The Mezcal Mule | VinePair

The Story Behind The Mezcal Mule

Ginger and lime complement just about every spirit — hence the versatility of the Mule cocktail template. So it comes as no surprise that the pioneering, vodka-based Moscow Mule paved the way for a slew of riffs, from Audrey Saunders’ mint-kissed Gin Gin Mule to Erick Castro’s bourbon-fueled Kentucky Buck. It was all a matter of time before mezcal got its turn.

In the early aughts, when mezcal hit the scene in NYC, bartenders experimented to see what stuck. Of course, a phenomenon like this usually begins with tweaking pre-existing classics. And after Phil Ward created the Oaxaca Old Fashioned at Death & Co. in 2007, Jim Meehan followed suit a year later and crafted the Mezcal Mule at Please Don’t Tell. His take on the Mule sees mezcal sharing a glass with a homemade ginger wort, lime juice, passion fruit puree, agave syrup, and a cucumber-chili garnish.

Meehan’s approach is one of the “farm-to-glass” mindset. “There’s an old maxim in the wine world that ‘if it grows with it, it goes with it,’” Meehan explains in Robert Simonson’s “Modern Classic Cocktails.” Passion fruit, which is common in Mexico, has a tropical aroma that’s mimicked in many mezcals. Meanwhile, cucumber, also common in Mexico, bolsters mezcal’s vegetal character. Lime and ginger provide a sting of acidity followed by fiery earthiness. And finally, the pinch of Mexican chili tops off the cocktail with a kick of heat.

Though many Mezcal Mule recipes call for a copper mug, as per tradition with the Moscow Mule, Meehan’s recipe calls for a large, double Old Fashioned glass, exposing the drink’s glorious golden hue. Many other recipes also include the traditional Mule’s use of ginger beer, but Meehan’s template disregards the effervescent soda and implements a fresh, homemade ginger wort (recipe below). The ginger wort should last up to a week in the fridge, and when crafting it, be sure to use a nonreactive container, such as one made of glass, ceramic, or stainless steel.