Apple Cider Mule

This apple cider mule is festive and easy fall cocktail! This seasonal spin on the Moscow mule features cider and ginger beer.

Here’s a festive cocktail that’s perfect for cool weather: the Apple Cider Mule! Everyone loves a classic Moscow Mule, and this seasonal spin is even more fun. It pairs apples and ginger in a bubbly, effervescent mix that looks perfectly cozy nestled in a copper mug. Why stop drinking the mule when fall hits? This autumnal variation is ideal for when the temps start to drop: it even works as a winter cocktail for holiday gatherings, too. Here’s what you need to know!

Ingredients in an apple cider mule

The apple cider mule is a fall themed Moscow mule: or, a mule with apple cider added. But here’s the thing. You’ve got to have just enough cider so you can taste its sweet flavor, but not so much that it waters down the ginger beer and vodka. Many cider mule recipes don’t get the right blend of flavors. We tinkered with the ratios to make this apple cider mule the perfect balance of the Moscow mule elements:

• Vodka
• Lime
• Apple cider
• Ginger beer

What’s a classic Moscow mule?

The Moscow mule is a classic cocktail invented in the 1940’s. This drink may have been invented as a ploy to sell vodka, ginger beer and copper mugs. (Here’s more about the history of the mule.) The mule is part of a family of cocktails called bucks: drinks made with ginger beer or ale, citrus juice, and liquor. So a Moscow mule is a vodka buck: and this apple cider mule could technically be called a cider buck.

How to make an apple cider mule (basic steps)

The mule is one of our top easy mixed drinks because here’s the thing: you can mix it all in a glass. No cocktail shakers required! The only thing you have to actually do is juice a lime. Pour it into the glass, and you’re good to go!

1. Pour ¼ cup vodka, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and ¼ cup apple cider into a copper mug or serving glass of your choice. Add about ⅓ cup ginger beer.
2. Add ice and garnish with lime. Done!

Tips for making it for a crowd!

Are you entertaining and don’t want to worry about measuring out each drink? Here’s what we would do:

• Mix up 8 servings without ginger beer. That would be 2 cups vodka, 2 cups apple cider, and ½ cup lime juice.
• In each copper mug, pour about ½ cup mixer and ⅓ cup ginger beer. The exact measurements are 4 ½ ounces (9 tablespoons) mixer plus 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) ginger beer. But you don’t have to be that exact for an apple cider mule!

Do you have to serve a mule in a copper mug?

A traditional Moscow mule is served in a copper mug. Of course, you can serve this apple cider mule however you like! It looks great in a copper mug, but it also works in a low ball glass (try it with clear ice for a glamorous look). But there are two reasons why you’ll see this drink served in copper:

• Drinking out of ice cold copper brings another sensory element. The copper turns ice cold with the drink, giving another element to a sip. You can really taste the difference!
• Tradition! Back in the 1940’s, the drink was originally served in copper. Photos of Hollywood celebs drinking mules in copper mugs were all over the place. It caught on, and it’s still the traditional way to drink this cocktail!
• Where to buy copper mugs for mules? You can use copper mugs for any type of drink, and they make great gifts, too. Here’s a link to some solid copper mugs on Amazon.

More apple cider drinks

Apple cider is great for fall themed drinks! Here are some of our favorite ways to make boozy apple cider drinks:

• Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail Pairs sweet cider with bourbon and lemon: the ideal fall or winter drink.
• Apple Cider Mimosa The perfect winter or fall brunch cocktail! Combine cider with champagne for a festive treat.
• Apple Cider Sangria This cozy drink lets you drink sangria all season! It pairs apple cider with red wine, orange and cinnamon.
• Apple Cider Slushie Easy to make and looks stunning: a frosty version of the tasty fall elixir.
• Mulled Cider or Hot Apple Cider Perfect for entertaining! Infused with spices, you can make it in a slow cooker or on the stove. Or go for a hot cocktail by making Spiked Cider.

When to serve an apple cider mule

The apple cider mule is a refreshing spin on this classic cocktail! Try it as a:

• Fall cocktail or winter drink
• Holiday party drink
• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Guys or girls night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

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Moscow mule variations

There are so many different spins on the Moscow mule: it’s hard to know where to start! Here are some of our favorite variations:

• Kentucky Mule Switch vodka for bourbon in this spin on the classic!
• Mexican Mule or Mezcal Mule The bite of the tequila with spicy ginger and zingy lime makes it impossible not to immediately take another sip. Or try it with a hint of smoky mezcal.
• Irish Mule Love Irish whiskey? Use that in your mule and you’ve got the Irish version.
• Gin Gin Mule A modern classic! It’s essentially a mashup of a bubbly Moscow mule with gin and a minty Mojito.
• Watermelon Mule A fruity spin starring that bright pink summer fruit.