Everybody of us has times when we don’t want to consume alcohol. Be it for fitness, religion or other reasons. Or sometimes a simple break can be a reason. That does not mean you’re stuck with boring water and juices, even at social gatherings.

You can make a number of “mocktails”, or virgin drinks without any liquor or alcohol. What’s our favorite choice? You guessed it, the Virgin Moscow Mule, or the Virgin Mule. And it’s just as easy to make as our classic Moscow Mule recipe! Just don’t forget to put it in Copper Mugs (these are our favorite copper mugs) for that extra swagger! We also highly recommend you check out our article about our 7 favorite Ginger Beers for a Moscow Mule, since there is no liquor in that drink the taste of the Ginger Beer is much more prominent and there are quite some differences!

Virgin Moscow Mule Recipe

Virgin Mule

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 Lime
  • a Splash of Simple Syrup
  • a Splash of Tonic Water or Club Soda
  • Top it off with Ginger Beer

Notes

Simply squeeze the juice of one lime into the copper mug, then add one tablespoon of simple syrup (flavors such as mint or lime are fine here), then add a splash of tonic water or club soda and then top it off with the ginger beer. Put a slice of lime as garnish and some mint in there. Voilà!
A slice of cucumber is another garnish you can use. Especially for those hot summer days. You will be surprised how fresh it will taste!
A variation which I love and which transforms that drink quite drastically, is replacing the Tonic Water or Club Soda with an organic unsweetened Lemonade and add Basil. You can thank me later!

By the way in case the “virgin” is just temporarily, make sure to get a look at our Ultimate Moscow Mule Variation Guide. You won’t be disappointed!

What Hardware do you need:

First thing first…for that real Mule experience you definitely need a Copper Mug. This is how this drink made his debut and became a super star in the 40s in Los Angeles and this is how it should be consumed today! Even as a virgin version. Some nice ones we recommend dearly are these Copper Mugs.

The next thing 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.

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The last thing 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.

Further Directions:
The great thing about this drink is that it’s actually best made directly in the copper mug because a shaker will make it go flat due to all the carbonation.

Conclusion

When you’re avoiding tasty shots, delicious mixed drinks and funny drinking games, a virgin Moscow mule is the best way to enjoy a nice, cold drink without consuming alcohol.

Additionally, here’s a great video from Little Lights Of Mine for a more visual representation of how to make a virgin Moscow mule along with a delicious homemade syrup to use instead of the simple syrup in our recipe. Check her out!