Discover the Perfect Mule for Bourbon Drinkers

The Kentucky Mule is our new favorite mule which should be no surprise since we adore bourbon. Who knows? Maybe it will be your new favorite mule too.

Kentucky MulePhoto by2foodtrippers

Everybody knows about the Moscow Mule. It's been a fixture in American bars since it was first crafted in Los Angeles back in 1939. Not only does it have a distinctive taste, but its copper dimpled mug is a cultural icon.

But what if we told you that there's a better mule cocktail - one you can craft in less than five minutes at home?

After crafting and drinking a Kentucky Mule, you won't just believe us. You'll become a Kentucky Mule fan too.

What Is a Kentucky Mule?

In simple terms, a Kentucky Mule is a Moscow Mule crafted with bourbon instead of vodka.

There's no debate that the two drinks are similar. However, in our opinion, the Kentucky Mule is the superior cocktail.

We don't know why bourbon combines splendidly with ginger beer. Then again, bourbon pairs well with most mixers. Ginger beer is no exception to this rule.

Fun Fact: Bourbon can be produced anywhere but it isn't officially bourbon unless it's produced in Kentucky.

Ingredients

You don't need a lot of fancy ingredients to craft a Kentucky Mule. You probably have the following ingredients in your pantry and/or bar:

• 2 ounces bourbon
• 4 ounces ginger beer
• ½ ounce lime juice (freshly squeezed)
• ice cubes
• lime wheel (garnish)
• springs fresh mint (garnish)

Essentially, you just need bourbon, ginger beer, lime and ice to craft a Kentucky Mule at home. However, you'll also want some fresh mint for garnish. That being said. your Kentucky Mule will taste great with or without mint.

Don't feel compelled to run to the liquor store to buy a special bottle of bourbon for this cocktail. Instead, you can and should use your favorite bourbon. There are no bad bourbon choices here!

We use Bulleit Bourbon due to its warm, rich flavors. This bourbon has a 45% ABV and a generous amount of rye in its mix.

Fever-Tree is our typical choice when it comes to ginger beer. This ginger beer blends fermented ginger root from Cochin, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast to create a spicy yet balanced mixer. It works well in our Kentucky Mule recipe.

How to Craft a Kentucky Mule Cocktail

The first step in this recipe is to pour freshly squeezed lime juice into a Moscow Mule mug.

We use a miniature angled measuring cup for this step but you can use a jigger instead.

The second step is to measure the bourbon and ginger beer. We use a Japanese Jigger for this step to ensure accurate measurements and clean pours.

The third step is to pour the bourbon and ginger beer into the Moscow Mule mug.

Pour these ingredients immediately upon measuring each.

The fourth step is to fill the copper mule mug with ice cubes and gently stir.

We use a metal straw to stir the cocktail but you can use a bar spoon instead.

The final step is to garnish the Kentucky Mule cocktail with a lime wheel and fresh mint sprigs.

Variations

Unless you're as stubborn as a mule, consider experimenting with the following mule recipes to discover your favorite:

• Replace the bourbon with rum to craft a Dark & Stormy.
• Replace the bourbon with gin to craft a Gin-Gin Mule.
• Replace the bourbon with whiskey to craft an Irish Mule.
• Replace the vodka with tequila to craft a Mexican Mule.
• Replace the bourbon with gin to craft a Moscow Mule.

This recipe was originally published on 2foodtrippers. Consider subscribing to 2foodtrippers if you enjoyed it.