Kentucky Mule (Bourbon Whiskey Mule)

A Kentucky Mule is a Moscow Mule with a twist – it’s made with bourbon whiskey instead of vodka. This tangy and fizzy cocktail is easy to stir together in a copper mug.

I was randomly in Kentucky for just a few hours earlier this summer. My family took a long weekend trip to Cincinnati so we could take my daughter to the Cincinnati Zoo (she’s a big fan of Fiona the hippo and Rico the porcupine).

Turns out that Covington, Kentucky is just a 10 minute drive from downtown Cincinnati, so we headed there one evening for dinner and cannoli, and to check out a vintage spirits shop (mostly specializing in bourbon and whiskey).

This little trip inspired me to come home and start using bourbon in more cocktails. While I have a personal rule that I won’t try a mint julep until I attend the Kentucky Derby, I have no such rule about bourbon mules!

While the seasons for strawberry mules with fresh local berries, and grapefruit mule with winter citrus are over, and I’m not quite ready to dive back into caramel apple mules or cranberry rosemary cocktails, this Kentucky mule recipe is perfect pretty much all year ’round.

What’s in this whiskey mule recipe?

According to the International Bartender’s Association, a classic Moscow mule recipe is 45 ml Smirnoff vodka, 120 ml ginger beer, and 10 ml fresh lime juice.

But, since we’re making a Kentucky mule recipe, we’ll be using bourbon or whiskey instead of vodka (save the vodka for basil cocktails!). And I’ve written the recipe in easy-to-measure ounces instead of ml, since that’s how most of us like to measure.

I’ve also added a few dashes of aromatic bitters to this whiskey mule, because I love how they pair with bourbon. And I added a mint garnish to give it a Kentucky flair!

If you have extra mint left over after making this bourbon mule recipe, it can be used to make the couscous for my almond crusted chicken recipe, or the marinade and dipping sauce for lamb lollipops.

What is the best bourbon for a Kentucky mule?

In my opinion, the best mule for a Kentucky mule (and almost all bourbon cocktails, really) is Bulleit bourbon (the classic orange label variety). It has a very clean and smooth flavor, and is versatile for just about anything you want to make with it.

Some other great choices for a whiskey mule are Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Buffalo Trace and Four Roses. All of these are distilled in Kentucky, and are also delicious in apple cider old fashioneds and apple cider bourbon punch.

How to make a Kentucky mule:

Making this bourbon mule recipe truly couldn’t be easier. You’ll start by adding lime juice, bitters and bourbon to your mugs. Give that a stir so everything is well combined.

Add the ginger beer, and then fill the remainder of the mugs with ice, and stir again. Serve the whiskey mules garnished with lime wedges and mint sprigs.

Why is this bourbon mule recipe served in copper mugs?

Mules are served in copper mugs for a few reasons!

There’s conflicting origin stories for this cocktail (isn’t that true of every cocktail?) but one version suggests that the girlfriend of the bartender who created the drink owned a copper-making company. So interesting, right?

More importantly, probably, is that copper is an excellent conductor of temperature, meaning that iced drinks like bourbon mules stay SUPER COLD in copper mugs!

In fact, there’s been times my Kentucky mules have been so cold it’s felt like my esophagus was frozen. Sip carefully, friends!

Some mule enthusiasts even say that the copper itself makes the drink taste better by enhancing the flavors of the ginger beer and lime. I’m not sure about this (most cocktails, including my bourbon rosemary cocktail, seem to taste just fine in a regular glass), but I guess it can’t hurt!

If you’re going to be drinking whiskey mules regularly, I do recommend investing in some copper mugs if you can. But if not, a double old fashioned glass works just fine for these Kentucky mules!

Serve some snacks with these Moscow mules with whiskey!

Who doesn’t like a little something to nibble on when they’re having a cocktail (or an agave lemonade for the non drinkers, perhaps)?

• If it’s a truly hot summer afternoon, I might whip up a batch of shrimp ceviche (well, you kind of have to plan for this one in advance) to serve with Kentucky mules.
• Meatballs are a great little party snack, with my Greek chicken meatballs and air fryer turkey meatballs being popular around here. For the vegetarians, there’s my black bean meatballs.
• Phyllo cup appetizers and fancy toast are some other great snack options.
• You can really never go wrong with spicy potato chips.
• If it’s game day, try a football charcuterie board.