First popularized in the 1940s, the Moscow Mule is typically served in a distinctive copper mug. The mug is still the standard, but the refreshing mix of vodka, ginger beer and a squeeze of lime juice is getting a makeover by creative mixologists.
• At the Violet Hour in Chicago, where cocktails are $13, a summer seasonal highlight is the Sterile Animal. This curry-esque variation on the mule features Letherbee Vernal Gin with notes of hickory-smoked rhubarb root, ginger, echinacea and chamomile.
• The Beach at Dream Downtown in New York City serves a Moscow Mule made with ginger slush, copper-distilled Absolut Elyx and lime juice.
• The Watermelon Mule is a new seasonal cocktail at Spyglass Rooftop Bar in New York made with Bootlegger 21 New York Vodka, fresh watermelon, ginger beer and lime.
If you’re looking for more ways to put your own spin on this classic cocktail, check out these five variations.