Moscow Mule
Vodka, fresh lime, ginger beer. Served in copper for the ice-cold metal kick.
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
- 4 oz spicy ginger beer (Fever-Tree, Q, or Bundaberg)
- Cubed ice, packed
- Lime wheel and mint sprig, for garnish
Method
- Fill a copper mug with cubed ice. (Highball glass also works; the copper is tradition, not chemistry.)
- Add the vodka and fresh lime juice directly to the mug.
- Top with the ginger beer.
- Give a single gentle stir — preserve the carbonation.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and a slap of mint to release the oils.
Flavor
Bright, spicy, refreshing. The ginger does most of the work; vodka adds the strength without changing the profile. Fresh lime is what separates this drink from a vodka-and-soda.
History
Created in 1941 by John Martin, owner of Smirnoff Vodka, and Jack Morgan, owner of the Cock'n Bull restaurant in Los Angeles, who needed to move both vodka and his proprietary ginger beer. The copper mugs were the marketing hook — a friend with an unsellable inventory of copper mugs joined the partnership.
The Kentucky Mule swaps vodka for bourbon. The Mexican Mule uses tequila. The Dark and Stormy uses dark rum and lime. Same template, different spirit; all three predate and inspired the Moscow Mule.
Pairs With
- Spicy Asian food
- Burgers
- BBQ
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