Irish Mule: a make-tonight method

An Irish mule drink in a copper mug topped with a lime and mint sprig.

This Irish mule recipe is a refreshing blend of whiskey, ginger beer and lime juice, all served up in a copper mug. A quick and straightforward cocktail that’s reliable for St. Patrick’s Day!

I love to serve up festive drink recipes year round to celebrate all the various holidays. Some of my favorites include a poinsettia cocktail, Mexican mule, vodka punch, champagne punch, pomegranate margarita and this unfussy but tasty Irish mule.

One of my go-to drink orders is a Moscow mule. It’s light, refreshing, straightforward to sip and pairs well with so many types of food. This Irish mule is a spin on classic mule cocktails.

Irish Mule Ingredients

To make this recipe, you will need Irish whiskey (such as Jameson Irish whiskey), ginger beer and fresh lime juice. You can garnish your drink with lime slices or lime wedges and fresh mint.

How Do You Make An Irish Mule?

Fill a copper mug with ice, then pour in the whiskey. Next, add the lime juice. Pour in the ginger beer, then stir gently to combine. Add a lime slice and sprig of mint, then serve immediately.

Whiskey, lime juice and ginger beer being poured into a copper cup.

Tips For The Reliable Drink

If you prefer to shake your drink versus stir it, you can place the whiskey and lime juice in a cocktail shaker, then shake to combine. Pour the mixture into a mug full of ice, then add the ginger beer and garnishes.
This recipe makes one strong drink. If you prefer a less strong drink, you can cut the ingredient amounts in half. You can easily change the number of servings in the recipe card to scale up the ingredient amounts if you’re serving a crowd.
Ginger beer is a sweet, fizzy drink with a pronounced ginger flavor. You can find it with the alcohol mixers or in the soda aisle. If you are not able to find ginger beer, try ginger ale, although the flavor will not be exactly the same.
It’s finest to use freshly squeezed lime juice in your Irish mule for maximum flavor.
Serve your drink alongside other festive Irish inspired foods such as slow cooker corned beef and cabbage, colcannon, Irish soda bread or Irish stew.

Quick Tip

Choose your go-to brand of Irish whiskey. I typically use Jameson as it’s not overly expensive and is available in most stores.

An overhead view of an Irish mule with a copper mug filled with crushed ice and alcohol.

Recipe FAQs

What is a whiskey mule made of?

A whiskey mule contains whiskey, ginger beer and lime juice. It also often has garnishes such as mint and lime slices.

Why is a mule always served in a copper cup?

Mule drinks are served in a copper mug because the metal helps to keep the drink cold, and some believe there are interactions between the copper and the alcohol that enhance the flavor of the cocktail.

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Two Irish drinks on a platter garnished with lime slices and fresh mint.

Flavor Variations

While this drink is tasty as-is, you can make a few changes to customize the flavors to your tastes.

Alcohol: Use tequila to make a Mexican mule, vodka for a traditional Moscow mule or bourbon for a Kentucky Mule.
Food Coloring: If you’re serving this drink for St. Patrick’s Day, add a drop of green food coloring for an extra festive presentation.
Beer: Try using an Irish beer such as Guinness instead of ginger beer. This will result in a much stronger, less sweet drink, so you should cut the amount of whiskey in half.

If you’ve got 10 minutes, you have plenty of time to prepare this straightforward and festive Irish mule drink!

More Great Drink Recipes

Mojito Mocktail

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Christmas Sangria

2 hrs 15 mins

Cranberry Moscow Mule

10 mins

Cranberry Margarita

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Grinch Cocktail

5 mins

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Add as Google preferred source Authorthe Makdob kitchen An Irish mule drink in a copper mug topped with a lime and mint sprig.

This Irish mule recipe is a refreshing blend of whiskey, ginger beer and lime juice, all served up in a copper mug. A quick and straightforward cocktail that's reliable for St. Patrick's Day! Time Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes

Course Drink
Cuisine American
Serves 1

Ingredients

3 ounces Irish whiskey such as Jameson
1 ounce lime juice
6 ounces ginger beer
garnishes such as lime slices and mint sprigs

Instructions

Fill a 16 ounce copper mug 2/3 of the way full of ice.
Pour the whiskey over the ice.
Add the lime juice.
Pour in the ginger beer and gently stir everything together.
Add garnishes of your choice, then serve immediately.

Notes

Ginger beer is a sweet fizzy drink with a pronounced ginger flavor. You can buy it in small bottles in the mixers area near the alcohol. If you can’t find it, you can use ginger ale although the flavor won’t be quite the same.
This recipe makes one drink. You can easily adjust the number of servings in the recipe card to fit your occasion and the ingredient amounts will automatically scale up.
If you prefer to shake your mule, you can place the whiskey and lime juice in a cocktail shaker or sealed mason jar. Shake the ingredients together, then pour them over the ice and add the ginger beer.