This time of year I love a light and refreshing cocktail. I’ve always been a fan of the basic moscow mule, but I was looking for a way to change it up a little. Henceforth, the pineapple mint moscow mule was born. I have to say, this may be one of my more brilliant ideas (aside from starting this website of course, ha ha).
There are two things you need to ensure a great moscow mule. The first is a copper mug. Not only are these mugs super cute, they serve a very specific purpose. The copper takes on the temperature of the ice used to cool the beverage, thus cooling the liquid from the outside with the mug as well as cooling from the inside with the ice (i like to use a sphere ice mold so the ice melts at a slower rate). The temperature affects the flavor, and with a moscow mule, in my opinion, the cooler the better. The fact is, this is not the kind of cocktail you want to drink out of a regular glass. But a good copper mug is not cheap! They generally run anywhere from $15-$20 for a single mug. With that said, don’t let that stop you from making it if you don’t have a copper mug! Test it out in a regular glass while you peruse the below copper mug options. Drinking while online shopping will only lead to good things. I promise : )
The second key to a great moscow mule is to find a great ginger beer. In case you are not familiar with ginger beer (i wasn’t until a few years ago) ginger beer is not actually a beer. In fact, it’s not even alcoholic. In comparison to ginger ale, ginger beer has a more robust flavor and a spicier bite. I’ve tried several brands over the years and my favorite is the Gosling’s I used for this recipe. Bundaberg makes a pretty good one too. You should be able to find ginger beer at your local grocery store. Trader Joe’s sells this one but it’s not my favorite. You can also use ginger ale in a pinch but just know the flavor profile will be slightly different.
Now that we’ve got that business out of the way, let’s talk specifics. Here’s what you need to make my pineapple mint moscow mules.
Ingredients:
1.5 ounces of your favorite vodka
12 ounces of ginger beer
Juice of two limes
Sprig of mint
4 chunks of pineapple
Ice
Copper Mug
*quantities are for one cocktail
Directions:
Pour the vodka into the mug. Tear four or five good size mint leaves off your sprig and rub them between your fingers briefly before tossing them into your mug. This helps to release the flavor. Add the pineapple chunks to the mug along with the juice from the limes. Muddle the ingredients in the bottom of the glass. Make sure to break up the pineapple so that juice mixes with the lime juice and vodka. Top with the ginger beer and ice. Garnish with the sprig of mint and a wedge of lime.
Cheers! Leave us a comment and let us know what you think once you’ve tried it out.
Ashley xx
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