This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
This Moscow Mule recipe mixes fresh lime, vodka, and spicy ginger beer for a crisp, refreshing cocktail. It’s perfect for entertaining with no special equipment needed!
It’s bubbly, tangy, and looks impressive in a shiny copped mug: it’s the classic Moscow mule! When people ask me for ideas of easy cocktail recipes, this is my top choice. It’s got just 3 ingredients and you can build it right in the glass, making it perfect for parties or a lazy evening drink!
There really is something magical about the combination of flavors: the icy copper mug, the spicy kick of ginger beer and the kick of tangy bright lime: it feels special with relatively little effort. I discovered this classic vodka cocktail on a friend’s patio, and it has become my go-to cocktail for gatherings of all kinds!
Why You’ll Love This Moscow Mule Recipe
- No special equipment needed: You can build it right in the glass or copper cup: no cocktail shaker required! This is key for parties.
- Simple ingredients: All you need are vodka, ginger beer, and fresh lime juice, and you can mix up this vodka cocktail in under 2 minutes.
- Many variations: So I love a Moscow mule, but I love the Moscow Mule variations even more: like the Kentucky Mule, Mexican Mule, Irish Mule, and seasonal flavor twists.
5-Star Reader Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I just used this recipe to make my drink, and it was the perfect balance. Thank you!!” -Maddi
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “Hey, thank you so much for being so detailed and helpful!!!!!! 10/10” -Victoria
Ingredients You’ll Need
A Moscow mule is a classic cocktail invented in the 1940’s, made with vodka and ginger beer and traditionally served in a copper mug. It’s part of a family of cocktails called bucks, which are drinks made with liquor, ginger ale or ginger beer, and citrus juice. So, the drink is also known as a vodka buck! The ingredients for a Moscow mule recipe are:
- Vodka: I use a mid-range vodka like Tito’s or Smirnoff Vodka: nothing too cheap, but you don’t need top-shelf either.
- Ginger Beer: Look for brands made with real fresh ginger and no artificial sweeteners. The best ginger beer makes all the difference in achieving that perfect Moscow Mule.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Always use freshly squeezed lime juice, never bottled. You’ll also need lime wedges for garnish.
- Ice Cubes: Plenty of ice keeps your drink ice-cold (it doesn’t need to be fancy clear ice: just normal cubes).
The Best Vodka & Ginger Beer for This Cocktail
The best vodka for a Moscow mule is a mid-priced vodka. Brands like Tito’s and Smirnoff work well here, as well as mid-range brands like Grey Goose vodka. Avoid vodka that is very cheap for a Moscow mule, in the $10 to $15 per 750 ml bottle range. Low quality vodka can ruin the flavor of the drink.
For the ginger beer, look for a ginger beer made with real ginger, without artificial flavors or sweeteners. Q Ginger Beer has great flavor and is made with real ginger. It comes in small cans so you don’t have to open a large bottle. Fever Tree Ginger Beer also has great flavor; it’s made with real ginger and has no artificial sweeteners. Here’s a list of more top ginger beer brands.
How to Make a Moscow Mule
Because a Moscow mule is all about the carbonation in the ginger beer, this drink is not mixed in a cocktail shaker. To preserve the bubbles, simply build the drink right in the mug, served over ice. This makes it one of the easiest cocktail recipes you can find, and quick and easy to mix up for parties. Here’s how to make a Moscow mule:
- Fill your copper mug or highball glass with ice cubes. Pour in 2 ounces vodka (about 4 tablespoons) and ½ ounce of fresh lime juice.
- Top with 4 ounces ginger beer and give it a gentle stir: just enough to combine without killing the carbonation.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of mint, if desired.
The proper ratio for a Moscow Mule is 1 part vodka to 2 parts ginger beer, with just enough lime to brighten everything up. This makes a drink that’s refreshing and not too strong.
Variations To Try
The Moscow mule is such an iconic drink that has inspired many variations. Switching up the liquor or adding fruit juices or herbs makes different flavors: which I personally like even more than the classic! Here are some of the most popular Moscow mule variations:
- Kentucky Mule: Uses bourbon instead of vodka for a whiskey-forward variation.
- Mexican Mule: Uses tequila instead of vodka.
- Irish Mule: Uses Irish whiskey in place of of vodka.
- Gin Gin Mule: Essentially a mashup of a mule and a Mojito using gin.
- Dark and Stormy: Uses dark rum in place of vodka and is served in a highball glass.
- Mezcal Mule: Uses tequila and mezcal for a smoky spin.
- Watermelon Mule, Apple Cider Mule, and Cranberry Mule: Seasonal spins with added fruit or juices.
Why Moscow Mules Are Served in Copper Mugs
Moscow mules are traditionally served in a copper cup or copped mug for a few reasons:
- Copper keeps the drink cool in a different way than glass. Copper immediately takes on the temperature of the drink. The sensation of taking a sip of the drink with a cool copper rim makes it taste even colder and more refreshing.
- Copper mugs are traditional. There is some controversy around why the Moscow mule is served in a copper mug, and whether the mugs came from a German woman named Oseline Schmidt or a Russian immigrant named Sophie Berezinski. Whatever the case, people in Hollywood fell in love with it and soon there were lots of images of celebrities drinking mules in copper mugs. It caught on and it’s still the traditional way to drink this cocktail.
Tips for buying mugs: If you’re buying Moscow Mule mugs, look for solid copper rather than copper-plated stainless steel. Food-safe copper (or copper-lined with stainless steel on the inside) is best. Here’s a set of solid copper Moscow mule mugs I recommend Don’t have a copper mug? No problem: a highball glass, copper cup, or any tumbler works, too!
The History Behind the Drink
The Moscow mule was invented around 1940 by Smirnoff executive John Martin and his friend businessman Jack Morgan, owner of the bar Cock’n Bull in Los Angeles, as a ploy to sell vodka and ginger beer.
Martin and Morgan are both credited inventing the drink as a solution for selling Cock’n Bull’s house made ginger beer and a surplus of vodka, which was not selling because the spirit wasn’t yet popular in America.
It’s likely that Cock’n Bull bartender Wes Price was the person responsible for the actual drink creation, per a 2007 Wall Street Journal article and other sources. Either way, the quickly drink caught on and brought a small fortune to both Martin and Morgan!
Frequently Asked Questions
No, ginger beer is non-alcoholic despite the name. It’s a fermented carbonated drink made with ginger, sugar, and often other spices. The only alcohol in a Moscow Mule comes from the vodka.
No! Ginger ale is much sweeter and less spicy than ginger beer. It won’t give you that characteristic spicy kick that defines a Moscow Mule. Ginger beer has a strong ginger flavor and more carbonation, which are essential to the balance in this drink.
Technically yes, but I strongly advise against it. The fresh lime juice is crucial for balancing the sweet and spicy ginger beer. Without it, the drink becomes one-dimensional and too sweet.
Classic Moscow Mule
This Moscow Mule recipe mixes fresh lime, vodka, and spicy ginger beer for a crisp, refreshing cocktail. It’s perfect for entertaining with no special equipment needed!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice
- 4 ounces ginger beer
- For the garnish: lime wheel or wedge, fresh mint (if desired)
Instructions
- Pour the vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer into a copper mug.
- Add ice and garnish with a lime slice. Serve immediately.
Notes
Vodka: Use a mid-range vodka like Tito’s or Smirnoff. Avoid very cheap vodka. Premium brands aren’t necessary for this drink.
Ginger Beer: Look for brands made with real ginger like Fever-Tree or Q. Avoid ginger beer with artificial sweeteners.
Fresh vs. Bottled Lime: Always use freshly squeezed lime juice.
Measurements: 1 ounce equals 2 tablespoons if you don’t have a jigger.
I just made 4 batches of this dough for a MYO wood fired pizza night, and I love how simple the recipe is. The dough seems to be rising nicely. More than anything I wanted to compliment your site. I appreciate the option to keep my screen up while cooking, as I use my IPad on a stand while doing it. Also the ease with which I can size up the recipes AND a “Jump to recipe” option at the top. 👏👏👏
If I may, how the Moscow Mule came to pass. Sophie Berezinski had immigrated to the US from Russia in hopes of selling her family-made copper mugs. Having little success at sales (but meeting her husband, Max) in New York, she headed west.
The stars aligned at the Cock ‘n Bull pub on Sunset Blvd, where bar owner Jack Morgan and Jack Martin were working out their business dilemmas. Jack Morgan was trying to sell his homemade ginger beer–a favorite in England but hard to brew demand for in the US. Jack Martin had purchased American rights to the Smirnoff distillery. Martin was having an equally difficult time selling vodka in a post-war America.
In walks Sophie with her handcrafted copper mugs, and the three get to the task of combining their products–and a squeeze of lime–to create one of the most iconic classic cocktails. Ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice: the Moscow Mule cocktail is perfect in its simplicity.
However, a Moscow Mule is not complete without an original Moscow Mule copper mug. The copper uplifts the carbonation and delights the senses with a cool touch to match the cocktail within.
We’re wondering about the phrase “a copper mug or glass.” We don’t think that a copper glass exists; thus, it should read “a copper mug or a glass.”
We’ve clarified this in the recipe. Thank you!
I just used this recipe to make my drink and it was the perfect balance. Thank you!!
Can this be done in a pitcher for a party version? Would it have the same proportions?
Hi! You could do it right before serving, otherwise the ginger beer will lose it’s fizz. The same proportions would work.
You could also premix the vodka and lime juice, then just add ginger beer to each mug.
Enjoy!
Can I use any other fruit juice beside lime. We have an orange tree outside, can we use orange juice, or any other fruit as far as that goes?
Lemon juice would work, but orange juice is too watery and wouldn’t be tangy enough for this recipe.
Hey, thank you so much for being so detailed and helpful!!!!!! 10/10
What kind of vodka do you use?
We usually use Tito’s
Let us know if you have any questions!