Best liquor for a spicy mule— head to Kentucky, Moscow, London?
October 11, 2024 10:04 PM Subscribe
I love a spicy ginger beer, and I like making them into mules. I usually use bourbon but it really cuts the spiciness. (Or maybe it’s the teaspoon of lime juice?) I’ve tried gin and vodka too (in about that order of how often I use them in mules). Is there a liquor that you’ve found that keeps it spicy at a 3:1 ratio?
Response by poster: I love rye, i’m not sure if i’ve ever tried it in a mule. Bonded or barrel strength (i often have bonded Old Granddad on hand) may be even better.
I really do wonder what the ethanol does to chill out the ginger spiciness.
posted by supercres at 10:27 PM on October 11
I really do wonder what the ethanol does to chill out the ginger spiciness.
posted by supercres at 10:27 PM on October 11
Best answer:
Bonded Rittenhouse should work very well.
posted by kickingtheground at 10:42 PM on October 11 [2 favorites]
I love rye, i’m not sure if i’ve ever tried it in a mule.In addition to the obvious 'rye mule' - you'll find an almost identical classic cocktail under the name 'cablegram.'
Bonded Rittenhouse should work very well.
posted by kickingtheground at 10:42 PM on October 11 [2 favorites]
Tequila?
posted by Sukey Says at 3:09 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
posted by Sukey Says at 3:09 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
Best answer: For rye you definitely want 100 proof like Rittenhouse BIB. Old Grand Dad 100 proof is excellent (114 proof is even better!) but it’s bourbon, not rye.
posted by slkinsey at 5:12 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
posted by slkinsey at 5:12 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
Have you tried dark rum for a Dark and Stormy?
posted by Horselover Fat at 8:40 AM on October 12 [3 favorites]
posted by Horselover Fat at 8:40 AM on October 12 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: Old Grand Dad 100 proof is excellent (114 proof is even better!) but it’s bourbon, not rye.
Looking at the bottles i was definitely thinking Rittenhouse! Somehow that got mixed up with Old Overholt and came out as Old Grand Dad, the one of the 3 that isn’t a rye 😅
posted by supercres at 10:04 AM on October 12
Looking at the bottles i was definitely thinking Rittenhouse! Somehow that got mixed up with Old Overholt and came out as Old Grand Dad, the one of the 3 that isn’t a rye 😅
posted by supercres at 10:04 AM on October 12
Best answer: How about boosting the spice with ginger juice or ginger syrup?
posted by jocelmeow at 11:07 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
posted by jocelmeow at 11:07 AM on October 12 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I too enjoy an angry, angry ginger flavor, and will often fortify such a drink with ginger liqueur. Domaine de Canton is solid, and fairly available, but I prefer my local hometown hero ginger liqueur. Giffard has some good liqueurs out there; their ginger is not one of them.
Rum as a category is so broad it hurts, but a dark and stormy is pretty much just a rum mule. Lime compliments the ginger 'spicyness' well, and is often added to ginger ales/beers to amp up that flavor; I don't think that's hurting things. Rhum agricoles and/or Cachaças are made from sugar cane juice, not molasses, and will be a bit more sharp and grassy than other rum sub-categories. Some Jamaican rums might have flavors that would work well here; especially overproof options like Wray and Nephew.
If I'm making a dark and stormy (they're not so dark), it'll be closer to 1.5oz rhum agricole, .5oz ginger liquor, .5oz lime, topped with ginger ale (usually like 3-5 oz pour here?). Having all your ingredients cold will amp up the spiciness of the ginger flavor.
Ginger is a really hard flavor to capture; the main flavor compounds are really volatile and fragile. So, if you want to chase this particular dragon, I present to you the holy grail(s) of unlocking ginger flavor. You have the power to make the most aggressive ginger flavored anything available.
posted by furnace.heart at 2:41 PM on October 12 [2 favorites]
Rum as a category is so broad it hurts, but a dark and stormy is pretty much just a rum mule. Lime compliments the ginger 'spicyness' well, and is often added to ginger ales/beers to amp up that flavor; I don't think that's hurting things. Rhum agricoles and/or Cachaças are made from sugar cane juice, not molasses, and will be a bit more sharp and grassy than other rum sub-categories. Some Jamaican rums might have flavors that would work well here; especially overproof options like Wray and Nephew.
If I'm making a dark and stormy (they're not so dark), it'll be closer to 1.5oz rhum agricole, .5oz ginger liquor, .5oz lime, topped with ginger ale (usually like 3-5 oz pour here?). Having all your ingredients cold will amp up the spiciness of the ginger flavor.
Ginger is a really hard flavor to capture; the main flavor compounds are really volatile and fragile. So, if you want to chase this particular dragon, I present to you the holy grail(s) of unlocking ginger flavor. You have the power to make the most aggressive ginger flavored anything available.
posted by furnace.heart at 2:41 PM on October 12 [2 favorites]
Best answer: I'd try infusing whatever liquor you want to use with fresh ginger. Slice up some up thin, I'd start with a couple inches worth for a pint of liquor. Chuck it in a big mason jar and let it sit for a couple weeks, then taste it. Leave it for another couple weeks if it's not as strong as you want. Still not enough? Strain the ginger out and add in some fresh. Repeat until you reach your desired level of spicy.
Also, Fever Tree and Q make the spiciest ginger ale / ginger beers I've ever had, so you may give that a try also. Those are usually in the 'mixers' section, not the soft drink aisle. In Canada they have one called Jamaican that is very spicy and also much cheaper than these fancy mixer brands but I've never seen it in the US.
posted by ananci at 6:10 PM on October 14 [1 favorite]
Also, Fever Tree and Q make the spiciest ginger ale / ginger beers I've ever had, so you may give that a try also. Those are usually in the 'mixers' section, not the soft drink aisle. In Canada they have one called Jamaican that is very spicy and also much cheaper than these fancy mixer brands but I've never seen it in the US.
posted by ananci at 6:10 PM on October 14 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Boosting ginger with a syrup is a great idea.
For now, Rittenhouse at a slightly lower 1:4 ratio has been great. (90 proof Bulleit was also good, better than bourbon.)
I definitely have my spicy ginger beers picked out— fever tree and more recently Cock ‘n’ Bull have been favorites.
posted by supercres at 10:04 PM on October 14
For now, Rittenhouse at a slightly lower 1:4 ratio has been great. (90 proof Bulleit was also good, better than bourbon.)
I definitely have my spicy ginger beers picked out— fever tree and more recently Cock ‘n’ Bull have been favorites.
posted by supercres at 10:04 PM on October 14
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posted by kickingtheground at 10:15 PM on October 11 [2 favorites]