How to Make the Best Irish Mule
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The Irish Mule is a popular whiskey and ginger beer cocktail made with fresh lime juice and topped with a sprig of mint. It’s an easy way to show off your bartending skills without specialty tools and complicated ingredients. Mix up a glass for an evening refresher or make a batch of this Irish mule recipe for parties!
Irish Mule
This cocktail is a little bit spicy, a little bit sweet, and just the right amount of bubbly.
Plus, you can easily scale up the recipe and make a big pitcher for serving larger groups.
You may be more familiar with its cousin, the Moscow mule.
Instead of vodka, combine Irish whiskey and ginger beer with freshly squeezed lime juice in a copper mug full of ice. Doesn’t get much easier than that!
Not a fan of ginger? Try a Jack’s Tennessee sweet tea instead — I have an orange and amaretto version too!
Or channel more of that refreshing lime flavor in a frozen margarita or strawberry mojito.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Irish Whiskey – It wouldn’t be a true Irish mule recipe without an Irish brand of whiskey!
Some popular choices include Jameson, Powers, Bushmills, Redbreast, and Tullamore. - Ginger Beer – Despite the name, this is not actually a beer! It’s similar to ginger ale, but with a stronger, spicier flavor that allows it to stand out in mixed drinks.
Feel free to use ginger ale if needed, just know that it will make your Irish mule a bit sweeter and more bubbly. - Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed is best, but you can get away with a sweeter bottled lime juice.
This is different than the bottles of concentrate! Find lime juice for cocktails (Rose’s is popular) with the other drink mixers.
Tips to Make the Perfect Whiskey and Ginger Beer Cocktail
- Use plenty of ice.
Don’t worry about it watering down your drink! The copper retains the cold really well, so the ice will melt slower than in a regular glass.
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste.
If you prefer a stronger whiskey flavor, reduce the amount of ginger beer.
For those who would prefer not to taste the whiskey as much, combine it with the lime juice then top off your glass with the ginger beer.
- Give it a good stir.
All of the ingredients need to be well mixed for the best-tasting cocktail. A slim bar spoon is the best tool for the job since it can slip easily through all of those ice cubes!
- Try muddling the mint.
Instead of just a garnish, crush a few mint leaves in the bottom of the mug before adding the ice. It will make your ginger beer and whiskey drink extra refreshing!
- Add a flavor twist.
Ginger beer comes in a variety of flavors, so why not experiment with different flavor combinations? Pay attention to the notes in your whiskey to find a good match.
Prep Ahead
- Juice and slice limes
- Trim sprigs of mint
Kitchen Tools You Will Need
- Copper Mug – This is the classic choice for an Irish mule — or any mule, for that matter!
- Jigger – Essential for any well-stocked bar, this quickly and accurately measures liquids for making cocktails. In a pinch, liquid measuring cups will work as well.
- Bar Spoon – A long, thin spoon that quickly mixes ingredients no matter how tall the glass is.
- Citrus Juicer – This gets every last drop out, which makes juicing limes so much easier.
Serving Suggestions
Top off your whiskey and ginger beer drink with a lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint. It’s a refreshing drink to serve any time of year — but especially for St. Patrick’s Day!
Celebrate with a feast of slow cooker brisket and potatoes, and don’t forget to have some Leprechaun snack mix available for munching.
How to Make Batch Ginger Beer and Whiskey Drinks
You can easily prepare this Irish mule recipe in larger batches — perfect for party prep!
Combine the following in a large pitcher (at least 60-ounce capacity):
- 1 ½ cups Irish whiskey
- 3 ¾ cups ginger beer
- ¾ cup lime juice
Give everything a stir, then pour into copper mugs full of ice.
If you’ll be making this ahead of time, wait to add the ginger beer until just before serving so it doesn’t go flat.
Irish Mule Recipe FAQ
All mule drinks, including the Moscow mule, Irish mule, and Mexican mule, are traditionally served in a hammered copper mug which keeps it well insulated — so, colder for longer!
If copper mugs aren’t available, you can still enjoy this ginger beer and whiskey drink in a regular tumbler or glass.
Most ginger beers contain no alcohol, making them an excellent mixer or base for cocktails or mocktails alike!
However, there are alcoholic ginger beers available so be sure to check the label first.
Both drinks have a whiskey base, but one requires Irish whiskey (I’ll let you guess which!) and the other is made with American whiskey, preferably from Tennessee.
There’s also a Kentucky mule, which swaps the whiskey for bourbon.
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Other Cocktail Recipes
How to Make the Best Irish Mule
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 ounces Irish whiskey
- 5 ounces ginger beer
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice, about 1-2 limes
- mint sprig or lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a copper mug or glass with ice.
- Pour whiskey and ginger beer over ice.
- Add lime juice, then stir gently with a bar spoon.
- (Optional) add a mint sprig and/or lime wedge for garnish.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published February 2024
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The perfect drink for St Patricks!! So glad to have found this recipe!