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Apple Cider Moscow Mule Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

Apple Cider Moscow Mule Recipe

I made this apple cider Moscow mule on the first chilly evening of the season, and I haven't stopped since. The first sip is crisp, spicy, and just sweet enough to feel like autumn in a mug. I love that it takes only five minutes and uses five simple ingredients.
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Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 4 ounces apple cider: Gives the drink its fruity cozy fall flavor; choose a good, fresh-pressed one.
  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka: Adds a clean kick without hiding the apple; a smooth vodka works best.
  • 1/4 lime juiced: Brightens the sweetness; squeeze it fresh for the best taste.
  • 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer: Brings the fizz and spicy bite; add it last so it stays bubbly.
  • Ice: Keeps the mug frosty; use plenty so it chills fast without melting too quickly.

Method
 

  1. Place the apple cider and ginger beer in the fridge before you start. Cold ingredients keep the drink crisp and stop the ice from melting too fast. I also pop my copper mug in the freezer for a few minutes when I have time.
  2. Cut a lime into quarters and squeeze one piece into a small bowl or straight into your mug. Remove any seeds so they don't sneak into your drink. Fresh juice tastes much brighter than the bottled kind.
  3. Pour 1 1/2 ounces of vodka using a jigger or shot glass. That is about one standard US shot, or three tablespoons. Measuring keeps the drink balanced, so the vodka never overpowers the cider.
  4. Add a generous scoop of ice to your copper mug. Fill it nearly to the top. More ice means a colder drink and slower dilution, which I think makes the last sip as good as the first.
  5. Pour in 4 ounces of apple cider, then the vodka and the lime juice. Give it one slow stir with a long spoon. This mixes the base without knocking out any of the fizz you will add next.
  6. Slowly pour in 4 to 6 ounces of ginger beer until the mug is full. Pour it down the side of the mug or over the back of a spoon. That small trick keeps more bubbles in your drink.
  7. Add a thin apple slice, a cinnamon stick, a lime wheel, or a small rosemary sprig. Serve it right away while the bubbles are lively. Take a sip, smile, and enjoy that spicy apple flavo

Notes

  • I always use fresh-pressed apple cider, because the shelf-stable juice tastes flat and too sweet to me.
  • I pick a spicy ginger beer, which gives the drink a real bite and balances the cider's sweetness.
  • I use a smooth vodka like Tito's for a tito's apple cider mule, since it stays clean and never tastes harsh.
  • I add the ginger beer last and pour slowly, so every sip stays bubbly.
  • I rub a cinnamon stick on the rim of the mug before filling it, which adds a lovely warm aroma.
  • I taste the drink before serving, and if it feels too sweet, I add an extra squeeze of lime