Best Moscow Mule Recipe
How to Make a Moscow Mule – This classic cocktail recipe is easy to make with a perfect simple combination of vodka, ginger beer, and lime. Serve in a copper mug, of course, for the Best Moscow Mule with a refreshing kick!
Why We Love This Moscow Mule Recipe
This classic cocktail is a favorite in the United States and across the world. And it’s easy to see why… The Moscow Mule combines just three simple ingredients to make a bold and refreshing drink everyone loves!
The key to making the BEST Moscow Mule recipe is to make sure to use the perfect balance of a good quality ginger beer and good vodka, along with a splash of fresh-squeezed lime juice. That, and you definitely want to serve them in handled copper mugs for the crisp ginger bite that makes Moscow mules so iconic.
Here we’re showing you the proportions to make one drink. Simply increase the ingredients to make the number of cocktails you need for your next casual party or relaxing summer day with friends!
Ingredients You Need
- Ginger beer – use a quality nonalcoholic beer made with real fresh ginger, like Fever-Tree
- Vodka – your preferred brand
- Lime – fresh-squeezed juice and slices to garnish
- Ice – crushed or cubed
How to Make a Moscow Mule Cocktail
- Fill copper metal mugs with ice. I’m a big fan of small cubes of ice, but larger pieces or even crushed ice is great!
- Measure and pour 4 ounces of ginger beer, 2 ounces of vodka, and 1/2 ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice into each mug.
- Stir well, then taste. If you want your Moscow Mule to have a bit more citrus punch, add an additional ¼ ounce of lime juice.
- Add a lime wedge or lime slice on the rim to garnish, and serve!
Get the Complete (Printable) Best Moscow Mule Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Vodka – Feel free to use flavored vodka, if you like! Flavors like lime, citron, or grapefruit for an extra fruity kick.
- Juice – Skip the fresh lime and instead add a splash of fresh orange, grapefruit, or pineapple juice to taste.
- Other Alcohol – Swap vodka with bourbon whiskey to make a Kentucky Mule, or tequila for a Mexican Mule. Or use dark rum to make a Dark and Stormy Donkey cocktail or gin for an aptly-named Gin-Gin Mule. (Gin + Ginger beer, get it? :))
- Soda – If ginger beer has too much bite, you can substitute with sweeter ginger ale.
- Garnishes – Our classic Moscow Mule recipe includes a slice of lime to garnish. But you can add a slice of any citrus or even a wedge of pineapple. Also, consider adding a fresh sprig of mint as a final touch!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a Moscow Mule have to be in a copper mug?Serving a Moscow mule in a copper mug makes the spiciness of the ginger beer really pop, without changing the taste. The metal also keeps the drink ice-cold, while the handle of the mug makes sure the heat from your hands doesn’t warm the cocktail.
Of course, you can certainly make and serve the drink in a regular ‘ol glass. With plenty of ice it will still be a delightfully refreshing drink!Do you chill the mugs first?The beauty of copper mugs is that they don’t need to be chilled first to keep drinks cold. That being said, feel free to pop your mugs – copper or otherwise – into the freezer for an hour or so before serving to get them super frosty.
Do you drink a Moscow Mule with ginger beer or ginger ale?Traditionally, Moscow Mules are made with ginger beer. Ginger beer is a sparkling ginger soda with a much more intense ginger bite than ginger ale. However, if you are sensitive to ginger’s spiciness, you can use gingerale instead.
Can you make a large batch of Moscow Mules?I suggest making each cocktail one-by-one, rather than mixing up a pitcher of drinks. That way you are sure to get the perfect proportion of vodka and ginger beer in each glass! This also keeps the ginger beer fresh and sparkling for each drink.
What is the difference between a Kentucky Mule and a Moscow Mule?As seen in our recipe, a Mocow Mule is made with vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice. However, a Kentucky Mule is made by substituting the vodka for Bourbon whiskey. This made a slightly sweeter beverage with a deep caramel undertones.
Personally, when I make (or order) a Kentucky Mule, I prefer it to be made with lemon juice in place of the lime juice. IMO, the bourbon, ginger, lemon combo is a huge winner!
Looking for More Easy Cocktail Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- How to Make the Perfect Mimosa
- Best Old Fashioned Recipe
- Sunny D Vodka Seltzer
- Best Orange Crush Cocktail
- How to Make a Perfect Cosmopolitan
- Classic Transfusion Drink
Best Moscow Mule Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 4 ounces ginger beer
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ – ¾ ounces fresh lime juice
- Ice
- Lime wedges or slice
Instructions
- For each drink: Set out a Moscow Mule mug. Fill the mug with ice.
- Measure and pour in 4 ounces of ginger beer, 2 ounces of vodka, and 1/2 ounce of fresh squeezed lime juice into the mug.
- Stir well, then taste. If you would like your Moscow Mule to have a little bit more citrus punch, add an additional ¼ ounce of lime juice.
- Garnish with a lime wedge or lime slice and serve!
I’ve tried several Moscow Mule recipes, and this one is by far the best! This will definitely be a staple in my cocktail rotation!
Hands down the best Moscow Mule I’ve ever had! The recipe is simple, yet the flavors are bold and delicious, and I love that it only takes a few minutes to mix together!
This Moscow Mule recipe is absolutely perfect! The balance of vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime juice is spot on, and serving it in a chilled copper mug makes all the difference.