If you love tequila, then you are going to love a Mexican mule!
It’s a sparkling spicy ginger fest, the tequila gently pops out and then there’s the mule kickback of ginger beer and lime.
The perfect summer drink, but equally great to drink in the winter around a fire.
It takes 3 ingredients, 2 minutes to make, looks and tastes delicious – what are you waiting for?
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Our Mexican mule is an adaptation of its famous cousin – the classic traditional Moscow mule, instead of vodka, we use tequila and boy does it taste good!
Where does a Mexican mule come from?
You’d think a Mexican mule came from Mexico – right?
Well, you’d be wrong, a mule is a cocktail that has it’s origins in America.
And what’s even quirkier, is that the Moscow mule that was invented – in America!
How come?
As you can imagine, there are varying stories of how the Moscow mule was invented!
One theory is that in 1947, a man called John G. Martin, who worked at the Heublin drinks company, who was having trouble selling one of his products, Smirnoff vodka, managed to get his hands on the newly invented polaroid camera.
He went around bars, taking photos of the different bartenders in the city holding up the Smirnoff and Moscow mule mug.
Another theory in 2007 by the Wall Street Journal, says that Martin visited the Cock n Bull where the head bartender, a man called Price, said that he invented the Moscow mule, although Martin claimed that it was he, and the owner of the Cock n Bull, Jack Morgan invented the tasty cocktail.
Who knows who to believe?
What tequila should I use?
You don’t have to use an expensive brand of tequila, however, having said that it’s best to avoid the cheapest.
You can use a silver tequila, commonly known as tequila Blanco which works perfectly in a Mexican mule, or you could use a tequila reposado, which would be great in your mules.
Is ginger ale and ginger beer the same?
Ginger beer and ginger ale are similar, but they are not the same.
While ginger beer used to be an alcoholic drink, often nowadays, it’s a non-alcoholic drink as ginger beer contains less than 5% alcohol.
Ginger beer is a much more intense flavor than ginger ale, as ginger ale is simply a ginger-flavored drink
What’s in a Mexican mule?
There are only three ingredients in this easy cocktail recipe;
- Tequila
- Ginger beer
- Lime juice
Of course, you’ll have to add ice, but we’re sure this is going to be one of your new favorite cocktail recipes!
Do I have to use fresh lime juice?
Fresh lime juice is always going to taste much better than shop-bought.
Shop bought lime juice can’t replicate the flavor (or the zesty smell) that a freshly squeezed lime has.
It really is worth taking a few seconds to squeeze fresh lime.
What’s the difference between a Mexican mule and a Moscow mule?
A Mexican mule (aka a tequila mule or Mexican Moscow mule) and Moscow mule are actually very similar; both are served in a traditional copper mug, both mixed with spicy ginger beer and lime juice, and both have the iconic lime wedge garnish.
Of course, vodka must feature in a classic Moscow mule recipe.
A Mexican mule, however, simply replaces vodka with tequila – that’s it!
The tequila works so well; you’ve got to give it a try.
And we think that tequila is a great substitution.
And if you love mules, then try this Christmas Moscow Mule.
What should I garnish this with?
When you make a Mexican mule, then you really need to garnish with a lime wedge, this will really enhance your drink.
You can also garnish with a lime wheel or jalapeno slices, which add a spicy kick to your cocktail.
Why is it served in a copper mug and not a glass?
A Mexican mule is served in a copper mug as they are supposed to keep the cocktail nice and cool.
We love the way they look too, so it’s worth investing in a mug to drink it out of.
At a real push then you can serve it in a glass, but we think the mug is far better.
Can I make this ahead?
No, you can’t make it ahead.
Ginger beer is a fizzy drink, and you need to drink it straight away.
If you make it ahead, then the ginger beer will lose its fizz and your Mexican mule won’t taste half as good!
And because only takes two minutes to make, why would you want to?
That’d be a waste of good tequila!
Mexican mule recipe tips and notes
- Want to spice up your Mexican mule?
Slice up a jalapeno pepper up and add a couple of slices into your cocktail, or, better still for extra spiciness, muddle a couple of jalapeno slices in a little ginger beer before you start mixing your cocktail. - Got left over lime?
Slice it up, dry freeze it and then put it in a freezer bag and freeze, you then have iced lime slices to cool down your cocktails in the future. - Liven up your ice cubes!
In an ice tray, place slices of jalapeno pepper in half a tray and slices of fresh lime in the other half, fill them with water and let them freeze. Once frozen, you’ll have wonderful ice cubes that will infuse your Mexican mule cocktails. - Not got any tequila?
That’s not a problem, just replace the tequila with vodka, follow the recipe instructions and hey presto, you have a Moscow mule! - Don’t have a copper mug?
Don’t worry, just use a glass instead, your mules will still taste delicious. - Out of ginger beer?
If you’ve found yourself out of ginger beer then you could use ginger ale, just be warned that it won’t have the same intense taste as ginger beer, so you may want to take a quick trip to the store to buy some.
How to make a Mexican mule with step-by-step instructions
Not only does this cocktail look good and taste good, but it’s also so simple to make if you follow our simple instructions, you’re going to love it!
Take your mug or glass, add tequila, fresh lime juice and ginger beer.
Now add ice cubes and garnish with lime, you can use a lime wedge or wheel.
Salud! Serve and enjoy your homemade Mexican mules!
More Tasty Cocktail Recipes to Make at Home
Watermelon margarita – another refreshing tequila cocktail that is seriously good.
Blackberry mojito – Use up your lime juice and make one of our favorite mojito recipes!
Gruesome cocktail from the crypt – looking for a scary tequila Halloween cocktail?
Pornstar martini – this iconic cocktail is so easy to make!
We hope you enjoy making our Mexican mule recipe, we’d love to hear how you got on with it, so please do leave a comment and let us know, or feel free to ask any questions that you may have – cheers!
Mexican mule
Utensils
Instructions
- Take your copper mug, add tequila, fresh lime juice and ginger beer2 oz Tequila, ½ oz Fresh lime juice, 3½ oz Ginger beer
- Now add ice cubes and garnish with lime, you can use a lime wedge or wheel
- Salud! Serve and enjoy your homemade Mexican mule!
Notes
- Want to spice up your Mexican mule?
Slice up a jalapeno pepper up and add a couple of slices into your cocktail, or, better still for extra spiciness, muddle a couple of jalapeno slices in a little ginger beer before you start mixing your cocktail. - Got leftover lime?
Slice it up, dry freeze it and then put it in a freezer bag and freeze, you then have iced lime slices to cool down your cocktails in the future. - Liven up your ice cubes!
In an ice tray, place slices of jalapeno pepper in half a tray and slices of fresh lime in the other half, fill them with water and let them freeze. Once frozen, you’ll have wonderful ice cubes that will infuse your Mexican mule cocktails - Not got any tequila?
That’s not a problem, just replace the tequila with vodka, follow the recipe instructions and hey presto, you have a Moscow mule! - Don’t have a copper mug?
Don’t worry, just use a glass instead, your mules will still taste delicious - Out of ginger beer?
If you’ve found yourself out of ginger beer then you could use ginger ale, just be warned that it won’t have the same intense taste as ginger beer, so you may want to take a quick trip to the store to buy some
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.
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Jenn says
You have the BEST cocktails! So creative and refreshing!