Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is vodka, spicy ginger beer and lime — famously served in a copper mug, but any tall glass works. It is one of the most forgiving cocktails you can make, which is why bars love it too.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthMediumabout 12% ABVMethodBuilt in glass6 guided stepsIngredients3Copper mug (or tall glass)

Highball

In the glassVodka · Fresh lime juice · Ginger beer

See exact amounts

Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty hammered copper Moscow Mule mug with a round handle and steel rim. — Serving glassCopper mug

Set up before you pour

Use a copper mug.

Copper chills quickly and keeps a mule-style drink feeling especially cold at the rim and in the hand.

Standard size: 400 ml13½ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a highball glass if you do not have a copper mug.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your copper mug (or tall glass)We’ll remember this glass size.

Vodka60 ml
Ginger beer120 ml
Fresh lime juice15 ml

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the mug with ice
Why it mattersNo copper mug? Any tall glass works — the drink tastes the same.
02
Measure and pour
Pour 60 ml vodka
- Vodka
03
Measure and pour
Add 15 ml fresh lime juice
- Fresh lime juice
04
Top gently
Top with ginger beer
- Ginger beer
Why it mattersGinger beer, not ginger ale — you want the spicy one.
05
Stir around the ice
Stir gently once
06
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a lime wedge and a sprig of mint
Why it mattersSlap the mint between your palms before planting it — that little hit releases the oils, and the smell is half the drink.

Know your drink

About the Moscow Mule

A copper mug, Espresso Martini and clear vodka highball against evening city lights.

A marketing masterstroke

Legend says the Moscow mule was invented in 1941 at Hollywood’s Cock ’n’ Bull pub by three people with problems: a bar owner with unsold ginger beer, a spirits executive struggling to sell an unknown spirit called Smirnoff vodka, and (in some tellings) a woman with a warehouse of copper mugs. The combination sold all three — and singlehandedly launched vodka in America.

Common questions

Moscow Mule FAQ

Do I really need a copper mug?

The drink works in any glass, but copper conducts cold brutally well — the mug frosts over and keeps the drink icy to the last sip, which is half the Moscow mule experience. If you use one, make sure it’s lined (stainless or nickel) as pure copper shouldn’t touch acidic drinks.

Ginger beer or ginger ale?

Ginger BEER — it’s brewed, cloudy and spicy, and it gives the mule its kick. Ginger ale is a lighter, sweeter soda and makes a noticeably flat mule. Look for a fiery brand with real ginger.

What are the best Moscow mule variations?

Swap the vodka: bourbon makes a Kentucky Mule, tequila a Mexican Mule, dark rum a Dark ’n’ Stormy cousin (Jamaican Mule), gin a Gin-Gin Mule. The ginger-lime-crushed-ice frame flatters almost every spirit.

What ingredients are in a Moscow Mule?

A classic Moscow Mule calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Vodka, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Fresh lime juice, 120 ml (4 oz) Ginger beer. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Moscow Mule?

A standard Moscow Mule is roughly 12% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

Is a Moscow Mule shaken or stirred?

A Moscow Mule is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.

How many calories are in a Moscow Mule?

One Moscow Mule has approximately 180 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique