Water kefir
Milk kefir
Kombucha
Ginger beer
Kefir duo
Kefir and kombucha
Starter kit
RennetThe Moscow mule is one of the best-known cocktails in the world: vodka, ginger beer and lime, served in a copper mug. Take out the vodka and you are left with a fresh, spicy drink that still has plenty of character. Everything then depends on the ginger beer. Bottled ginger beer is often very sweet. Homemade ginger beer is drier, sharper and has a fuller ginger flavour, so this mocktail becomes a drink where nothing feels missing. Ideal for the designated driver at a Christmas party or a summer barbecue, or for anyone sitting out a round.
Ingredients
- 300 ml homemade ginger beer, well chilled
- 1 lime
- 6 thin slices of cucumber
- 4 sprigs of fresh mint
- 2 thin slices of fresh ginger
- plenty of ice cubes
Method
- Cut the lime in half. Squeeze one half and cut the other into wedges.
- Divide the lime juice, two lime wedges and the cucumber slices between two copper mugs or tall glasses.
- Add two sprigs of mint to each glass. Clap them briefly between your hands first to release the scent.
- Fill the glasses to the top with ice cubes.
- Pour the ginger beer over and stir once gently with a long spoon.
- Garnish with a slice of ginger and a lime wedge and serve at once.
The ginger beer: homemade
For ginger beer with a ginger beer plant you use 20 g ginger beer plant, 1 litre water, 60 g sugar, 2 slices of fresh ginger and 1 dried fig. After 24 to 48 hours you strain the drink and it goes into a closed swing-top bottle for 48 hours. For a Moscow mule with extra kick, add a teaspoon of grated ginger and the juice of half a lemon to the bottle. The full recipe is in How to make ginger beer.
No ginger beer plant, but water kefir? The lemon and ginger water kefir is a good alternative. It is lighter in flavour, but with an extra slice of ginger in the glass it comes close. For a softer, more citrusy version, use the lemon ginger ale.
Why a copper mug?
The copper mug is mostly tradition and showmanship. Copper conducts cold well, so the mug feels icy in your hand and the drink stays cold longer. A tall glass full of ice works just as well and lets you see the colours of the cucumber and mint.
Variations
- Apple mule: 100 ml cloudy apple juice instead of 100 ml of the ginger beer, and a cinnamon stick as a stirrer. For autumn.
- Berry mule: a handful of crushed raspberries or blackberries in the bottom of the glass.
- Elderflower mule: a tablespoon of elderflower cordial and less lime. Fragrant and summery.
- Kombucha mule: half ginger beer, half ginger and lemon kombucha. Sharper, with a light note of tea.
- Spicy: a thin slice of red chilli in the glass, for anyone who likes heat.
Serving for a crowd
For a party, make the drink in a large jug: lime juice, cucumber and mint in the bottom, ice just before serving, and only then the ginger beer, so it keeps its fizz. Two litres of homemade ginger beer is enough for about twelve glasses. With 20 g of ginger beer plant you make a litre every day or two, so start a few days ahead.
Frequently asked questions
Is it completely alcohol-free?
Can I make it with bottled ginger beer?
Can I prepare it in advance?
Make your own ginger beer with a live ginger beer plant. More recipes are on the ginger beer page.