Almost everyone has tried a Mule Cocktail before. The vodka-based cocktail is one of the most popular and influential drinks in the world. This refreshing mix of tangy lime and spicy ginger beer paved the way for many Mule variations, and the Mezcal Mule is one of them.
Quick Facts Mezcal Mule
- Method: shaken
- Flavor profile: spicy, smoky, fruity, refreshing
- How to serve it: over ice
- Glassware: copper mug
- Alcohol content: ~ 9% ABV, 15 grams per serving
If you want to try something that shows you a totally new side of an all-time, classic, grab your shaker and try this complex low-ABV drink.
Equipment
- 1 Jigger
- 1 Cocktail Shaker
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
- 1 Muddler
- 1 Fine-mesh strainer
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Mezcal
- 0.75 oz Lime juice
- 0.5 oz Passion fruit pulp
- 1 bsp Agave nectar
- 3 slices Cucumber
- 4 oz Ginger beer
- Cucumber slices (for garnish)
- Candied ginger (for garnish)
Instructions
- Put three cucumber slices, agave nectar, and fresh passion fruit pulp into a cocktail shaker and start muddling.0.5 oz Passion fruit pulp, 3 slices Cucumber, 1 bsp Agave nectar
- Then add freshly squeezed lime juice, mezcal, and plenty of ice. Shake until the drink is well-chilled.0.75 oz Lime juice, 1.5 oz Mezcal
- Double-strain the cocktail into a copper mug filled with ice and top up with ginger beer.4 oz Ginger beer
- Garnish your Mezcal Mule as you prefer.Cucumber slices (for garnish), Candied ginger (for garnish)
Nutrition
Ingredients of a Mezcal Mule
This Mezcal Mule recipe adds a few extra ingredients to the basic template of a Mule. This riff does a little more than merely replace the base spirit. So, you need:
- Mezcal
- Agave nectar
- Fresh lime juice
- Passion fruit pulp
- Ginger beer
- Cucumber
As you can see, all elements of a Mule are there: spirit base, ginger beer, and lime juice, but the maracuja pulp brings an unexpected fruity note.
To balance the usually quite smoky taste of mezcal and to help it blend with the other ingredients, you need a dash of agave nectar. That adds sweetness and, at the same time, emphasizes the agave notes from the mezcal.
In his original recipe, creator Jim Meehan used sweetened passion fruit puree. However, I prefer the sour taste and freshness of fresh passion fruit pulp.
How does this cocktail taste?
What I like most about this cocktail is the complexity. There's really a lot going on: it's sweet, sour, smoky, fresh, and tangy, mixed with the characteristic taste of ginger beer in the background.
Typically, a Mule cocktail is dominated by ginger beer. However, the smoky taste of mezcal challenges the ginger beer quite a bit. For some, the unusual flavor profile is a no-go. To others -including me- it makes the cocktail super alluring.
If you are unsure if smoky drinks are for you, pick a mezcal that's a bit more restrained in that regard.
Best Mezcal for the Mezcal Mule
If you're new to mezcal and haven't had a chance to pick your favorites, we can help you with our recommendations for our Mezcal Mule recipe. Ultimately, the best choice depends largely on personal preferences, but here are our two favorites:
- Montelobos Espadin: Should you be after some seriously smoky flavors in your cocktail, I suggest trying Montelobos Espadin Mezcal. It's a great entry-level pick, top value for money, and pronounced smokiness notes without being too overpowering.
- Alipús San Luis Del Rio: For those who prefer less smoke in their drinks, try Alipús San Luis Del Rio. This mezcal is much milder and complements the other elements in this Mezcal Mule perfectly.
If you want to experiment with the base spirit, find inspiration in this list with our current mezcal recommendations.
Best Practices to make this cocktail
The preparation of the Mezcal Mule slightly differs from a traditional Mule because it is considerably more complex, not only in taste but also in the number of ingredients:
Be gentle when you muddle the cucumber slices, agave nectar, and passion fruit pulp in a cocktail shaker. Don't use too much force. If you crush the kernels of the passion fruit, they release a bitter taste, and the tiny pieces are difficult to filter out.
Secondly, consider double-straining for the best result. I like to use a Hawthorne strainer, place it neatly onto the shaker tin and then hold a fine mesh strainer between the copper mug and the Hawthorne when pouring the drink.
Last but not least, make sure the mug and the ginger beer are chilled properly.
How to Garnish a Mezcal Mule
A classic Mule cocktail is garnished with mint, and you could do the same with the Mezcal Mule, too. However, the complexity of taste and the different flavors combined in this cocktail offer more possibilities. You can garnish it with cucumber slices, half a passion fruit, or candied ginger.
Variations
Yes, the Mezcal Mule itself is already a variation, so technically we're not talking about riffs on that but on the original recipe. However, they are worth trying either way. Some of these variations even turned into modern classics themself:
- the Gin-Gin Mule with a gin base
- the Glasgow Mule, another smoky option with Scotch
- the Aussie Mule with Australian rum
Origin of the Mezcal Mule
Our Mezcal Mule recipe is based on a creation from Jim Meehan, a famous bartender and a pioneer in the craft cocktail movement. Meehan invented his version of a Mule cocktail when he worked for the famed NYC bar PDT. - A speakeasy bar he once helped founding but has since left to follow new projects.
His cocktail is one of my favorite riffs on a Mule cocktail. The addition of mezcal and passion fruit adds multiple layers of flavors to an already complex drink without making it confusing.
Talking about a Mule drink with mezcal in general, it's hard to give specifics about who was first. As you may know, most Mule cocktail riffs swap the base, and that's been done with all sorts of spirits before. Now, because this concept is so common makes telling who created the first mezcal-based twist pretty much impossible.