Mexican Mule
Tequila, lime and ginger beer over ice. The Moscow Mule on blanco tequila — the agave's pepper and the ginger's heat were made for each other.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a copper mug or highball with ice.
Add the tequila and lime juice, and the jalapeño slice if you want heat.
Top with cold ginger beer and stir gently.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
A thoughtful finish
- A spicy ginger beer and a 100% agave blanco; the drink has three ingredients and each has to be good.
- A jalapeño slice in the glass turns the ginger's heat into chilli heat and is the most common bar variation.
- A salted rim is not traditional but suits tequila and lime and is worth trying.
Common mistakes
- Ginger ale; too sweet and no heat.
- A mixto tequila, which the ginger cannot hide.
- Too much ginger beer. Four ounces is a top; six is a soda with tequila in it.
A few good questions.
What is a Mexican Mule?
A Moscow Mule made with tequila — tequila, lime and ginger beer over ice.
Blanco or reposado?
Blanco is brighter and the standard; reposado makes a softer, oakier version that suits the ginger well.
Can I use mezcal?
Yes — a Mezcal Mule is smoky and excellent, and the ginger and smoke are a good pair.
How is it different from an El Diablo?
The El Diablo adds crème de cassis for blackcurrant sweetness. The Mexican Mule is the plain version.
Variations
- Moscow Mule — Vodka, lime and ginger beer.
- Kentucky Mule — Bourbon, lime and ginger beer.
- El Diablo — Tequila, cassis, lime and ginger beer.
- Paloma — Tequila, lime and grapefruit soda.
Where it comes from
c. 2000s · United States
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Tequila and ginger beer predate the name: Trader Vic’s 1946 El Diablo put them together with cassis, and tequila with ginger ale has been a border highball for as long as both have existed. The Mexican Mule — sometimes the Tequila Mule, sometimes with a jalapeño slice — is the 2000s Mule revival’s tequila version, found on menus from the mid-2000s with no one claiming it. It is among the best of the Mule family because blanco tequila has enough flavour to meet the ginger beer rather than hide behind it.
Sources
- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink, 1946 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Mexican Mule, 2015 (reference)
- Robert Simonson, A Proper Drink, 2016 (book)
Strength. About 1.33 US standard drinks at an estimated 10.3% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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