Wikipedia pack your bags and go home!
It all started with the Moscow Mule, but it wasn’t a One-Hit-Wonder. Various variations were created since the 40s and all of them added their own unique twist to the original Moscow Mule recipe.
One thing upfront: Make sure to use Copper Mugs, a good Ginger Beer (the original was made with Cock-N-Bull, but we also recommend Bundaberg Ginger Beer dearly) and Big Ice Cubes for the authentic and old-school Mule experience. It is a gentleman’s drink and that’s how it is supposed to be made for the perfect Mule!
Then let’s start with the Moscow Mule variations you definitely should try!
Moscow Mule – also: American Mule
The mother of all mules, The Moscow Mule. This classic was born in 1941 in a small Los Angeles bar. John G. Martin and Rudolph Kunett, both were from G. F. Heublein Brothers Inc. and were trying to think of a way to promote their Smirnoff Vodka in the USA. At that time Vodka was not very popular in the States. So they sat down in the bar Cock’n Bull Pub in Hollywood and met the bartender John A. „Jack“ Morgan. He wanted to promote his self-made ginger lemonade. Long story short, they had the idea (after a couple of drinks) to combine the Vodka with John’s Ginger Lemonade, add a little bit of lime juice and serve it in copper mugs to make it a distinctive masterpiece. From there its spread like wildfire and the rest is history.
What is the takeaway? Today you can get that classic in every bar and make it easily at home yourself. Deliciousness in a mug!
Taste: The ginger beer gives it a sweet and spicy note, the lime tones the sweetness and spiciness down a notch. For the extra freshness kick add a slice of cucumber.
Moscow Mule
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of Smirnoff or Absolute Vodka
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Instructions
- Add 2-3 Big Ice Cubes
- Add 2 oz. of Vodka
- Add Juice of one fresh Lime
- Top It Off With Ginger Beer
- Garnished With A Wedge Of Lime
London Mule – also: Munich Mule – Gin-Gin Mule – Foghorn
In case you don’t like the subtle taste of Vodka in the Moscow Mule just try it with Gin. Since England is the country where Gin originates from, this Mule variation is called London Mule, Gin-Gin Mule or Foghorn. In Germany, it is better known as Munich Mule.
Taste: In this variation the Gin adds a note of juniper and freshness to the sweetness and spiciness of the ginger beer. You can experiment with infused Gins, which change the big picture of the Mule depending on the infusion. I like it more classical – Gordon’s, Monkey 47 or Tanqueray – they add a strong juniper taste and give the drink an extra kick.
London Mule
Ingredients
- 2 oz. of Gordon’s, Monkey 47 or Tanqueray Gin
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Instructions
- Add 2-3 Big Ice Cubes
- Add 2 oz. of Gin
- Add Juice of one fresh Lime
- Top It Off With Ginger Beer
- Garnished With A Wedge Of Lime
Kentucky Mule – also: Horsefeather
After the Moscow Mule took over the States in an instant, quickly people started to experiment with different spirits replacing Vodka as the base ingredient. Vodka is quite subtle in it´s taste. Other spirits bring much more taste along. So, it was only a question of time that Whiskey and Bourbon come into the spotlight. The Kentucky Mule was born. The original Kentucky Mule is made with Bourbon. Check out our more detailed post on the Kentucky Mule. Also we have collected our favorite Kentucky Mule Mugs you might be interested in.
Taste: The Bourbon gives the whole mule experience notes of vanilla, oak and caramel. First time I tried combining ginger beer with Bourbon I was surprised how well it works together. Give it a try and taste some American history!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz of Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark or Bulleit Bourbon
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
New Orleans Mule
The south is calling! And the New Orleans Mule is answering. This variation takes the Kentucky Mule and makes it it´s own. It brings some playfulness and that summer feeling along.
Taste: Sweetness and spiciness from ginger beer, vanilla, oak and caramel from Bourbon, the freshness from pineapple juice and the extra kick from the coffee liqueur. Enjoying it in the sun is highly recommended!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Bourbon
- 1 oz. Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz. Pineapple Juice (fresh pressed)
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Jamaican Mule – Aussie mule – Caribbean Mule
Old stories say that captain Jack Sparrow was a big fan of that exotic mix of spirit and ginger beer. But who knows if there is any truth to that? The Jamaican Rum is the heart of this bad boy. Take your taste buds on a roller coaster ride and tell us what your take is!
Taste: The sweeter funky Jamaican Rum gives this variation that extra playfulness and brings the sweetness in the ginger beer to it’s full potential while the spiciness provides the counterpart.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Rum, Spiced
- 0.5 oz. Sugar Syrup
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Irish Mule
Is it St. Patrick’s Day already?! This King of St. Patrick’s Day brings the Irish craziness to the classic and adds the unique tasting of Irish Whiskey (the brown stuff) to it. I wouldn’t be surprised if the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is actually a chilled Irish Mule!
Taste: The smooth, light and rich oak flavor of Irish Whiskey makes that variation unique.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Whiskey, Irish
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Mexican Mule
It isn’t much surprising that the Moscow Mule also made its way further sound…You guessed right. MEXICO! Cool as Mexicans are, they took it, tasted it, liked it and changed it anyway. How you might ask? Simple! Do you know it already…c’mon…Just one hint…Tequila! That’s right replace the vodka with Tequila, add some sugar syrup and you’re good to go.
Taste: The agave flavor from the Tequila is the heart of this variation.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Tequila, Reposito
- 0.25 oz. Sugar Syrup
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
A Mexican Mule also calls for a special Copper Mug. Check this bad boy out!
Angry Mule
What makes a Mule angry you might ask? Well in Las Vegas thought somebody “Somehow those mules don’t do it for me anymore…We have Mules with Tequila…we have some with Whiskey…Hmmm…Fuck it! Let’s mix those two!” And that is the story my friends how the Angry Mule was born.
Taste: You have to try – words don’t do the taste justice – seriously I don’t know how to describe it for you guys. But remember this version is a heavy hitter. Too many and you might find out that the Angry Mule is you!
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Tequila
- 1 oz. Whiskey
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Tennessee Mule
Which of Tennessee’s exports is known all over the world…Think a little…Yeah, you’re close…Square …Gold-Brown…Tasty…If your answer is Jack Daniel’s, you’re right on point! This is basically Tennessee’s answer to the Kentucky Mule. And it doesn’t disappoint!
Taste: The smooth, woody and a hint of smoky flavor of Jack Daniel’s compliments the sweet- and spiciness of the ginger beer very well. It is the perfect drink for a poker night or every house party!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
This mug is the perfect holder for your Tennessee Mule!
Italian Mule
You don’t have to sit in airplane for several hours to get that Europe Trip experience. This variation can take you to a trip to Italy and back in an instant. The Fernet-Branca is one of Italy’s many jewels. The roots of this liquor go back as far as the 1840s and roots are also the key ingredient to its flavor. Myrrh gives the Fernet the unique flavor which you will also taste in the Italian Mule.
Taste: The aromatic bitter Fernet-Branca, sweet and spicy Ginger Beer and the lime juice in combination…This complexity can’t be matched by any of the other Mules!
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. Fernet-Branca
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Dutch Mule
The Dutch Mule is basically a Moscow Mule with the Dutch vodka Ketel One. And this bottle proves that good vodka doesn’t have to come from Russia! The vodka is already over 300 years old and made it into the top 50 vodkas worldwide. This alone is reason enough to give it try. But it is not everything.
Taste: The fresh and very clear vodka flavor and hints of citrus fruits and honey make it a safe bet for a perfect Mule.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. Ketel One Vodka
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Kicking Mule
2016 was the year of the mule and the 75th anniversary of the Moscow Mule. This was also when the Kicking Mule came into the picture. The kick doesn’t come from alcohol but rather from the freshly pressed carrot juice, which gives this drink a whole new direction. It is perfect for a Sunday afternoon or after a nice BBQ. I personally like a vegetable note in my drinks, it is just something different and unique among all the other choices of long drinks.
Taste: The specialty of this version is the carrot juice. Not only brings it a ton of vitamins along, it also gives the drink a whole new level of freshness.
Ingredients:
- 1 1⁄3 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
- 1 oz. carrot juice
- 1⁄3 oz. simple syrup
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
French Mule
Cognac the gentleman among the drinks for gentlemen. The king among brandies. Well this this one you get a little France in your mug. And how an old French saying goes “Voulez vous coucher avec moi”…yeah I don’t have a clue what that means either. But any how we are here to have some awesome mules and not take history lessons!
Taste: It’s really hard to describe the flavor of Cognac. It’s simply too complex. Cognac drinkers say, “you have to try to really know what it tastes like”. So also, will leave it at that. But I can promise you that you won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Cognac
- 3⁄4 oz. simple syrup
- 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Mississippi Mule
This one goes on the list for its name, which is a mystery. No one really knows where it has its name from. It first appeared in 1921 on the scene of cocktails and it doesn’t actually use any ginger beer as filler, and this is usually the reason a Mule is called a Mule. Nonetheless if you want to try and drink your way through all variations of mules, why not give this a try as well.
Ingredients:
- 1½ oz. Gin
- 1 tsp Creme de Cassis
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
Bohemian mule
This one is dangerous! Really be careful with this version. The base is Absinthe, the green fairy of spirits. And if you’re not familiar with it…the alcohol content goes as high as 74%. It was even banned due to speculations around its psychedelic effect. Thujone is the ingredient responsible for this controversy. If it is true or not…you decide!
Taste: Absinthe, this mysterious tonic, brings a mildly bitter taste along. Also, many people describe the overall taste of Absinthe as tasting like licorice. Be it as it may it really plays the ginger beer into the hand. Bitter, sweet, spicy and touch of sour…wonderful…Fairylike you even might say!
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Absinthe
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Dead man’s mule
Scary name, wonderful taste. Don’t be intimidated by the “dead” in the name, it is actually a delight in this mixture. The base consists out of a Bohemian Mule, which is spiced up by 2 ingredients. Orgeat and Allspice Dram.
Taste: Allspice Dram is a very concentrated taste carrier. It combines a summer touch with autumn fruits and a slightly bitter note. I wouldn’t recommend trying it by itself…actually it is a funny experience. Its concentrated bitterness will make your pull an angry pirate face and won’t feel your tongue for a couple of seconds. The key to bring out its full potential, is using it sparingly. The Orgeat will provide the almond taste and the absinthe the alcoholic hit.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Absinthe
- 1 oz. Orgeat
- ½ oz. Allspice Dram
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Tuscan mule
We take another trip to Italy and discover the Tuscan Mule. In comparison with the Italian Mule this one is a more fruity experience if it comes to its base spirit. Which is Tuaca (the pronunciation is very similar to “Chewbacca”…although it doesn’t have anything to do with Star Wars. “Two-wa-ka” is how you would pronounce it).
Taste: Tuaca is based on brandy and has notes of citrus fruits, caramel, orange essence and vanilla. Combined with ginger beer and lime juice it simply is a delight.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Tuaca
- Juice of 1 fresh lime
- Chilled Ginger Beer
Last but not least we would like to reccomend some useful tools you would need to prepare a perfect Mule of your chioce!
First is a good lime squeezer. This handy tool can not only be used for making drinks, it is simply a kitchen essential. But be careful, out there are a lot of cheap but unstable ones. To squeeze a lime or lemon you need some force, that’s why make sure the squeezer is out of solid steel or strong plastic. I had this Squeezer for years and it exceeded my expectations regarding longevity and function.
Next are ice cubes. You might think “yeah but I’ve got some forms in my freezer, they will do fine”. This would be correct, if the ice cubes are big enough. It is quite simple…the smaller the cubes the more surface area they will provide for the liquid…this will result in faster melting. And that’s exactly what we don’t want to be happening. For a great taste you don’t want the melting ice cubes to water down your drink. I’ve got this Ice Cube Tray some time ago, and they are perfect. Also, great for a neat Whiskey.
This one is not a must, but gives your drink a curtain look of completeness! Coasters. Especially this ones out of Slate have a charme to them. Check them out. I highly recommend getting those together with some nice Copper Mugs!
That basicaly summes it up. Our favorite variations of the calssic Moscow Mule. Did we forget any? Do you have any you would like to be added to the list? Let us know!
Oh before I forget it. We have also a version of the Moscow Mule which doesn’t have any need for alcohol: The Vergin Moscow Mule!
Also, if you’re looking for spicing up your night check out our list of Best Vodka Shots & Shooters and Best Drinking Games On Amazon.
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