with ice, then pour over vodka and ginger beer.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
My wife Gail and her friend Nancy came up with a variation that’ll please your taste buds. It’s called a Moscow Burro which begins by muddling a slice of jalepeno (minus seeds) in a shaker then adding Tito’s and then strain it over ice and add your ginger beer and lime juice and slice of lime ….Enjoy !!
Hi Tim, this sounds excellent. We love adding some spice to margaritas, but never thought to do it for a Moscow Mule. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hi, My husband and I love Moscow Mules and have tried several ginger beers. Our favorite so far is the Fever, but I just ordered Q Ginger Beer and will report back when we try it. We modified the Moscow Mule by using tequila in place of vodka and named it the Juan Burro :). It’s really good! But my favorite mule so far is one with mint infused vodka that I order at a local restaurant. If you are ever in Port Angeles, go to Michael’s restaurant (great food), and order a Michael Mule with mint infused vodka :).
So this drink may not taste as well making in a 2 gallon container for a party?
Do you know if you can make this in large batches. We have been asked to make 500 cocktails for a function. Thank you
Hi Steven, Wow, that’s a lot. Since the ginger beer is fizzy, you might have issues with the cocktail turning flat if it’s made too far in advance. I’d check before the event to see how long in advance you can get away with.
I love the sound of the ginger beer and lime, that sounds gorgeous, but I don’t like Vodka. Ever tried this with Gin?
I have tried many variations of the mule, vodka, gin, spiced rum and tequila and love them all, Kinda whatever I have on hand…lol. By far my favorite ginger beer is the fever tree ginger beer. For a different variation try 1 ounce raspberry infused vodka, 1 ounce regular vodka in a cold copper mug and fever tree with lime
Hi there, Gin would definitely work in this. The spiciness of the ginger beer should play well with a dry gin.
I’m happy to see that you have the correct recipe; so many of them now replace the ginger beer with ginger ale, which is just wrong! In fact, a proper Moscow Mule was served in a copper mug (still is at my house). Keeps the drink lovely and cold!