Ginger Beer Vs Ginger Ale: Which Is The Best Addition To A Moscow Mule?
Moscow mule is a cocktail that was engineered several decades ago in Los Angeles in a move that at once popularised the lightly carbonated ginger beer which finishes off this simple highball-like blend. Using the traditional recipe, a classic moscow mule can be prepared by bringing together 30 ml Ketel One Premium Distilled Vodka or any other premium vodka of choice with 10 ml lime juice and about 60 ml of ginger beer. All the ingredients for this cocktail are built in order on a bed of ice and stirred well before serving them in a copper mug which lends the blend an aesthetic touch.
Over time, different variations of the moscow mule have come up which involve introducing different fruity or herbal elements into the drink for a slight flavour twist. Another variation has also included swapping out the ginger beer for ginger ale, which acts as a more carbonated mixer containing the flavours of this spice. This has led to mixologists discussing for long about the merits of ginger beer vs ginger ale and which is the most suitable addition to the moscow mule recipe.
Adding Ginger Ale
A classic moscow mule is prepared with the addition of 30 ml vodka, a clear and crisp spirit that can blend with a lot of deep flavours. Ginger, with its sharp and zingy quality is one such spice which goes well with the spirit. In crafting a moscow mule with the addition of 60 ml ginger ale, the drink does acquire the sharp and peppery flavours synonymous with ginger. And it also becomes more bubbly because ginger ale has a slightly higher carbonated touch that leads to the creation of a blend with a spritzy texture.
However, ginger ale also happens to have a greater proportion of sweeter notes and these seep into a cocktail when it is topped off with this mixer. A moscow mule prepared in the more classic sense carries spicier and crisper flavours which could be mellowed down when the drink is finished off with ginger ale in lieu of ginger beer.
Using The Traditional Ginger Beer
Adding about 60 ml of ginger beer to a moscow mule recipe fits into the original flavour combination which was envisaged for this cocktail when it was crafted all those years ago. Ginger beer is complete with a robust flavour and pronounced gingery effects which lend greater depth to the cocktail. As well, ginger beer’s potent flavours and denser textures also build more body into a drink and lend it a cloudy appearance that gives the cocktail just the right kind of intrigue.
Although ginger beer has lesser proportions of fizz than ginger ale, it nonetheless highlights the other flavours in the drink quite suitably, as a result of this soft carbonation. With this, along with the tasting notes of the sharp ginger beer, the citrus effect of lime juice and the crisp profile of the vodka are also highlighted in the cocktail blend.
Which Is The Best Choice?
It is inevitably then that both ginger beer and ginger ale contend for a spot in the roster of mixologists preparing a moscow mule. While the former promises to be the more traditional and original choice for crafting this cocktail, the latter is a better alternative for those who prefer having a sweeter note in their drinks, with a subtle gingery hint. Ginger ale gives the drink more carbonation and a soda pop-like effect, yet it is ginger beer which introduces spicier and more robust flavours into the blend.
As such, ginger beer emerges as the preferred alternative for many mixologists putting together a classic moscow mule recipe. And ginger ale, coupled with a mint leaves and ginger shavings garnish remains the go-to option for those putting a contemporary twist on the OG recipe.
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