Kentucky Mule
ClassicBourbon, lime, and ginger beer in a copper mug. The Moscow Mule, Southern-style.
Bright, spicy, and easy to drink. Bourbon's caramel and vanilla sweetness softens the heat of ginger beer, while fresh lime keeps everything crisp and a sprig of mint adds a cool aromatic lift. Longer and lighter than a sour, with a warm finish.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 4 oz Ginger Beer
- Lime wheel · optional garnish
- Mint sprig · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Fill a copper mug with ice.
- 2
Add the bourbon and lime juice.
- 3
Top with ginger beer and give it one gentle stir.
- 4
Garnish with a lime wheel and a mint sprig.
The Story
The Kentucky Mule is the bourbon take on the Moscow Mule, swapping vodka for America's native whiskey in the "mule" template of spirit, lime, and ginger beer served in a copper mug. There is no single inventor to credit: it spread across craft-cocktail menus through the 2000s and 2010s and became a staple because bourbon's vanilla warmth suits ginger's bite better than vodka ever could.