A contemporary classic reimagined with homemade ginger syrup, sparkling water & lime
Who doesn’t love a Moscow Mule? Surely one of the most trendy drinks in the bar scene in recent years, the combination of spicy ginger, refreshing carbonation and tangy lime has become a classic favorite for many.
Beyond being delicious, wouldn’t it be wonderful if your Mule could give you some functional health benefits while you sip on it? Well, read on for a recipe that is all those things… the Mocktail Mule!
A traditional mule is made with ginger beer, which can pack a walloping 20-30 grams of sugar per drink! Not the best way to start when we are going for a health-supporting drink, eh? In our recipe we decided to go with a homemade ginger syrup mixed with a plain bubbly water, either LaCroix, or any other brand of straight up sparkling water with no additives. We mixed in some mint and lime. Instead of vodka, for some extra spark and energy (especially if you need a pick-me-up after a long work day or are about to hit the town for the night) we added our custom herbal energy formula, Bilberry Energy!
The star of our drink here is definitely Ginger (zingiber officinale). Ginger is a wonderful herb who is commonly found in many of our kitchens. Beyond being delicious, ginger hosts an array of wondrous health benefits, including being anti-nausea, a circulatory stimulant, antispasmodic and an appetite stimulant. Ginger is, in fact, an all around all-star when it comes to all things digestion related. Not only does it stimulate appetite and quell nausea, but it also helps digestion, calms bloating and gas, and reduces gut inflammation. It’s also known to be a great immune booster, which is yet another gut supporting aspect, as science has shown that around 80% of our immunity lies in the gut.
Ginger is wonderfully versatile as a kitchen herb, shining in its simplicity as an herbal tea, or spicing up a savory curry or adding that perfect bite to a batch of gingerbread cookies. One of our favorite ways to enjoy ginger is as a ginger syrup. Simple to make, ginger syrup keeps well in the fridge and can be mixed into tea as a little immune boost, taken by the spoonful to soothe an upset tummy (great for the kids!) or mixed into a cocktail or mocktail! The syrup can be made with honey or a sugar of your choosing. The honey adds a host of benefits, offering antiviral and antibacterial properties, along with B vitamins and antioxidants, to name a few. Sugar is the more economical option, making this a more affordable and accessible option, if need be. Today we used sugar to make our syrup, and a recipe follows below. Below the simple syrup recipe, you will find the recipe for our new favorite, the Mocktail Mule!
Ginger Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1/4 pound of ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 cup sugar (or honey)
- 1 cup water
Instructions
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- Bring ginger, sugar and water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. If you are using honey it will be added later, as we don’t want to ruin its many benefits by heating it up. Stir until sugar dissolves fully.
- Gently simmer ginger, water and sugar, if using, uncovered, for around 30 mins, or until water has reduced by half.
- Strain through a sieve and let cool to room temperature.
- If using honey, stir in honey once cooled.
- Store in glass in the refrigerator, it will keep for about a month.
Mocktail Mule Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 TB, or to taste, homemade ginger syrup (see recipe)
- 5 oz sparkling water
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 2 dropperfuls of Bilberry Energy (optional)
- Lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions:
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- Fill a copper mug with ice.
- In a separate glass, mix sparkling water, lime juice and ginger syrup. Pour over ice into copper mug.
- Top with 2 squirts of Bilberry Energy Elixir and garnish with lime wedge. Enjoy!