Spicy Moscow Mule Cocktail

During November a fun press drop arrived. A pirate crate filled with treasure. The treasure includes some delicious Sailor Jerry rum, candied ginger pieces and the new Fitch & Leeds spicy ginger beer.

I have made a few great cocktails with the rum and the spicy ginger beer.  You can see some of it over on our YouTube Channel ‘Sipping Slowly’. However, the star of the show was the Fitch & Leeds spicy ginger beer.

I wanted to try a few different cocktails with this ginger beer. Ginger always works well with whisky, and I played around with a few whisky and ginger cocktails. But in the end, I decided to try one of the most iconic cocktails that require ginger beer – the Moscow Mule cocktail.

What is a Moscow Mule Cocktail?

A standard Moscow mule is made with vodka, spicy ginger beer and lime juice, garnished with a slice of lime and fresh mint leaves. The Moscow mule is traditionally served in a copper mug.

Where is a Moscow Mule from?

Not from Russia or Moscow. Moscow is most probably in honour of the vodka used. It was, according to research, created in a bar during 1941 in Los Angeles by a bartender who wanted to clean out some old stock. He made a few cocktails for the bar owner and his friend.

The friend was John Martin, the head of the company that just purchased the Smirnoff distillery. The bar owner’s girlfriend had just inherited a business that made copper goods. Put 1 and 1 together,  and you get an easy vodka cocktail in a copper mug; a match made in heaven.

Why the Fitch & Leeds Spicy Ginger Beer?

The Fitch & Leeds spicy ginger beer was specifically made as a mixer for cocktails.  It is well balanced to not overwhelm the spirit component, but bold enough to add great taste.

I did a bit of research on what other flavours will work well with spicy ginger, as I wanted to enhance the spicy ginger beer notes. For me, the spicy ginger beer needed to be the star of the show. Lemongrass pairs wonderfully with ginger and add an exotic spin on a classic taste.

So I played around and came up with a spicy lemongrass Moscow mule. Keeping close to the original but adding a hint of lemongrass zing  via a simple syrup.

I don’t have a copper mug, but I used my trusted steel travel mug. It keeps the cold just as nicely.

Also Read: Mint Julep Cocktail

Spicy Moscow Mule Cocktail

• 1 bottle of Fitch & Leeds spicy ginger beer 200 ml (or your favourite ginger beer)
• 120 ml vodka ( I used the Reyka vodka from Iceland)
• 60 ml lemongrass simple syrup (see below)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 slices of lime
• 4 mint springs
• 2 lemongrass stalks
• ice

Divide the vodka, lemongrass simple syrup and lime juice into 2 mugs or tall glasses and stir. Fill up with ice. Pour the Fitch and Leeds spicy ginger beer over and add a stalk of lemongrass, some mint and a slice of lemon on top. (makes 2 cups)

Lemongrass Simple Syrup

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 cup of water
• 3 lemongrass stalks crushed slightly
• thumbs size piece of fresh ginger roughly chopped

Combined the water and sugar and heat up slowly until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemongrass and the ginger and continuously stir over low heat for about 30 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool down and infuse for a couple of hours. When cold, remove the lemongrass stalks and the ginger and store in the fridge until required.

Also Read: Whiskey Sour Cocktail