Moscow Mule Recipe

A Moscow mule is one of those cocktails that is great pretty much any time. It can be a cool refresher on a hot summer day, but somehow that bit of bite from the ginger beer also works on a cool autumn afternoon or winter evening. You can enjoy a Moscow mule with a meal, or you can sip one on its own at a bar or cocktail party. And with this Moscow mule recipe care of Christina Musgrave of Tasting with Tina, you can make your own any time, also.

With a couple of practice rounds (if that), you'll also come to realize that this is a very simple drink to make, but you don't have to tell your guests about that part. Let them think you're a master mixologist as you sit back and drink in the compliments. But first, we'll have to make this drink, so let's get to it — cheers! Or should we say... na zdorovie!

To make this classic cocktail, you'll need some vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer (not to be confused with ginger ale, which is much sweeter and has less of a bite). Go ahead and prepare some garnishes, too: fresh mint and a lime wedge. Oh, and some ice; you'll definitely need some ice. "If you want to level this up, you could muddle some mint in the glass before adding the other ingredients," Musgrave says, adding, "another tip would be to have fun with the garnish. Use other herbs, candied lime, or candied ginger."

Remember when we said this was a pretty easy drink to make? We weren't kidding. All you need to do is add the vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer to your mug (or other glass), then give those a stir. Next, top up the mug with ice, garnish it with a fresh lime wedge and a mint leaf or two and... that's it! Enjoy!

If you order a Moscow mule at a bar, you'll get the drink served in a copper mug. Peruse images of the cocktail, and that metallic mug is always there. But why? Well first, copper is an excellent conductor, and it chills quickly in response to the cold contents and in turn helps keep the drink colder, according to Moscow Copper. Second, copper imparts a faint aroma to the drink. And third... that's just the way it has always been.

Maybe it's named for the capital of Russia, but the Moscow mule was invented in Los Angeles in 1941. It was named the Moscow mule for its use of vodka, a principally Russian spirit, and for its kick from said liquor and the spicy ginger beer. The drink was a hugely popular one in the 1950s, per the Copper Development Association, but the beverage fell out of favor in the latter decades of the 20th Century, in part due to the perception of Russia-associated products during the Cold War (via The Hartford Courant). But it eventually kicked its way back onto the scene, and one good sip of a good Moscow mule will tell you why.