How to Make a Classic Vodka Moscow Mule

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This is the original, the Best Moscow Mule Recipe for you to make at home. With fresh mint, lime juice, spicy ginger beer and your favorite vodka, you can make a tasty cocktail in minutes! It just took one sip and I was hooked on this refreshing cocktail.

Copper mugs of mint garnished Moscow Mule cocktail on a wooden cutting board with a lime, jigger and bottle of vodka. — If you want a classic Moscow Mule, this is the recipe for you!

A friend of mine made me my first classic Moscow Mule at her Mules and Jewels party and I was sold. I think it’s one of the best vodka recipes you can make!

Once you know what is in this classic cocktail Moscow Mule, you can make all different kinds of Moscow Mule recipes with different flavors.

Why This Recipe Works

This super simple Moscow Mule recipe needs only a few ingredients. And it’s one of those cocktails that non-cocktail people even enjoy.

As with all my cocktails, I always suggest following the recipe the first time you make it. Then change it up however you want to, to suit your taste.

A Moscow Mule doesn’t need obscure ingredients. All of these things can be found at your local grocery store.

Related post: Tequila Moscow Mule Recipe

Because I love this easy vodka cocktail so much, I keep ginger beer on hand at all times. It’s a great mixer for drinks! And aside from the lime and mint, the other Moscow Mule ingredients are shelf-stable.

The ginger beer is the most prominent flavor (unless you go hard with the vodka) and it’s a super refreshing drink like a mojito.

The best Moscow Mule recipe is served in a copper Moscow Mule mug and is topped with fresh mint and a few dashes of bitters.

This drink is also great because you really don’t need any special tools. It’s just as easy to make one as it is several for friends or family when entertaining at home.

Also check out my favorite Cranberry Moscow Mule, Fireball Mule, and Lemonade Mule if you want something a little out of the ordinary.

Ingredients

What’s in a Moscow Mule? I’ll tell you!

You don’t need bitters for this recipe to be drinkable, but the bitters really do help round out the flavors. It isn’t shown in the photo but you should definitely have some on your home bar!

You know I like to keep my home bar small but with the ingredients you need for this Moscow Mule, you can also make a few other drinks like Bitters and soda, a Dark and Stormy, Lavender Lemon Haus Moscow Mule and so much more!

Directions

Pouring a jigger of vodka into mule mugs.

Add ice to your copper Moscow Mule mug.

Add the vodka.

Squeezing fresh lime into copper mule mugs.

Add fresh lime juice.

(You could even use lemon if you had to. Just don’t make a habit of it.)

Fresh citrus is key to making delicious cocktails!

Topping off Moscow mules in copper mugs with ginger beer.

Add the ginger beer.

You can give it a gentle stir. Or not. It’s a forgiving recipe that you can’t get wrong.

Moscow Mule in a copper mug garnished with fresh mint with the vodka and ginger beer bottles in the background.

To make the best Moscow Mule recipe you would finish with a few dashes of bitters.

Bitters add a depth of flavor to cocktails that make them taste finished. I ignored bitters for a really long time because I thought they were just something legit bartenders used to seem fancy.

But bitters really are essential to your home bar. And each drink only needs a few drops. That small bottle of bitters will last you for years.

Original Moscow Mule recipe in a copper mug being held by a woman in a black top.

And don’t forget to garnish with fresh mint.

Unlike a mojito, the mint doesn’t do much to flavor the Moscow Mule. But the smell is intoxicating as you bring that chilled copper mug to your mouth.

And it makes you look like you know about things. Or crazy. It’s a fine line.

Pair of mule mugs garnished with mint on a cutting board.

Top tips

Try to use fresh lime juice if at all possible. The flavor is so bright and fresh and it’s my favorite cocktail ingredient. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, you can absolutely use Rose’s lime juice which is easy to keep on hand in your home bar.
I like to pre-squeeze my lime juice (with this citrus squeezer) and have it ready to go so I can make a few of these easily.
Try to have all the ingredients chilled ahead of time. That will ensure a super refreshing cocktail.
Do not substitute the ginger beer with ginger ale. It is too sweet and doesn’t have the same ginger kick.
Before adding the mint to the drink (and I like to go heavy with the mint because I love the smell so much!) clap the sprig between your hands twice. This helps to release the oils and make it smell even more!

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of ginger beer do you use for a Moscow Mule?

Reed’s is my favorite ginger beer for a Moscow Mule because it has a nice, crisp ginger flavor (it has a little bite to it) and isn’t too sweet. You can find it at most grocery stores or specialty beverage stores. There are other brands and the flavor varies by brand.

Does it have to be served in a copper mug?

You do not have to serve this cocktail in a copper mug. But I really love to! They are SO much fun to drink out of. The copper mugs get super cold and may freeze your hands off if you hold them like my friend in the photo – but it’s totally worth it! They help to keep your drink chilled as you sip it.

Can you add simple syrup?

Yes, if you need to add a little bit of sweetness, you can add some simple syrup. Start with 1/2 ounce and go from there. Or you can make a flavored simple syrup like ginger syrup or lime syrup, to give it even more flavor! (Check out my Strawberry Simple Syrup recipe here).

Can you use fresh ginger?

Yes! You can use a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger along with club soda in place of the ginger beer. This will make it less sweet so you may need to add some simple syrup for balance.

A few more easy recipes you might enjoy!

Don’t forget to check out all my Moscow Mule Recipes here.

Save this and pin it for later!

If you want to save this recipe make sure you Pin it for later! If you are not already you can follow me on Pinterest, as well as keep up with me on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. If you make this recipe make sure to tag me in your photos and leave a star rating below!

A copper mug with a classic Moscow Mule cocktail garnished with fresh mint.

Best Moscow Mule Recipe

With fresh lime, spicy ginger beer and your favorite vodka, this is the BEST Moscow Mule recipe for you to make! Garnished with fresh mint, this refreshing vodka cocktail is a great classic recipe to make at home.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: cocktails

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: cocktail

Calories: 191kcal

Author: Sharon Garofalow

Ingredients

Instructions

Fill a copper mug with ice.
Add the vodka.
Squeeze the juice of a whole lime into the cup.
Top with ginger beer.
Add a few dashes of Bitters.
Give it a gentle stir.
Slap a sprig of mint in your palm (to release some of the oils) and garnish your drink.
Drink up.

Notes

Once you learn this classic recipe you can create all kinds of delicious variations!

Try to use fresh lime juice if at all possible. The flavor is so bright and fresh and it’s my favorite cocktail ingredient. If you don’t have any fresh on hand, you can absolutely use Rose’s lime juice which is easy to keep on hand in your home bar.
I like to pre-squeeze my lime juice and have it ready to go so I can make a few of these easily.
Try to have all the ingredients chilled ahead of time. That will ensure a super refreshing cocktail.
Do not substitute the ginger beer with ginger ale. It is too sweet and doesn’t have the same ginger kick.
Before adding the mint to the drink (and I like to go heavy with the mint because I love the smell so much!) clap the sprig between your hands twice. This helps to release the oils and make it smell even more!