With the cooler weather moving in and the leaves starting to turn, this fall Moscow mule with bourbon and apple cider is the perfect fall cocktail! Our recipe uses three simple ingredients to bring you an awesome fall drink.
My husband has always been a bourbon guy, but I never really got into sipping it “on the rocks” After we got married I learned that I actually really enjoy sipping on bourbon when it was mixed into a cocktail! So over the past decade I’ve been playing around with bourbon mixed drinks, and this simple apple cider Kentucky mule has become a fall-time staple in our house.
I’ve also got a non-alcoholic drink similar to this that the kiddos can sip on while you’re enjoying one of these! Check out our spiced apple cider mocktail recipe to mix one of these up too!
What is a Kentucky Mule?
A Kentucky mule is a play off of the classic Moscow mule that uses bourbon whiskey instead of vodka. This apple cider bourbon mule recipe is a fall-inspired play on the Kentucky mule.
Cask Strength Bourbon vs. Regular Bourbon
There are different types of bourbon available for purchase, so you may see a bottle labeled ‘cask strength’ or ‘barrel proof’. Cask strength bourbon is taken directly from the barrel to the bottling line, whereas a standard bourbon will have some water added in order to get it to the appropriate taste or ABV the distiller is looking for to sell it. To get to the point, cask strength or barrel proof whiskey is stronger. It’s often touted as having a deeper flavor profile.
Why You’ll Love this Apple Cider Mule Recipe!
Level of difficulty: Easy. Measure, stir, and enjoy!
Flavor: Sweet apple cider and spicy ginger beer are the predominant flavors in this fall cocktail
Time: It will take you less than 5 minutes to mix up this fall mule recipe
Bourbon Cider Mule Ingredients
Bourbon Whiskey – I recommend using cask strength bourbon for this fall mule recipe
Ginger Beer – select a ginger beer you’d enjoy drinking on it’s own, I personally like this one
Apple Cider – use a fresh apple cider, like you may find at your local farmer’s market or at your favorite apple orchard during the fall months, if you can
How to Make an Apple Cider Mule with Whiskey
Fill a copper mug with ice.
Add bourbon, apple cider, and ginger beer to the mug and stir to combine.
Optionally garnish with a cinnamon stick and/or apple slice and enjoy!
Variations on this Apple Cider Mule with Whiskey
- Add a squirt of fresh lime or fresh lemon juice. Add a little extra citrus punch with a squeeze of fresh lime juice or fresh lemon juice! Use up to 1 tablespoon of juice per drink.
- Replace the bourbon whiskey with vodka. If you love a standard mule, you may enjoy regular vodka in this recipe too!
Apple Cider Bourbon Mule FAQs
I would not recommend swapping ginger ale for the ginger beer in this apple cider Kentucky mule recipe for a few reasons. Ginger ale is much sweeter than ginger beer, which isn’t needed with the apple cider in this cocktail recipe. Additionally, ginger ale doesn’t have that ginger kick that ginger beer does, which will leave your cocktail without that big ginger punch you are expecting in a classic Moscow mule.
Besides tradition, it’s said that the copper mugs help to keep this cocktail nice and cold. Plus, when you’re drinking a cocktail out of a copper mug, everyone knows it’s a mule!
Whatever bourbon whiskey you enjoy is a good bourbon to use in this fall cocktail. If you are newer to bourbon, I’d recommend purchasing a high quality bourbon like J.Henry & Sons, Makers Mark Cask Strength, or Basil Hayden’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. If you have a local distillery near you that makes bourbon, give them a try too!
Love This Recipe? You May Also Enjoy
Apple Cider Bourbon Mule
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 4 oz apple cider
- 4 oz ginger beer
- ice
- optional: apple slice s and cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- Fill copper mug with ice
- Measure out all ingredients and pour into copper mug
- Stir to combine
- Garnish with an apple slice and cinnamon stick if desired, and enjoy!
Meredith says
Love this fall cocktail!
M. says
My favorite fall drink! What could be better than a Kentucky mule with apple cider???
ourlovelanguageisfood says
I’m so happy to hear this, and totally agree. Cheers!