Irish Mule {Colorado Mule)

Nothing says “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” quite like an Irish Mule; and I’m not talking about the kicking kind, but an Irish version of the Moscow Mule of course. It is full of shenanigans; with fresh muddled mint, crisp, clean whiskey, lime juice and finished with spicy, bubbly ginger beer. 

A few years ago, when I first started discovering mules; my husband and I went out for dinner and enjoyed a twist on the typical Moscow Mule, it was called a Colorado Mule — basically all the same elements of a Moscow Mule, but using whiskey (or bourbon) instead of vodka.

This mule has a wee bit of a St. Paddy’s day twist, because it’s made with whiskey and is green all over, perfect to entertain with on St. Patrick’s day. 

EQUIPMENT YOU’LL  NEED FOR THIS RECIPE

• Cocktail Glass or Copper Mule Mug
• Muddler (yup, it’s a thing)
• Jigger or Mini Measuring Cup
• Juicer (this is my favorite) 

I’m the first to admit that I am not a big drinker, kind of a wimpy one actually, but that’s why I really enjoy a cocktail now and then, you can adjust the amount of alcohol according to your wimpiness taste.

IRISH MULE INGREDIENTS

• Irish Whiskey (other whiskey and/or bourbon would work great too)
• Fresh Lime 
• Fresh Mint
• Ginger Beer | There are so many varieties on the market, depends on your taste, here are a few of my favorites: Reed’s | A nice balance of spicy and sweet; Q Drinks | spicier, not as sweet, very bubbly; and Fever Tree | not too sweet, a little extra spicy.

So what are you waiting for?? Gather up the ingredients and equipment and let’s make a cocktail, perfect for your St. Patrick’s day gathering or anytime you want a refreshing, slightly spicy, smoky and a wee bit complex cocktail.

IRISH MULE MOCKTAIL

Oh and if you are not into cocktails, simply omit the whiskey, add a little extra splash of lime and top it off with that ginger beer for a lovely mocktail.

MIXING UP AN IRISH MULE

Grab a glass or a copper mug; copper mugs keep the contents frosty and crisp, check out this post for Pomegranate Mules for the history on Copper Mugs and the Moscow Mule. Alas, laddie or lassie, I didn’t use my copper mugs, because I wanted to showcase the beauty of this drink. 

First you’ll be muddlin’ your mint, yeah, you heard me, grab your muddler and your mint, toss in a few leaves and gently press into the bottom of the glass. You don’t want to smash them to smithereens (that’ll make them bitter), just a few presses and a light twist should do the trick. 

Add crushed or cubed ice! We don’t have a freezer that serves up crushed ice and for a cocktail I like my iced crushed, so I put some in a freezer baggie and shash it all up with a meat mallet!

Pour in whiskey – 2 oz for a stronger drink, 1-1 ½ oz for a lighter drink. This is one of my very favorite kitchen tools, I use it all-the-time, in fact I have two!Next, squeeze in your lime, a whole half of a lime, adds a most beautiful citrus pop!

Now, top the glass off with your ginger beer of choice. 

Finally, place a twist of lime and a sprig of mint, it really finishes off the cocktail beautifully!

Please enjoy responsibly and don’t forget to be a blessin’ to someone this St. Patrick’s day! 

Try these other light & refreshing cocktails! 

• Blackberry Bourbon Moscow Mule
• Mint Julep
• Cucumber Cooler (Adult Spa Water)
• Grapefruit Basil Vodka Smash

And this mule will pair perfectly with Bangers and Mash and Milk Stout Brownies or this easy Chocolate Guinness Cake with Irish Buttercream.

For a comprehensive list of St. Patrick’s day menu ideas, check out my 35+ St. Patrick’s Day Recipes post.