Moscow Mule

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Cocktail History

The Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail that was created by John Martin and Jack Morgan in the 1940s at Cock ‘n’ Bull in Los Angeles, California. The recipe is traditionally made by mixing vodka and lime with spicy ginger beer, which has since become an iconic template that has an interesting history.

According to cocktail historians, Martin purchased the company Smirnoff Vodka with the idea that he could make the brand as popular in the United States as it was in Russia at the time, but he quickly found that no one wanted to buy it. Dismayed, he ended up at the bar where bartender Jack Morgan worked and learned that Morgan was having a similar problem with his own beverage—ginger beer. Since they were both at risk of losing all of their money on their investments, they decided to mix the two ingredients and started marketing it as a cocktail served in a snazzy copper mug, which soon took off and became one of the most popular drinks in America.

Although it’s unknown exactly how it originated, the name “Moscow Mule” is believed to have been randomly selected. At the time, Americans associated vodka with Russia, hence the word “Moscow.” And then “Mule” was added to the name because the ginger beer gives the drink a “kick” of flavor.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Ginger Beer: This is a carbonated beverage made with ginger root, pineapple juice, citrus juice, honey, spices, cane sugar, and sparkling water. I used Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer.

Vodka: This is a spirit made with grains, vegetables or fruits, and alcohol. I used Smirnoff Vodka.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Lime Wheel: This is a lime slice that has been cut into a circular shape.

Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used fresh Mojito mint.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-13.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bubbly clear color

• Aroma: Citrus and ginger

• Taste: Fiery bite of ginger mixed with the slight alcohol burn of vodka and tart lime

• Finish: More fizzy ginger

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “Out of the six classic cocktail templates that have emerged over the last couple of centuries, this is the one I come back to most often. In fact, I order one of these, usually just with gin subbed in for the vodka, just about every time I go out to a bar that isn’t know for its craft cocktail menu because I know it’ll taste great anywhere. I especially love the twinge and spice of the ginger beer and how it mixes with other ingredients.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-13.