Virgin Moscow Mule

The Virgin Moscow Mule keeps everything that makes the original so refreshing, the fiery ginger, the sharp lime and the frosty copper mug, and simply leaves out the vodka. It is quick to make, properly grown-up tasting and one of the easiest alcohol-free drinks to order or mix at home.

Ingredients

• 15ml fresh lime juice (about half a lime)

• 150ml chilled non-alcoholic ginger beer

• 5ml sugar syrup (optional, if your ginger beer is not very sweet)

• A splash of soda water (optional, for a lighter drink)

• Crushed or cubed ice

• A lime wedge and a sprig of mint, to garnish

Method

1. Fill: fill a copper mug or a highball glass with ice.

2. Lime: squeeze in the lime juice and add the sugar syrup, if using.

3. Top: pour over the chilled ginger beer and add a splash of soda water if you want it lighter.

4. Stir: stir gently once to mix.

5. Garnish: add a lime wedge and a sprig of mint, slapped between your palms first to release the aroma.

Tips for the Perfect Virgin Moscow Mule

• Ginger beer, not ginger ale: ginger beer has the spicy bite that makes a mule. Ginger ale is much milder and sweeter.

• Pick a fiery brand: with no vodka in the glass, the ginger beer is doing all the work, so choose one with real heat.

• Fresh lime only: bottled lime juice tastes flat here.

• Add a little body: a dash of non-alcoholic bitters or a few slices of fresh ginger muddled in the bottom of the glass give it more depth.

• No copper mug? A tall glass works just as well. The mug keeps it colder and looks the part, but it does not change the taste.

Make It a Full Mule

For the alcoholic version, add 50ml of vodka before the ginger beer. You will find the full recipe on our Moscow Mule page. Swap the vodka for dark rum and you have something close to a Dark Rum and Ginger Beer.