Attention, fellow gin lovers — this London mule is your perfect cocktail! Made with London dry gin, freshly squeezed lime juice and spicy ginger beer, this mule with a twist is as refreshing as it gets. It’s simple to make and comes together in just minutes.
Keep this bubbly London mule recipe on hand because you’ll want to make it for any and every occasion. Now let’s start mixing.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Those herbal, floral notes: Rather than vodka like a classic Moscow mule, a London mule uses gin as the base spirit, which imparts just the right touch of herbal and floral undertones for a more complex flavor. You’ll love how those fresh notes pair beautifully with the ginger spice.
Quick and easy: When it comes to mixing mules, you don’t have to be an expert bartender. Beginner and expert bartenders alike can easily whip up this London mule recipe in no time.
Perfect for any occasion: Need a refreshing cocktail for the patio on a hot summer night? A London mule was made for that. Or are you looking for a cocktail perfect for the holiday season? You’ll love the ginger spice for a festive sipper — no matter the time of year, this cocktail is always a favorite.
Related: For more gin cocktails, try my Ramos gin fizz and garden gin and tonic.
Ingredients
In case you need one more reason to love this mule, we only use three simple ingredients.
Gin: We’re specifically looking for a London dry gin here — hence the drink’s name. For a little inspiration, here’s a list of some of the best London dry gins.
Lime juice: For the best cocktail, use freshly squeezed lime juice instead of bottled juice. You can’t beat the flavor of fresh lime juice, and it takes very little time and effort.
Ginger beer: Make sure you use ginger beer rather than ginger ale. Ginger beer comes with a sharper spice kick for a distinct taste that’s much different from ginger ale.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Our first step is to add the gin and lime juice to a copper mug with a handful of ice cubes (photo 1).
Step 2: Now we stir the mixture until it’s well-chilled (photo 2). You’ll notice condensation will start to develop on the copper mug when it’s nice and chilly.
Step 3: For our final step, we pour in the ginger beer and gently stir to combine (photo 3). We don’t want to stir too forcefully at this point to preserve the carbonation.
In three easy steps, our delightful London mule is ready. Serve with lime wedges or a lime wheel, and we have one refreshing cocktail.
See? This gin mule is truly as simple as it gets.
Recipe FAQs
Also known as a British mule, gin-gin mule or Foghorn cocktail, the London mule is named because it uses a London dry gin instead of vodka, which is traditional in the standard Moscow mule. To qualify as a London dry gin, the spirit must be infused with botanicals with juniper serving as the primary flavor. This type of gin also does not use artificial ingredients or added colors.
Copper is an excellent temperature conductor and keeps our drink icy cold. This is especially appreciated if you’re drinking mules on a hot summer day. Of course, if you don’t have that trademark copper mug, you can still make mule cocktails. A double old fashioned glass or highball glass works well.
Nope, today’s version is a non-alcoholic beer, so you don’t have to worry about this ingredient making your drink too strong. Ginger beer is a fermented beverage like your traditional beers. While it used to contain alcohol, that’s not the case these days.
You bet — mules are great for batching. Simply stir together the London dry gin and fresh lime juice in a pitcher with a handful or two of ice for about 20 seconds. Use a slotted spoon to remove any leftover ice and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you’re ready to serve, pour in the ginger beer and sip away.
Variations
Muddle with fresh herbs. Simply pour in the gin and lime juice and then muddle the herbs before adding the ice. Rosemary, mint and basil are especially lovely, but feel free to get creative here.
Give it a fruity twist. You can muddle fresh fruit, like my strawberry Moscow mule, or stir in a fruit purée, like my peach Moscow mule. A little fruit juice, like my blood orange Moscow mule, is also nice.
Add a flavored syrup. For extra ginger flavor, try my fresh ginger simple syrup. You can also give this drink a holiday spin with my cranberry syrup, gingerbread syrup or chai syrup.
Shake in a few bitters. Traditional angostura bitters add another layer of complexity, or you can go with flavored varieties. Orange bitters are perfect for a citrus pop, or you can try ginger bitters or cloves bitters for an extra touch of spice.
Expert Tips
Chill the ginger beer before serving: Room-temperature ginger beer counters our icy-cold drink and melts the ice faster.
Buy the juiciest limes: Don’t grab hard limes. We want limes that have a bit of give when we squeeze them.
Use a handheld citrus juicer: This ensures we maximize our juice output, and it’s great for catching large seeds.
Perfect Pairing
Smoked salmon is one of my favorite gin pairings, so try my smoked salmon risotto or smoked salmon pizza. It’s also great with other salmon preparations, such as my salmon tacos or slow-roasted salmon with a blood orange glaze. You’ll especially love how the ginger and blood orange glaze play together.
For a delicious spin on a classic cocktail, I hope you try this London mule. You’ll love every bubbly sip.
Cheers!
Sip on More Mule Cocktails
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📖 Recipe
London Mule
Equipment
- Copper mug
- Bar spoon
- Handheld citrus juicer
- Jigger or small measuring cup
Ingredients
- 2 ounces London dry gin
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- 6 ounces chilled ginger beer
- Lime slice or wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add the London dry gin, lime juice and a handful of ice to a copper mug.
- Using a bar spoon, stir the mixture until it's cold and condensation begins to form on the copper mug, about 15-20 seconds.
- Top with chilled ginger beer. Gently stir to combine. If desired, garnish with a lime slice or wheel. Enjoy!
Notes
- Buy limes that have some give when you squeeze them. Hard limes are dried out.
- Use a handheld citrus juicer to maximize your juice output.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
Jere Cassidy says
I think all drinks should be served in a copper mug. Made for my neighbor's get-together and was a hit.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
No argument from me! Happy it was a hit.
Shelby says
My favorite cocktail! It's the perfect blend of refreshing and potent.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! Agreed. It's hard to beat a good mule.
Jenn says
This is a delish cocktail! So well balanced, and hey, who doesn't love sipping from a copper mug? Yum!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It really does make the whole experience more fun!
Matej says
Just perfect for this cold part of the year. My wife loved it! Thanks for the recipe.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're very welcome, Matej!
Kris says
This was so flavorful and refreshing! We already plan on making it again this weekend!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I'll cheers to that!