Today, I’m sharing everything you need to know about Moscow mules. Ready?! Moscow mules are delightfully fizzy drinks made with fiery ginger beer, vodka and fresh lime.
Moscow mules are refreshing on hot summer days, sure, but they’re also holiday-appropriate thanks to the strong ginger flavor. They strike that elusive balance between spicy, sweet and strong, and I’d sip one any day.
Bonus: Moscow mules are super easy to make. You’ll need just three basic ingredients:
- Vodka
- Ginger beer
- Fresh lime
The ginger beer component makes the biggest difference between a so-so and fantastic Moscow mule. So, I bought all the ginger beers I could find and tried them at home. Keep reading to find my recommendations!
Watch How to Make Moscow Mules
Moscow Mule Ingredients
1) Vodka
Tito’s brand vodka is my go-t0 for Moscow mules. Tito’s is affordable, high quality and made not-so-far-away in Austin, Texas.
The ginger beer dominates the other flavors so much that any decent vodka on your shelf will do, really.
2) Ginger Beer
The best ginger beer for Moscow mules is Fever-Tree brand ginger beer. Mara said, “It tastes the most like a Moscow mule,” and I wholeheartedly agreed. Fever-Tree’s ginger beer has the most clear and pronounced fresh ginger flavor, thanks to a blend of three gingers from Nigeria, Cochin and the Ivory Coast.
I found my Fever-Tree at Natural Grocers, but I’ve also seen it at Whole Foods, World Market and Amazon (affiliate link). If you’re curious, you’ll find our ginger beer tasting notes below.
3) Fresh Lime
Be sure to squeeze your lime juice from fresh limes. Don’t use the stale bottled stuff (for anything, ever).
Copper Mug Notes
Moscow mules are typically served in copper mugs, which make them seem extra-cold and refreshing. Why? Copper is an excellent conductor, meaning that cold or hot temperatures spread rapidly through the material.
While the copper material of your mug doesn’t actually make the drink colder, it makes it seem colder than it would if you were drinking it out of a regular glass or mug.
If you don’t have copper mugs at home, you can get by with a regular cocktail glass. If you’re shopping for copper mugs, be sure to buy food-safe mugs that are not copper on the inside. Copper leaches into acidic foods and poses health risks, yikes!
Moscow Mule History
Rumor has it that the Moscow mule is a product of American capitalism. Three business owners with a surplus of vodka, ginger beer and copper mugs schemed up a plan to get rid of their excess products, and a delicious cocktail was born.
The details are murky, but Moscow mules actually helped popularize vodka in the 1940s when it was new to the United States.
Easy Variations on Moscow Mules
- Kentucky Mule or Horsefeather: Use bourbon/whiskey instead of vodka.
- Gin-Gin Mule: Use gin instead of vodka.
- Mexican Mule: Use tequila instead of vodka.
- Jamaican Mule or Cuban Mule: Use rum instead of vodka.
- Dark ‘n Stormy: Use Gosling’s spiced rum instead of vodka.
Ginger Beer Tasting Notes
A couple of ginger ales snuck in, but you definitely need intensely-flavored ginger beer for a great Moscow mule! Here they are, ranked from best to worst.
- Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer: This ginger beer offers the most straightforward ginger flavor. It burns so good!
- Bottoms Up Ginger Beer: This ginger beer doesn’t seem to be as carbonated as the rest. It doesn’t offer as much ginger flavor as Fever-Tree, but I like it.
- Fentiman’s Ginger Beer: This ginger beer has a lot of bite. It’s yeasty, with a kombucha-like fermented flavor that distracts from the ginger.
- Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew: This ginger beer has more of a bite than ginger ale, but it’s still mostly clear and doesn’t pack enough ginger punch.
Please let me know how your Moscow mules turn out in the comments! I hope you make the best Moscow mule you’ve ever had.
Looking for more cold, classic cocktails? Don’t miss my recipes for the perfect Aperol spritz, red sangria and fresh margarita.
Moscow Mule Cocktail
- Author:
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: American
Learn how to make the best Moscow Mule cocktail! They are so easy to make. Recipe yields 1 cocktail.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka (I recommend Tito’s brand)
- ½ ounce fresh lime juice (about ½ medium lime)
- 4 ounces ginger beer (I recommend Fever-Tree brand)
- Lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a copper mug or similarly sized glass with ice. Pour in the vodka and lime juice. Fill the glass with ginger beer and gently swirl it with a spoon once to mix.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy!
Notes
Change it up: Garnish your Moscow Mule with a sprig of fresh mint for a drink reminiscent of a mint julep.
Recommended equipment: I love this citrus juicer for squeezing limes and lemons, and this stainless steel jigger for measuring small amounts of liquid. (Those are affiliate links.)
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Bridgid
Love that you recommend Tito’s!
Kate
Forever my favorite! I could go for a vodka martini…
Phyllis
Best ever
★★★★★
Michael Kish
Kate, it may be the cat lover in me, but it’s probably the Moscow Mule lover.
If you plan ahead, that’s the hard part, I’d recommend making your own Ginger Beer, it’s easy, and easily tweaked for a for a better pepper bite:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/homemade-ginger-beer-357980
This part is a jab at Vodka “snobs”, Luksusowa Vodka is the best right now, in my humble opinion.
It’s Polish potato vodka, not in the tradition of fine Soviet Stolichnaya, which has a place of it’s own.
★★★★
Kate
That sounds like a great idea, Michael! Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate the review.
Teresa
FEVER TREE Ginger beer is the best!! My fav re-hydration after hot yoga. Ommmm…
I know your cookbook is under the tree for me this year. My guy felt compelled to buy it for me/us since we’ve been raiding your website for so many tasty recipes lately and we wanted to support you. We just made the sweet potato and black bean enchiladas…WOW! Easy and tasty gluten-free meal that we are planning to make them for his family during the holidays in snowy Idaho.
Thanks for all that you give, Kate! Happiest of holidays and best wishes for continued success and growth in the new year.
★★★★★
Kate
It’s so good!! What a great gift. Thank you so much for your support, Teresa. I do truly appreciate it. Enjoy your holiday and thanks so much for the review!
Trina
I’m lovin all the cocktail recipes! And you’re so right, the ginger beer makes all the difference in this one. (Fever tree is my fave too!)
PS: Add a little splash of St Germain liqeuer. SO FUN!
★★★★★
Kate
I’m glad you are enjoying them! I thought it would be fun way to help celebrate the holidays :) I appreciate your comment and review!
kathy
Thanks for the recipe and the info on your take of best ginger beer. Can I make a large pitcher of these and have it ready when guest arrive? Thanks, Kathy
Kate
Hi Kathy, that’s a great idea. The only downside to making a pitcher is that soda loses carbonation with time, but I still think it would work well if you were pouring drinks at a decent rate. :)
Nathan
Thanks Kate! I look forward to trying the ginger beer you used. I recommend using Maine Root Ginger Beer. It’s got a great spicy bite to it with perfect carbonation levels. For my lady it’s a little too sweet so she will top it off with some carbonated water.
Kate
Thank you!
Breanne
Love Moscow mules! I forget how easy they are. I’m a fan of fever tree ginger beer too, but if you are ever in Seattle, Rachel’s ginger beer is where it’s at. Thanks Kate!
Kate
I will have to try it! Thank you, Breanne.
Katie
I love Moscow Mules, my husband makes them for me :) I’ll have to try these ginger beer brands!
Kate
It’s a great cocktail. Let me know what you think!
Carol
I’m curious if you tested Q ginger beer. It is my favorite, with Fever Tree coming in second. I would love to know your opinion.
Kate
Hi Carol! I haven’t tried that one, but I just added it to my list. I’ll keep an eye out for it!
Carol
I find it at Target, now.
Mary
Kate! This is totally unrelated to cocktails, but I just opened up the copy of Love Real Food that I ordered for my dad for Christmas and I am BLOWN AWAY. It is the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen, and every recipe looks like something I would love to make! I may just have to order another one for me! :)
I originally picked up a popular cookbook for my dad from a local bookstore, as I’d glanced through it and saw that the recipes were meatless and it said it was “vegetarian” and “plant-based” in the first few pages. Upon closer inspection at home, however, it turned out to be a totally vegan cookbook, and almost all of the recipes called for ingredients I didn’t know anything about, like nutritional yeast and white miso paste. I’m a vegetarian, but my dad isn’t, and I didn’t want to scare him off! I ended up giving that cookbook to a vegan friend and ordered yours for my dad instead, and I’m so much happier with it – I love your friendly approach and the way you focus on making cooking non-intimidating and vegetarian eating sound like fun (as we both know it is!).
Thank you for creating such an amazing cookbook – my dad is on a weight loss journey, and I wanted to encourage him to keep eating more whole foods and lowering his sugar intake. Love Real Food really hits the spot in that regard. I’m looking forward to cooking through some of the recipes with him over the next few weeks while I’m with my family on break, and I hope I can let you know how it goes! (I also plan to leave a nice Amazon review and so forth once we’ve delved into it a little more.) :)
Say hi to Cookie, and merry Christmas!
Kate
You are so kind, Mary! Good luck as your family goes on the journey with your dad. The blog and cookbook are two wonderful resources. Also, check out my social platforms as well as I do post about fellow blogger recipes too for some more variety. :)
Catherine
Hi Kate! I love your cookbook. After buying mine and sharing the recipes, I bought two more for my friend and mom. I know they’ll love it! I also wanted to share that it is still OK to drink out of uncoated copper mugs- there is a lot of chemical-phobic talk going around, but such a small amount of copper dissolves in your drink, even if it you keep it in the mug a few hours!
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/moscow-mule-not-poisonous_us_598c7552e4b0a66b8bb1938d
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks, Catherine!
Gaby Dalkin
Such a classic! Perfect for the holidays!
Kate
Right?! Thank you, Gabby.
sandeep rana
Moscow mule recipe looks different ,i also like the ginger beer and fresh lime.so that are the good combination in each.thanks for sharing some good tips of Moscow mule recipe.
Kate
You are welcome!
Donna Bailey
Kate, I made your roasted veggie enchilada casserole for a New Year’s weekend get together. I bought gluten free corn tortillas, but as I was reading the ‘fine print’, it stated that they were made in a facility that processes wheat and soy products. The possible cross contamination could cause problems for someone who is really sensitive. Just something to pass along; read the fine print!
Looking forward to trying the casserole. Donna
Kate
Hi Donna – Yes, that is something people with Celiac have to worry about but I know gluten free intolerances don’t always. But yes, always watch the label!
Gwendolyn Samulski
Try Blenheim spicy Ginger Ale! You won’t be disappointed:-)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for the recommendation!
Antonella
Thanks for the recipes! I like the break down of different ginger beers. I didn’t see my favorite listed, so I thought I’d share. My favorite spicy gingery punch of a giner beer is Cock n Bull. I has such a bite. I will have to try your recommendation though!
★★★★★
Kate
Let me know what you think, Antonella!
Kate McMahan
If you’re ever in Seattle, you HAVE to try Rachel’s Ginger Beer. It’s amazing. They have a ton of flavors and a few brick and mortar locations where you can get excellent moscow mules.
Kate
I will add that to my list! Thank you, Kate.
Kathryn
I made the Moscow mule as per your directions and added a sprig of mint which was fabulous! I didn’t have the best ginger beer so I’m excited to get some Fever Tree ginger beer for the next round.
★★★★★
Kate
How refreshing, Kathryn! Thanks for sharing.
Lisa
My boyfriend LOVED these! I surprised him last night after him working all weekend, and he told me it was the best thing all weekend :)
★★★★★
Kate
You’re so sweet! I’m glad it worked like a charm. Thanks for your review, Lisa.
Albany
This was my first time ever making my own Moscow mule and I have to say I’m a new fan! Your instructions were so easy to follow and you were right… the ingredients are so simple to find and use, it truly was the Best Moscow Mule!. What I also appreciated about this post, is that you not only provided an easy-to-follow recipe, but you provided the history behind the cocktail, alternative ingredients, and other recipes and resources that can really be beneficial for an aspiring cocktail connoisseur. Thanks again, Kate! This is my first time visiting your site and it will be the first I come to when I’m in need of another recipe.
All the best!
Albany
★★★★★
Kate
Hooray!! I’m glad you really enjoyed the post and the recipe, Albany. Thanks so much for your review!
Jody
Received ingredients and mugs for my birthday. Enjoying my first Moscow Mule. Love the taste of the Fever- tree ginger beer!
★★★★★
Kate
Great, Jody!
Chelsi
Yep! This is exactly what I needed when executing my first Moscow Mule. It came out great! I used Goslings diet ginger beer and it came out wonderful. Nice strong ginger burn. Thanks!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome! I’m glad you liked it, Chelsi.
Howard Smith
We tried the Barrit’s Ginger Beer instead of the Fever-Tree and it was pretty good. Thanks for the recipe.
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Anthony
Surprised you didn’t mention Barritts Ginger beer to me that one stands out from the rest. Also the Gin Mule with Hendrick’s Gin is amazing. I actually prefer it over the Tito’s Mule.
★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Anthony!
Thor
Absolutely perfect ratio, very good! Thanks for sharing. One change, I am a big Fever Tree fan, but now using Maine root ginger beer. Super spicy and does not taste as sugary. Give it a try! Happy 2019!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome!
Cristina
It was perfect! Thanks so much!
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Cristina!
Arlene Ellis
I won a Moscow Mule basket at a charity auction last month.
It contained Crabbie’s Ginger Beer and Ciroc vodka. Just made a drink using your recipe. Love it!
I just subscribed to your site and look forward to many enjoyable treats.
★★★★★
Kate
Congrats! I’m glad it brought you to the blog. Thanks for the review!
Loyal Stutzman
We use Cock and Bull Ginger Beer. That’s got a good bite to it! We were looking at other brands too, so we will try several more that we have seen mentioned here…
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing!
Bob Fayle
we use Crabbie’s Ginger Beer! It co UK.
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Bob!
Barbara Berry
Fever Tree Ginger Beer is the best with fresh organic lime juice and Oecan Organic Vodka. I like Tito’s Vodka too.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for sharing, Barbara!
Phyllis
BEST Moscow Mule I’ve ever had. Hands down.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Phyllis!
Annie
I make it with rye instead of vodka. Being a proud Canadian, I call it a Prairie Mule.
Kate
That works, too! Thanks for sharing, Annie.
Za. Rizik
You have me inspired to make these tonight! I always have these ingredients on hand, and it’s been warm and humid the past few days here.
★★★★★
Kate
What did you think!?
Nicole
Thanks for always being so thorough in your recipes, here doing the taste test of different ginger beers because they’re such a critical component! Another variation is the Mamie Taylor (scotch instead of vodka) :)
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Nicole!
Kristy
This is perfect for any summer day! We loved it so much we used it in our guide to a weekend in the mountains. A mule is totally necessary after a long day of hiking! Thanks for sharing!
Kate
That sounds like a great way to end a hike! Thanks, Kristy.
Amy Smith
It looks so tasty!! I’ll try that for sure
★★★★★
Kate
Let me know what you think, Amy!
Nancy Gillespie
Australia makes a great ginger beer. It’s called Bundaberg. I live in southern Calif.and buy it at Stater Bros. market and sometimes find it at Walmart.
★★★★★
Kate
Thanks for sharing, Nancy!
Sara Oh
Thanks, will be making this tonight! Anybody got a good brand of ginger beer to recommend in Europe? I live in Spain and I don’t see ginger beer in stores much..
★★★★★
Kate
I don’t! But I would love to hear what you try.
Carol
Love this drink, so thanks for telling all how to make it. For my taste, I find Crabbie’s Ginger Beer the best, and it makes the best Mules too!!!
★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Carol!
Fraser Laveay
Absolutely agree with the Fever Tree ginger beer! The copper can stuff isn’t ideal at all. And definitely right about the fresh lime, gives it such more of a refreshing and less sugary taste.
I use your recipe and this one with variations of some great ideas for other mule versions.
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you, Fraser!
Erin
Do The ginger beers you recommend contain alcohol?
Kate
Hi Erin! They do not. :)
Doris
Best drink I’ve had in a long time. Used your recommendation and my mule turned out fantastic I loved it.fever tree ginger beer and Tito’s vodka make for a winner in my bar. Thank you
★★★★★
Heather Mitchell
I was just looking up a beverage recipe for a Moscow Mule in my Betty Crocker cookbook. Well, the rest is history! I googled and found your website and I loved everything. Your recipes are easy to follow and you offer options along with preferences on ingredients. I have always been a Tito’s fan, I am an Austinite after all. Lately, I’ve had Deep Eddy, another Austin Vodka.
Thank you for introducing me to this great website. Cheers!
★★★★★
Katey
Perfect ratio! I love it, my boyfriend loves it, making this all the time. (I add a leaf of fresh mint to ours, try it!)
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you! I’m glad you love it!
Patricia Datray
Excellent recipe!
KatyG
Made this tonight with homemade ginger beer and Titos. Very tasty! Thank you!
★★★★★
Phil
Been drinking mules for decades and still prefer good old Schweppes Ginger Ale to the fancy new stuff like fever tree. Even though I admit fever tree has become my favorite tonic for GTs.
jan
You should try fentimans ginger beer, it’s a bit rarer but better than fever tree
Travis
For a non alcohol version : sustitute the 2oz. vodka for 2oz. lemon/lime sugar free CBD sparkling water. Crowd pleaser for the “mocktails” type people.
★★★★★
arlene
I made your moscow mule a few weeks ago and it has become our go to summer refresher!! so delicious and refreshing. i have now started making it with vanilla infused vodka, and it gives it just a slightly sweeter flavor, but oh so good. love your blog and recipes, keep them coming!!
★★★★★
Sandra Barry
The best ginger beer – ever – is Bundaberg Ginger Beer. It can be hard to find, but if you can get it, give it a try. I’m sure you will agree! Love this site and try lots of your suggestions!!
★★★★★
Sue
I’ve been a big fan of Moscow Mules forever and I don’t hesitate to share my love for them. Maine Root makes a great Ginger Brew as well. They call it wicked spicy! It is yum. When I can’t find Fever Tree, Maine Root does nicely! I use Pinnacle Vodka, also known as ‘baby goose’ (for Grey Goose Vodka)
I introduced Moscow Mules to 2 neighbors at outside socially distanced get togethers on my front lawn here in VT. this summer!
★★★★★
MELINDA mathus
I feel that the ginger beer has lots of carbs and sugar so I used Goslings diet Ginger beer and it was still WONDERFUL!!
Irmannette Torres-Lugo
Followed your instructions adapted to 4oz Titos; 1 lg lime; 6.8 oz Fever Tree GB (full bottle) and OMG is this the best cocktail ever!!!!
★★★★★
Joy
I’ve never bought ginger beer, but ended up buying Fever Tree without knowing it’s the one you recommended! So I made this recipe, and the ginger was too strong for me. But that’s just personal preference – I added an ounce of simple syrup, and I like it much better. But I agree – if the ginger flavor is too weak, you just end up with vodka, tonic, and lime. I actually love those, but sometimes you need something with more bite – and this Moscow Mule does the trick! I’m using Baikalskaya vodka. It’s vodka made with water from Lake Baikal in Siberia. I spent a couple months in Siberia, and I brought it back to the States. Very smooth!
★★★★★
Kate
Thank you for your details, Joy! I’m glad it was helpful.