The Mezcal Mule takes the Moscow Mule formula and replaces vodka’s neutrality with smoke. Ginger beer, lime, and a spirit base, but the mezcal alternative changes the entire personality of the drink. Where a Moscow Mule is bright and simple, the Mezcal Mule has a savory, earthy backbone that makes it feel more complex than three ingredients should allow.

The smoke and ginger combination

Smoky spirits and ginger beer are one of those combinations that works better than it should on paper. The ginger’s spicy sweetness meets the mezcal’s smokiness and they amplify each other. Use a ginger beer with real bite. Fever-Tree, Q Mixers, or Reed’s Extra all have enough ginger heat to stand up to the mezcal. Milder ginger beers like Bundaberg work too, but the drink leans sweeter and loses some of its edge.

The lime cuts through both the ginger and the smoke, keeping the drink from becoming one-dimensional. Squeeze it fresh. Bottled lime juice has a flat, metallic quality that shows up clearly in a simple drink like this.

The jalapeño garnish

A thin slice of jalapeño floating in the drink is optional but worth trying. It adds a slow-building heat that layers onto the ginger’s spiciness and the mezcal’s smoke. One slice is enough. You’re looking for warmth, not pain. If you want more heat, muddle the jalapeño slice in the glass before adding ice. This releases more of the capsaicin and makes the spice more present throughout the drink.

Serving

A copper mug is traditional for Mule-style drinks and keeps the cocktail colder for longer. The metal conducts cold efficiently and frosts up on the outside, which is satisfying to hold. But a rocks glass or a highball glass works fine. The drink tastes the same regardless of the vessel. For a smokier variation, try the Mezcal Paloma which trades the ginger for grapefruit.