The Gin Moscow Mule - Gin Gin Mule And Other Spinoff Cocktail Recipes

by Randy Woodward May 06, 2020



Introduction

The Gin Moscow Mule is a spinoff from the classic Moscow Mule recipe created by Jack Morgan and his two other friends. The classic Moscow Mule is made with lime juice, vodka and ginger beer. But unlike the classic that is best served in copper mugs, the Gin Moscow Mule is usually served in tall glasses. The preference of the glass, though, really depends on the bartender’s take to the cocktail.



Go through our full list of 21 amazing Moscow Mule cocktail recipes.

Gin Moscow Mule is also known as Gin-Gin Mule. The name was coined from the gin and ginger beer which are the trademark ingredients for this cocktail. It is a very popular cocktail and was named as one of the 25 most influential cocktails of the century in the May-June 2010 issue of the Imbibe Magazine, a Portland, Oregon based magazine that features all kinds of beverages. This magazine is published every two months and has already received a number of awards for its authoritative articles on all beverages, especially the up and coming ones.

Gin Types and Which Can be Used in Gin Moscow Mules

Gin is a colorless, unaged spirit from a combination of cereals or malted grains and is flavored with juniper berries. Originally made in Italy and was later further developed in Holland in the 16th century

Here are the main types of gin you should know about so you choose the right one to your cocktails.

London Dry Gin

The London Dry Gin is the typical gin when one thinks of gin. It has an ABV of 96% and is a neutral spirit making it best for cocktails and especially on the Gin Moscow Mule unless a certain type is specified. London Dry signifies more of the process of distillation rather than a geographic reference

The most common brands of London Dry Gin are Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire and Beefeater.

Plymouth Gin

Made in Plymouth, England, it is infused with more roots than the London Dry Gin. It can be used if the London Dry is not available or simply because you favor the earthier flavor of the Plymouth - the name that the company gave to this gin.

Genever or Dutch Gin

This gin is made from a base of malt grains and is darker in color and may be mistaken by a newbie drinker as whiskey. The most common brand is the Bols Genever.

Old Tom Gin

It is sweeter than the London Dry Gin and is most commonly used in sweeter cocktails such as Tom Collins, Martinez, and Ramos Gin Fizz. The most common brand is the Hayman’s. If you use this for the Gin Moscow Mule, you can skip the simple syrup and other sweeteners.

New American or International Style

These are gins that are infused by botanicals other than Juniper like the Hendrick’s which is infused with cucumber and rose. Look for the brand that complements with the flavors of the Gin Moscow Mule.

Sloe Gin

Sloe gin is flavored with sloe (blackthorn) berries and sugar. Don’t be fooled by the gin in its name; it is actually a liqueur and is sometimes even made with vodka.

Our Pick

If you need a spinoff cocktail without having to go through all this list, we made our pick of the best cocktail recipes in this list.

Best Spinoff

The best spinoff vote goes to the Dead Bastard Cocktail. The combination of 4 spirits was perfectly curated so they would not clash with each other. How the makers of this cocktail pulled it off might be a mystery for drinkers to discover.

Best Fruit and Herb Gin Mule

We vote for the Strawberry Basil Gin Mule as the best fruit and herb gin mule because of the burst of vibrant colors and delicious taste. Not to mention that it is also very delicious.

Fanciest Gin Mule Recipe

The Juniper Mule gets our vote for the fanciest gin mule recipe. It’s definitely the delicious taste of the rimming mix - smoked sea salt, sugar and cracked pink peppercorn.

Gin Mule Classic Recipe

The classic Gin Moscow Mule has basically the same ingredients with the Moscow Mule which calls for vodka, ginger beer and lime juice. In the Gin Moscow Mule, the vodka is replaced by gin.

The classic drink is made using the following recipe.

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Gently muddle the mint leaves to release the oils.
  2. Fill a beaker with ice, lime juice, gin and ginger beer.
  3. Strain into a mule mug .
  4. Garnish with spanked mint leaves.

Gin Mule Spinoff Recipes

Bartenders are really an inventive lot and instead of staying on the classic recipe, they are always finding ways to improve the current recipe. Here’s proof to that claim - the Gin Mule Spinoff Recipes!

Gin Gin Mojito

A playful take on the classic mojito by simply adding ginger beer and using gin instead of white rum, this cocktail cuts the alcohol in half unless you decide to use the alcoholic version of ginger beer.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Muddle the mint leaves in a shaker tin .
  2. Pour in the lime juice and gin into the shaker and stir to mix.
  3. Fill a tall glass with lots of ice.
  4. Double strain the cocktail into the tall glass using a Hawthorne strainer atop the shaker tin and a fine mesh strainer .
  5. Top with ginger beer.
  6. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Gin Gin Mule 2

Using a different brand of the London Dry allows you to try other brands than the ones you’ve been used to. Understanding how each spirit works with different cocktails is actually the key to making new ones. This is basically the same classic Gin Moscow Mule, just with different brands.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Prepare a highball glass .
  2. Roll a lime a bit to coax more juice.
  3. Press half a lime in a citrus press . Add the juice into the highball glass.
  4. Add the gin.
  5. Fill the glass with ice. More ice means fresher drinks.
  6. Top with the ginger beer.
  7. Garnish with a huge sprig of mint.

Suffering Bastard

Spinoffs from a spinoff - that’s your first impression in this trio of “Bastard” Gin Moscow Mule spinoff cocktails. The Suffering Bar Steward, sometimes also called the Suffering Bastard, adds Angostura Bitters to the original recipe of the Gin Gin Mule. The “bastard” comes from the bitters added to the cocktail because bastards tend to be “bitter”. Got the pun?


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Fill a whiskey glass with lots of ice.
  2. Build the cocktail over it by adding the gin, cognac, lime juice, Demerara simple syrup and bitters. Mix well.
  3. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Diving Bastard Cocktail

The daredevil in the “Bastard” trio of spinoff cocktails, this recipe packed more kick with the addition of the bourbon. Guess when you’ve been suffering too much (pun intended), your next step is to take a dive. Haha! Hope I got you to smile there.


Instruction to make

  1. Fill a whiskey glass with lots of ice.
  2. Build the cocktail over it by adding the gin, cognac, bourbon, lime juice, Demerara simple syrup and bitters. Mix well.
  3. Add ginger beer on top. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Dead Bastard Cocktail

When you’ve been suffering too much and dived into it, you’ll probably end up dead (grimace, not a good joke). That’s exactly what this recipe wants to build up with the addition of yet another alcohol, this time a light rum into this cocktail. Guess some are just plain daring. Ugh! I can imagine the sting of these 4 different alcohols. Definitely one for the brave.

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Fill a whiskey glass with lots of ice.
  2. Build the cocktail over it by adding the gin, cognac, bourbon, white rum, lime juice, Demerara simple syrup and bitters. Mix well.
  3. Top with ginger beer. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Bundaberg Gin-Gin Mule Cocktail

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Mix the dry gin and ginger beer in a beaker.
  2. Fill a stemless wine glass with lots of ice.
  3. Transfer the gin and ginger beer to the wine glass.
  4. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and a mint sprig.

Juniper Mule

Juniper berries are used to add flavor to gin and it is only fitting to dedicate a cocktail recipe to it. The addition of pink peppercorn for the rimming gives it an edge. However, be careful when using it, both in drinks and food, as it may cause allergic reactions to those with a history of tree nut allergy.

Ingredients:

Instruction to make

  1. Rim a tall glass with sugar, smoked sea salt and ground pink peppercorn mixture.
  2. Squeeze half a lime into the glass. Drop the lime peel into the glass.
  3. Add 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters into the glass. Swirl to mix the ingredients together.
  4. Add lots of ice
  5. Add the ginger beer over the back of the bar spoon to prevent forming a head.
  6. Slice some ginger thinly using a vegetable slicer . Add the sliced ginger into the glass for garnish.

Orgeat Gin Moscow Mule

This Mexican take on the Gin Mule recipe is refreshing if not daring with the substitution orgeat in place of the simple syrup.

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Add a few mint leaves into a shaker tin .
  2. Add the lime juice, orgeat syrup, and gin.
  3. Add ice into the shaker and shake vigorously for 8-10 seconds.
  4. Add ice into a tall glass .
  5. Double strain the cocktail into the tall glass using a Hawthorne strainer atop the shaker tin and a fine mesh strainer.
  6. Top with the ginger beer dispensed through a nitro-style draft dispenser .
  7. Mix slightly to incorporate the foam into the cocktail.
  8. Garnish with mint leaves and ginger strips.

Muddled Mint and Ginger Mule

Expect a more intense flavor and aroma when you muddle together the mint and the ginger. Top with extra spicy ginger beer for more kick. Prepare to have your tongue singed with the spiciness of the ginger.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Cut some ginger into strips.
  2. Add the ginger strips into the shaker and muddle .
  3. Add the mint leaves and continue to muddle gently.
  4. Add ice into the shaker tin and shake well.
  5. Put some ice into a tall glass .
  6. Double strain the mixture into a tall glass.
  7. Top with extra spicy ginger beer.
  8. Garnish with mint leaves.

Icely Done Gin Gin Mule

This recipe uses a cocktail blend of lemon and ginger to eliminate the addition of the lime juice and ginger beer. The cocktail blend is not alcoholic so if you feel like making a refreshingly zesty drink, this works really well.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Drop the mint leaves into a tall glass .
  2. Add the lemon-ginger blend into the glass, together with the gin.
  3. Top with lemon-lime soda.
  4. Garnish with mint leaves.

Fruity and Herb Gin Moscow Mules

Fruity cocktails are always a hit among the ladies and one can never go wrong with fruits when making spinoff cocktails. Aside from the standard mint used, basil and rosemary were also used in these cocktails.

Raspberry Gin Gin Mule

Raspberry surely adds a new twist to this fruity Moscow Mule. Combat some queasiness from all that alcohol with the chewy ginger candy used as a garnish for this cocktail.


Instruction to make

  1. Slice a ginger thinly.
  2. Muddle it in a shaker tin .
  3. Add ice, agave syrup, gin and stir.
  4. Strain into a tall glass filled with lots of ice.
  5. Add ginger beer on top.
  6. Drizzle the raspberry syrup on top.
  7. Garnish with a skewered chewy ginger candy, ginger slices and mint sprigs.

Strawberry Basil Gin Moscow Mule

Berries and herbs are a welcome treat for this refreshingly delicious cocktail. Muddled together, the flavor and aroma of the strawberries and the slightly minty flavor of basil give a more sensual experience. Consider it verging on the sexy, if you would.

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Muddle together the strawberries, 1 pc torn basil leaf and the lime juice in a whiskey glass .
  2. Add crushed ice.
  3. Pour over the gin and top with ginger beer.
  4. Garnish with strawberry slices and fresh basil leaves.

Lemon Ginger Cocktail

Enjoy more zing with this lemon ginger spinoff of the Gin Gin mule. Enjoy the aroma of the rosemary which is also known to improve mental alertness, reduce stress and relieve fatigue, among others.


Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a whiskey glass , muddle together the rosemary sprig, lemon juice and ginger.
  2. Add ice into the glass.
  3. Top with ginger beer and stir.
  4. Garnish with lemon wedge and rosemary sprig.

Cucumber Gin Moscow Mule

Best served during summer, this refreshingly cool cocktail gives you more reasons to celebrate the scorchingly hot sun. Put up that beach umbrella, spread that beach towel and treat yourself to a lazy afternoon reading your favorite book, sipping this lovely cocktail.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Lightly muddle the lime wedges and cucumber slices in a tall glass .
  2. Add lots of ice.
  3. Pour in the gin and add ginger beer on top.
  4. Garnish with mint sprigs and a cucumber wheel.

Grapefruit Mule

Although this cocktail asks for the Plymouth Mule, the London Dry still works well too, if only on the bitter side.


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
  2. Build everything over ice, pouring the rose and soda last to enjoy the fizz later.
  3. Garnish with an orange twist.

Non-Alcoholic Gin Moscow Mule

Serve non-alcoholic cocktails to your brunch date with friends or when entertaining your friends while your kids are having a playdate at your house. Don’t be fooled by the ginger beer, it’s only a beer in name, no alcohol in there.

Blackberry Ginger Mule Smash

Blackberry and basil lends a fruity yet refreshingly delicious minty twist to this cocktail. Give it a good muddling to release the aroma and the flavors of the ingredients.

Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Muddle the blackberries in a mason jar .
  2. Add the lime juice and ginger beer. Stir.
  3. Top with club soda and garnish with a basil leaf.

Mimic Gin Mule


Ingredients

Instruction to make

  1. Cut a lime into wedges.
  2. Drop it into a tall glass . Add the mint leaves.
  3. Muddle together until all the juices have been extracted.
  4. Add the simple syrup and ginger beer. Add ice and stir.
  5. Garnish with mint sprigs.

Food Pairing

Here are some perfect foods to go with your gin-based cocktails. This list includes some recipes you will find hard to resist.

Ginger Beers for Beautiful Gin Moscow Mules

With so much Gin Moscow Mules and spinoff cocktails, you might want to try other ginger beers to go with these. Check out 20 ginger beers for Moscow Mule cocktails.

Best Copper Mugs

What’s a Moscow Mule without the ubiquitous copper mugs? Check out the 5 best copper mugs to use in your Moscow Mule cocktails.

Conclusion

Partying is always great especially if you serve the right drinks. What could go wrong with the Gin Moscow Mule cocktail recipes in this list? It even includes a couple of non-alcoholic recipes that your non-drinking guests will surely love.

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