Ginger beer cocktails are warmly spicy, and ginger beer makes a fragrant, fizzy, and delicious drink mixer. With the spicy bite of ginger and gentle, nose-tickling bubbles, drinks with ginger beer are having a moment as cocktail favorites. While it may be best known for its use in the classic Moscow Mule, nonalcoholic ginger beer is versatile enough to be excellent in an array of mocktails and alcoholic mixed drinks.
Mules: Classic Ginger Beer Cocktails
The Moscow mule is a vodka and ginger beer cocktail that's a classic fizz (a cocktail sour with a fizzy element). You can make the classic Moscow mule or try variations on the original.
Basic Moscow Mule Recipe
If you're a purist who enjoys the fizzy bite of ginger beer, then you can't go wrong with a classic Moscow Mule. While it's traditionally served in a copper mule cup, you can also make it in a rocks glass or collins glass.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounces simple syrup
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, simple syrup, and vodka. Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a mule cup filled with ice. Top with the ginger beer and stir gently.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Maple Peach Mule
The warmth of pure maple syrup and the sweetness of peaches are the perfect foil for the spicy ginger beer in this mule variation.
Ingredients
- 2 peach slices plus an additional peach slice for garnish
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce pure maple syrup
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle two peach slices.
- Add the lemon juice, maple syrup, vodka, and ice. Shake to chill.
- Strain into a mule cup filled with ice.
- Top with the ginger beer and stir gently. Garnish with an additional peach slice.
Orange Cranberry Mule
This twist on the classic is a lovely sweet tart flavor combination with the bite of ginger.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- 1 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1½ ounces vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Fresh cranberries, lime wedge, and a rosemary sprig for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and vodka.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a copper mule cup filled with ice.
- Top off with the ginger beer. Stir gently.
- Garnish with the cranberries, lime wedges, and a sprig of rosemary.
French Apple Mule
You can also use other liquors in a traditional mule to create variations. This mule recipe substitutes the French apple brandy, Calvados, for the vodka.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce honey
- 1½ ounces Calvados
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Apple slice or dried apple slice for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, honey, and Calvados.
- Add the ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a mule cup filled with ice.
- Top with the ginger beer and stir.
- Garnish with a slice of dried or fresh apple.
Dark and Stormy Ginger Beer Cocktails Recipes
The classic dark n' stormy is Bermudian cocktail made with ginger beer and Gosling's Black Seal dark rum.
Traditional Dark and Stormy
If you don't have Gosling's, you can use any dark rum and call it a dark and stormy instead of a dark n' stormy.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces dark rum
- Ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the dark rum. Top with the ginger beer. Stir.
- Garnish with the lime wedge.
Scottish Storm
Scotch, especially a smoky Islay Scotch, is the perfect foil for ginger beer in this simple dark and stormy variation.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces Scotch
- Ginger beer
- Orange wedge or peel for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice.
- Add the Scotch. Fill to the top with ginger beer. Stir.
- Garnish with an orange wedge or peel.
Mexican Storm
This version of the dark and stormy uses añejo tequila or mezcal in place of the dark rum.
Ingredients
- Ice
- 1½ ounces añejo tequila or mezcal
- Ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a collins glass with ice. Add the tequila or mezcal.
- Top with the ginger beer. Stir gently.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
More Delicious Drinks With Ginger Beer
Ginger beer works with so many different flavors, you can make a variety of delicious mixed drinks with a gingery bite.
Vanilla Chai Cocktail
Ginger is one of the primary flavors in chai tea, along with cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ ounce cardamom and clove syrup (or see recipe below)
- ½ ounce cinnamon whiskey, such as Fireball whisky
- 1½ ounces vanilla vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Strip of gingerroot for garnish (use a vegetable peeler to peel a strip)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the orange juice, cardamom and clove syrup, cinnamon whiskey, and vanilla vodka.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with the ginger beer. Stir gently.
- Garnish with the strip of ginger.
Ingredients and Instructions for Cardamom and Clove Syrup
In a small saucepan, combine ⅓ cup of sugar, ⅓ cup of water, 2 cloves (lightly crushed to release the flavor), and 2 cardamom pods (lightly crushed to release the flavor). Bring to a simmer, stirring, and then remove from the heat and allow the syrup to steep for 20 minutes. Remove the spices and refrigerate in a sealed container.
Ginger Hard Lemonade
For a refreshing summer beverage, try this delicious ginger-flavored lemonade.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounces simple syrup
- 1½ ounces citrus-flavored vodka
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and vodka.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with the ginger beer and stir.
- Garnish with the lemon wedges and rosemary sprigs, if desired.
Almond Ginger Iced Tea
Have a refreshing iced tea with a kick with this tasty summer beverage.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce amaretto
- 1½ ounce dark rum
- 3 ounces brewed tea, cooled
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, amaretto, rum, and tea.
- Add the ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with the ginger beer and stir.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Ginger Pom Mocktail
If you prefer a much more sober cocktail, then try this delicious ginger beer mocktail.
Ingredients
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce orgeat syrup
- 1½ ounces unsweetened pomegranate juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, orgeat syrup, and pomegranate juice.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a collins glass filled with ice.
- Top with the ginger beer and stir.
- Garnish with the lime wedge.
Cranberry Ginger Aperol Spritz
The Aperol spritz is a classic Italian cocktail that's a summer favorite, but you can carry it into fall by adding fall flavors to your cocktails including ginger beer.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Aperol
- 1½ ounces unsweetened cranberry juice
- Ice
- 1½ ounces sparkling apple cider
- Ginger beer
- Candied ginger and fresh cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the Aperol and cranberry juice. Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into a wine glass filled with ice. Stir in the apple cider.
- Top with the ginger beer. Garnish with cranberries and candied ginger.
What Is Ginger Beer?
Ginger beer is a carbonated soft drink commonly used as a cocktail mixer. It's generally spicy, warm, aromatic, and distinctly gingery. And while it's called a "beer", it is not classified as an alcoholic beverage. Some fermented brands of ginger beer may contain a small amount of alcohol (usually less than half a percent of alcohol by volume - similar to kombucha), but this is the exception rather than the rule. Most ginger beer is sold as a nonalcoholic soft drink.
Ginger Beer Versus Ginger Ale
While you could substitute ginger ale for the ginger beer in the above drinks, you won't get the pronounced ginger flavor that makes ginger beer such a delightful mixer. Ginger beer has a stronger, sharper ginger flavor. It is also slightly less carbonated than ginger ale.
What to Mix With Ginger Beer
Whether you're making a nonalcoholic cocktail or you want something with a little more punch, there are plenty of things you can mix with ginger beer.
- Ice (it's delicious by itself)
- Freshly squeezed citrus juice
- Lemonade or limeade
- Limoncello
- Orange juice
- Cranberry juice
- Vodka or flavored vodkas
- Rum
- Coffee-flavored liqueur
- Peach schnapps
- Cinnamon flavored whiskey
- Amaretto
- Tequila or mezcal
- Brandy, Cognac, or Armagnac
- Sparkling or still apple cider
- Whiskey
- Bourbon
- Scotch
- Rye
- Crème de cacao or another chocolate-flavored liqueur
- Orange-flavored liqueur
- Melon flavored liqueur
- RumChata
- Irish cream
- Eggnog
Zippy Ginger Beer Cocktails
If you love the flavor of ginger, then see what ginger beer can bring to a cocktail. It's a versatile mixer that can add complexity and variety to your cocktail repertoire.
