Mezcal Mule
Cocktail Hour With Lentine Alexis
The traditional mule is made with vodka, ginger ale, lime and mint, muddled together in an iced-down copper mug. This simple fridge-and-trail friendly twist is made with all the same goodies, but might be served in your portable, packable camp cup. In the place of vodka, the earthy and mysterious mezcal does the heavy lifting. Mezcal is made from the heart of the agave plant, cooked in earthen pits lined with lava rocks filled with wood and charcoal, before distilled in clay pots. The result is a smoky spirit that celebrates the artisanal methods of Mexico, and makes for a deeply refreshing on-the-go cocktail too.
If you’re making mezcal drinks in the mountains, a handful of snow will work wonders to chill your cocktail. If you’re in the kitchen or with access to a cooler, a handful of ice will work too. But if you’re packing for the trail, filling a truly trusty thermos with ice cubes or crushed ice will work to make sure you’ve got a way to nicely chill your cocktail.
Ingredients
makes two cocktails
- 4 ounces mezcal
- 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice (roughly one-lime’s worth)*
- 8 ounces ginger ale (or ginger beer)
- 1 small handful fresh mint sprigs
*for an extra twist, you could use grapefruit juice instead of lime juice. You’ll only need about a quarter of a grapefruit and you’ll have something like a Paloma Mule. Yum.
For The Trail
- 2 enamelware or metal cups
- A small thermos, filled with ice cubes or crushed ice
Directions
Fill your mug or cup with ice. Squeeze half-a-lime’s worth of juice into each glass, then divide the mezcal and ginger ale between the cups. No need to be precious or precise here – you can eyeball the amounts. Finish each glass with a sprig of mint. Then toast, and enjoy!
Lentine Alexis is a former professional endurance athlete + classically trained chef . The former Culinary Director at Skratch Labs, she uses a real-food philosophy to create recipes for athletes and everyone looking to eat well + adventure better. For more recipes + info on her upcoming cookbook for athletes at lentinealexis.com, or follow her @lentinealexis.