In this post, we reveal the best recipes on the internet for the Moscow Moose, one of the most legendary variations of the classic Moscow Mule. This great variation packs a punch and will be sure to impress your friends. Let's get started!

Introduction

The Moscow Moose cocktail is one of the most notable spin-offs of the traditional Moscow Mule drink. It melds the fresh flavors of the warmer months with the dark flavors of the cold ones. If you're wondering, "what is a Moscow Moose?", the answer is that it's a simple cocktail with a classic mix of ginger beer, lime, vodka, and rye. Rye is a popular cocktail ingredient that brings a sharp spiciness to the mix. This cocktail is super easy to make at home and ridiculously refreshing.

The Moscow Moose itself has several varieties, all of which pack a punch. Some use rye as an addition to the original recipe, while others replace vodka with it. Whichever way you go, the cocktail gives you something new to try if you’re looking for a way to spice up your cocktail. 

In this article, we’ll take a look at the following: 

• What’s in a Moscow Moose?
• When is the best time for a Moscow Moose cocktail?
• Moscow Moose cocktail recipes
• The ginger beer in your Moscow Moose
• Health benefits of ginger beer
• Ginger beer recipe

What’s in a Moscow Moose?

This cocktail contains the basic ingredients of a Moscow Mule, which are ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice. What makes it a Moscow Moose is the addition of rye whiskey. The combination of ginger and rye makes a spicy and zesty drink. Rye has a peppery taste, one that’s a bit too strong and which is slightly balanced by the hint of sweetness found in ginger. Then there’s the bitterness in lime, which adds a citric twist to the cocktail. 

When is the Best Time for a Moscow Moose Cocktail?

Because of its flavor, a rye cocktail is great for cold weather days. You can also drink it on a hot sunny day or anytime you want a distinct flavor in your drink. Rye is savory enough, and you’ll always be able to taste it through the lime and ginger. 

Moscow Moose Cocktail Recipes

Here are some of the best Moose drink recipes which strike that elusive balance between strong, spicy, and sweet. Even better, they’re pretty easy to prepare and don’t require much in terms of ingredients. They are all utterly spectacular in their simplicity. 

The Classic Moscow Moose

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. rye whiskey 
• 4 oz. ginger beer 
• ½ tbsp. lemon juice 
• 1 tsp amaretto 
• Lemon twist 

Instructions:

1. Place ice in a glass, then add whiskey, lemon juice, and amaretto. 
2. Top with ginger beer and give a quick stir. 
3. Garnish with the lemon twist and enjoy. 

Canadian Moscow Moose Cocktail 

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Canadian rye whiskey 
• 1 oz. haskap liqueur 
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice 
• 0.5 0z. maple syrup 
• 1 tsp ginger beer
• 4 dashes apple bitters 

Instructions:

1. Put crushed ice in a mug, then add the rye whiskey, lime, haskap liqueur, and maple syrup. Top with ginger beer.
2. Add bitters. 
3. Garnish with ginger and serve.

Apple bitters give this Canadian drink a flavor profile different from all the other varieties of Moscow Moose cocktail. They also enhance the aromas in the cocktail, exposing hints of lime, whiskey, liqueur, and ginger. Apple bitters balance out the sourness in the rye whiskey and lime, which is suitable for you if you would love a cocktail that’s a little bit lightly flavored. This effect is further improved upon by the maple syrup, which gives the cocktail a sugary twist.

The haskap liqueur is made from haskap berries and has a sweetness you would find in a mix of raspberries, blackcurrants, and blueberries. This combination of ingredients makes the cocktail an excellent choice for anyone with a sweet tooth who would like to blunt the bitter taste of the moose drink. 

Whiskey Ginger Moscow Moose Cocktail 

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 6 oz. ginger ale
• 2 oz. rye whiskey 
• 0.5 oz. lime juice
• Lime wedge

Instructions:

1. Put ice in a copper mug, then pour in the whiskey. 
2. Add the ginger ale and lime juice. 
3. Garnish with lime wedge.
4. Enjoy. 

Ginger ale is not as strong as ginger beer, but it has a refreshing citrusy taste. When mixed with whiskey and lime juice, a spicy-sweet flavor is created. 

Birch Beer Moscow Moose 

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• A sprig of mint 
• 2 blueberries 
• 1 lime wedge
• 2 oz. vodka 
• 2 tbsp. birch beer
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Muddle the lime, mint, and blueberries together in a copper mug. 
2. Pour in the vodka and birch beer, then mix. 
3. Add ice and enjoy. 

Birch beer is a type of carbonated soft drink that usually includes birch bark and herbal extracts. So, if you love adding a bit of herbal spice to your drink, this is the cocktail for you. In this recipe, the red birch beer adds taste as well as color, making the drink all the more irresistible. The blueberries bring a sweet tartness into the mix and, the fresher they are, the more juice they produce. This makes for an even richer cocktail. 

Not only will you be making your Moscow Moose more flavorful with these berries, but you’ll also be reaping their health benefits. Blueberries are full of antioxidants that boost the body’s immunity by fighting free radicals, which cause cell damage. This mix is quite refreshing because of the mint. When mint is muddled, it releases an oil extract with a sweet, aromatic flavor. Freshness is vital when it comes to adding mint to your alcoholic drink, as it will release more of its juice and scent. 

Moscow Moose Drink with Soda Water

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 1/8 oz. soda water
• 1 oz. ginger beer 
• 1 lime wedge 
• 1 lemon wedge 
• Sprig of mint 
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Fill a mug with crushed ice. 
2. Stir vodka, lemon, ginger beer, and soda water then pour into the mug. 
3. Garnish with mint and lime wedge. 
4. Serve.

Soda water has a slightly sour taste, with a note of citrus. It’s suitable for bringing subtle flavor changes to this cocktail, and also adds fizziness.

Amaretto Moscow Moose Cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. amaretto 
• 2 oz. rye whiskey 
• I tbsp. fresh lemon juice 
• Lemon twist 
• 2 oz. ginger beer
• Ice

Instructions:

1. Pour ice in a glass, then add rye. 
2. Mix in lemon juice and amaretto. 
3. Top with ginger beer and stir to combine. 
4. Use lemon twist to garnish.
5. Serve. 

Amaretto is an Italian liqueur with a sweet taste. Traditionally, bitter almonds are used for flavoring, but there are varieties prepared using peach and apricot stones. Amaretto is used in mixed alcoholic drinks and adds an almond-like flavor. This liqueur blends exceptionally well with several flavorings, among them citrus. If you are interested in trying out Italian-based cocktails, this Amaretto Moscow Moose drink recipe is a good place to start. 

Other than being a suitable pairing for the amaretto, lemon juice makes its mark in this mixed drink by adding some sourness. In addition, freshly squeezed lemon juice will do more for your Moose than store-bought varieties, which are less delicious. Also, keep in mind that the longer the citric juice remains in your cocktail, the better-tasting it gets. Its aroma also becomes stronger. 

Peppermint Moscow Moose Cocktail 

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. peppermint schnapps 
• 1.25 oz. vodka

Instructions:

1. Pour the peppermint schnapps into a glass.
2. Add the vodka.
3. Serve and enjoy. 

If you don’t mind strong cocktails, then this combination of schnapps and vodka has got you covered. With such simple preparation, it's ideal when you're in a hurry or preparing drinks for a large group. The type of schnapps used here has a minty flavor that will take away a bit of edge from the vodka. Note that its minty flavor is more on the intense side, and it also contains a high percentage of alcohol. 

The Ginger Beer in Your Moscow Moose

Ginger beer remains an essential ingredient in any variation of the Moscow Mule, including the Moscow Moose drink. Since it’s a common ingredient in all of these recipes, let’s have a look at its benefits and how you can make your own at home. 

Health Benefits of Ginger Beer

These are some of the health benefits of ginger beer:

• Relieves Nausea and Helps in Digestion – Ginger beer aids in the movement of food through the stomach, promoting smooth digestion. Gingerol and shogaol are the active compounds found in ginger, and they relieve stomach irritations. The compounds encourage the production of saliva and bile, both of which are useful in food digestion. Ginger beer also relieves nausea. 

• Anti-bacterial – Ginger root contains anti-bacterial properties that are useful in flushing out fungi and bacteria from the body. When you make ginger beer an essential part of your cocktails, you decrease your need to depend on antibiotics to fight bacterial and fungal infections. 

• Fights Inflammation – Gingerol has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Drinking ginger beer can, therefore, help suppress inflammation associated with conditions such as hepatitis, arthritis, and gastritis.

Ginger Beer Recipe

Prep Time: 3 hours
Ready In: 3 days

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup grated ginger root, peeled 
• ½ tsp. cream of tartar 
• ¼ cup lemon juice 
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. dry yeast 
• Water

Instructions:

1. Combine the ginger, lemon juice, and cream of tartar in a large pot. Add 4 cups of water and bring the mixture to boil. 
2. Reduce heat, add sugar, then stir and simmer until it’s fully dissolved. Remove from the heat. 
3. Add 40 ounces (5 cups) of water to the pot. Leave it to cool down to 23°c. Add yeast and stir. 
4. Cover the pot with a clean cloth or towel, then store away from light in a warm place for 3 hours. 
5. Using a strainer to remove bits of ginger, transfer the mixture into a pitcher.
6. Fill into glass bottles, only 2/3 full to allow for fermentation. Leave to ferment for 3 days. 
7. Refrigerate to prevent further fermenting, or put in room temperature for more fermentation. 

Get Your Quick Fix

The Moscow Moose cocktail is a simple-to-make drink that takes very little time. Remember to use fresh limes, lemons, blueberries, and even homemade ginger beer if you can for the freshest taste and aroma. To perfect the presentation of your Mule drink, consider using some authentic copper mugs!

Did You Enjoy This Article?

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this article, you might also like the following article: The Kombucha Mule: A Funky Alternative to the Traditional Moscow Mule and Top 7 Orange Mule Recipes

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