This Kentucky Mule cocktail is a variation of the classic Moscow Mule that you're going to love. A blend of bourbon, ginger beer, and lime juice creates a mixed drink with a ginger-forward flavor and notes of caramel, vanilla, and oaky bourbon.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Drinks / Cocktail
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 5 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 1 cocktail
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Bold, gingery, citrusy, slightly sweet, smooth
- 🍚 Best Served With: Steak, seafood, appetizers, party snacks
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: No, best made fresh
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We love a good party, and part of a good party is the drinks. Now, for most parties, a laid-back drink like our purple rain cocktail works well. However, sometimes, you need something a little fancier.
For example, our white linen cocktail is a simple yet elegant drink, perfect for dinner parties or more upscale events. Our Kentucky Mule cocktail is our newest addition to our "fancy drink" lineup. Although it looks elegant when served in a classic, hammered copper cup, it's incredibly simple to make.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Limited Ingredients: All you need are three ingredients and some ice to make this drink.
- So Easy: Just pour everything into your cups and stir. That's it!
- Sophisticated: The combination of ginger beer, bourbon, and lime juice creates a sophisticated flavor, perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
You can find everything you need in about 10 minutes at your local grocery store.
- Ice: Keeps the drink cold and refreshing
- Bourbon: Adds rich, smooth flavor with caramel notes
- Lime juice: Provides bright acidity and balance
- Ginger beer: Adds spice, fizz, and sweetness
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Variations
- Bourbon: Use rye whiskey for a spicier flavor with less sweetness. Tennessee whiskey offers a smoother, sweeter profile. Use dark rum for a drink with similar depth and tropical notes.
- Ginger Beer: Use ginger ale for a sweeter, bubblier drink with less spice. A combination of sparkling water and ginger syrup allows you to control the spice and sweetness of the cocktail.
- Lime Juice: Use lemon juice for a brighter, slightly more tart flavor. A splash of apple cider vinegar adds complexity and is especially good for a fall version.
- Mocktail: Use the ginger ale just mentioned and a non-alcoholic whiskey alternative.
- Maple Mule: Add ½ oz maple syrup.
- Berry Mule: Muddle blackberries or raspberries before adding the rest of the ingredients.
- Spicy Mule: Add a few jalapeno slices or a splash of chili tincture.
- Smoky Mule: Use smoked bourbon or add a few drops of liquid smoke.
How to Make Kentucky Mule Cocktail
This cocktail is ready in just four easy steps.
Step 1 Make It: Fill a copper mug about ¾ full of ice. Then, pour in bourbon. Add lime juice.
Step 2: Finish It: Top off with about 4-5 ounces of ginger beer. Stir gently. Garnish with mint.
Recipe Tips
- Storage: This recipe makes one cocktail, so there will be no need to store it.
- Chill Ingredients and Cup: For the most refreshing, ice-cold cocktail chill ingredients beforehand resulting in a less watered-down cocktail from melting ice!
- Stir until blended: Don't over-stir to keep carbonation intact from ginger beer.
- Use fresh lime juice: Best flavor.
- Serve immediately: Best taste and fizz.
- Adjust sweetness: Add more or less ginger beer.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy this smoked old fashioned.
Serving Suggestions
- The rich, complex flavors of this cocktail pair perfectly with this baked garlic balsamic steak.
- For an elegant meal, pair this cocktail with smoked lobster tails.
- The creamy, cheesy flavor of this shrimp stuffed salmon is the perfect pairing to the rich, ginger-infused flavor of this cocktail
- For the ultimate dinner for those extra special occasions, pair this cocktail with our steak and crab legs recipe.
Recipe FAQs
A Kentucky Mule is made with bourbon whiskey, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, ginger beer, and a mint garnish.
The primary difference between the drinks is the spirit used to make them. A Moscow Mule is made with vodka, while a Kentucky Mule is made with bourbon. Both include ginger beer and lime juice.
Fever Tree and Bundaberg are both very high quality ginger beers and work extremely well in a Kentucky Mule.
More Cocktail Recipes
If you love pairing a good cocktail with great company, then try these other recipes.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Kentucky Mule Cocktail
Ingredients
- ice
- 2- ounce Bourbon
- ½ ounce lime juice freshly squeezed
- ginger beer
Instructions
- Fill a copper mug about ¾ full of ice.
- Pour in bourbon and lime juice.
- Top off with about 4-5 ounces of ginger beer. Stir gently.
- Garnish with mint.
Notes
- Storage: This recipe makes one cocktail, so there will be no need to store it.Chill Ingredients and Cup: For the most refreshing, ice-cold cocktail chill ingredients beforehand resulting in a less watered-down cocktail from melting ice!
- Stir until blended: Don't over-stir to keep carbonation intact from ginger beer.
- Use fresh lime juice: Best flavor.
- Serve immediately: Best taste and fizz.
- Adjust sweetness: Add more or less ginger beer.
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