Mother Mule | A Healthy Moscow Mule Variation with Ginger Honey Shrub

The Mother Mule is a spicy ginger Moscow Mule variation made with Other Mother Vinegar Ginger Honey Shrub. It’s easy to create at home and good for you, too, thanks to the gut-boosting bacteria found in the shrub.

Chances are if you like cocktails, you’ve ordered or made a Moscow Mule. It’s a true classic cocktail recipe that’s inspired many other drinks. Moscow Mule variations are common these days and I’m not complaining. Vodka, lime, and ginger beer are a perfect foundation for building more flavors on top of. I’ve posted a few Moscow Mule variations here on Girl & Tonic: the Irish Mule (made with whiskey), a Dark & Stormy (my forever go-to drink), and an Orange Cassidy (my own AEW-inspired riff on a Moscow Mule).

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I’m really excited about today’s Moscow Mule variation for two reasons: 1) it’s good for you, and 2) it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail.

Okay, okay. I can practically hear you rolling your eyes at me when I say that this Mother Mule cocktail recipe is good for you. Hear me out. I know vodka isn’t necessarily an elixir of health. BUT one of the main ingredients in this drink is pure health in liquid form. It pretty much counterbalances the whole alcohol & sugar thing.

Okay. Maybe I’m exaggerating a bit when I say it’s bottled-up health. But Other Mother Vinegar is really good for you. Allow me to inform you.

Other Mother Vinegar is a “live vinegar”, meaning each bottle contains millions of healthy bacteria that will give the microbiome in your intestines a boost. Live vinegar is packed with other benefits, too: can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels, helps with indigestion and acid reflux, and is chock-full of antioxidants. You can read more about the benefits of drinking vinegar here.

I’ve actually made another cocktail and mocktail recipe using the raspberry OMV shrub shot. It’s called the Rowdy Mother (are you sensing a theme in the names yet). If you’re not down for a ginger honey shrub, their raspberry shrub or the turmeric one would also work really well in this recipe!

(If you’re looking for some 100% or 90% healthy cocktail/mocktail options, check out my Mother’s Garden recipe or this Cucumber Basil Refresher.)

I mentioned early that one reason I’m excited about this recipe is that it can be easily made into a mocktail or alcohol-free cocktail. I love easy, 3-ingredient cocktails like the Moscow Mule. But when 1/3 of those ingredients is alcohol, the drink becomes rather empty if you’re going alcohol-free that night. When you use a vinegar shrub as one of your ingredients, your drink will be anything but bland.

Another perk of using shrubs as a drink ingredient is that you don’t need to use citrus. While you definitely can use a fresh lime (like I did), you don’t need to. After all, shrubs were originally used as a substitute for fresh citrus back in the colonial days.

I lied earlier when I said I was excited about this recipe for two reasons. I actually have a third. As of yesterday, those of you living in the grand state of Texas can find Other Mother Vinegar at H-E-B!!! *cue the Hallelujah chorus & start thanking Jesus for the gift that is H-E-B* Over 85 locations are stocking their shelves with OMV shrub shots– check your Healthy Living Department to see if you’re one of the lucky several.

Oh… you don’t live in Texas? That sucks- for many reasons- but thankfully you can order Other Mother Vinegar online.

Do you love Moscow Mules? Let me know what your favorite Moscow Mule variation is down below and, as always, tag me if you make this one! (@girlandtonic_).

Ingredients for a Mother Mule

• 1 1/2 oz vodka (leave out for mocktail version)
• 1/2 oz ginger honey shrub (check out OMV’s sample size here)
• 1 lime wedge
• 4+ oz ginger beer (Bundaberg is my favorite!)

How to Make a Mother Mule (a Moscow Mule Variation)

Add ice to a copper mug or a lowball glass. Pour in the vodka (skip if going alcohol-free), ginger honey shrub, and squeeze the lime wedge into the mug. Top off the rest of the mug with your ginger beer. Stir to combine. Garnish with an extra lime wedge.