Name: Mezcal Mule
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 1/2 ounces reposado mezcal (prefer Amarás*); 1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice; 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice; Pinch of salt; 4-5 thin slices of fresh ginger; 1/2 tsp pink peppercorns; Ginger beer and/or seltzer; Angostura bitters; Grapefruit segment or slice; Aleppo pepper

A mule is half horse and half donkey. This cocktail, made with mezcal, is a hybrid as well, namely between a Moscow Mule and a Paloma, a bit of a recursive joke I know. I use pink peppercorns to add a subtle sweetness, which allows you to make it a very low sugar drink if you like.

Mezcal Mule

Christian Leue

Servings/Yield

Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces reposado mezcal (prefer Amarás*)
1/2 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Pinch of salt
4-5 thin slices of fresh ginger
1/2 tsp pink peppercorns
Ginger beer and/or seltzer
Angostura bitters
Grapefruit segment or slice
Aleppo pepper

Directions

Add the mezcal, juices, salt, ginger, and pink pepper to a cocktail shaker and gently muddle. Fill with ice and shake until cold.
Strain into a 12-ounce mug or glass over fresh ice and top with ginger beer and/or seltzer (you can vary this as you like, depending on how sweet you prefer your drinks, my personal preference is 50:50).
Garnish with a dash of Angostura bitters and a peeled grapefruit segment or grapefruit slice, dusted with Aleppo pepper.