Moscow Mule

A drink with almost universal appeal.

By
Paul Clarke
Paul Clarke
Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
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Published May 31, 2025
Overhead view of a Moscow Mule

Serious Eats / Two Bites

Vodka may be the most prominent single spirit on the back bar today, but in the 1940s, the situation was very different.

The story goes that in 1941, in an effort to market the then-exotic Russian spirit, executives from Heublein—then owners of Smirnoff vodka—collaborated with the owner of the Cock 'n Bull Tavern in Hollywood to create this simple, memorable drink composed of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, served over ice in a copper mug. Wildly popular among the movie crowd in Los Angeles, the Moscow Mule caught on elsewhere and, for a brief period, was one of the most popular drinks of the era.

Although its moment in the spotlight may have been brief, the Moscow Mule had a lasting impact: It introduced countless drinkers to the vodka experience and set a series of changes in motion that, several decades later, would propel the spirit to the top of the sales charts.

As I've written previously, I'm not really much of a vodka drinker, but I make the occasional exception for the Moscow Mule. Crisp and refreshing, and cooling on a warm summer evening, the Moscow Mule is a vodka drink that can appeal to vodkaphobes, and one of the few classic cocktails that can satisfy vodka drinkers who'll touch nothing but.

June 2011

Recipe Details

Moscow Mule

Prep 3 mins
Total 3 mins
Serves 1 serving
Keep Screen Awake

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from 1/2 medium lime

  • 2 ounces vodka

  • 4 to 6 ounces chilled ginger beer

Directions

  1. Squeeze lime into a Collins glass (or copper mug, if you've got one) and drop in the spent lime shell. Fill glass with ice and add vodka; top with chilled ginger beer to taste.

    Four image collage of making a Moscow Mule in a copper cup

    Serious Eats / Two Bites
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
226 Calories
0g Fat
25g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 226
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 5mg 23%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 20mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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