How To Make A Gin-Gin Mule

Today in Cocktail History Class, we’re going to learn about a bar called Pegu Club. It opened in downtown New York City in 2005, when obsessing over perfectly-made cocktails was still a somewhat niche activity - and sadly, it recently closed. While you can’t stop by the second-floor Soho space and sip a whiskey punch anymore, you can make one of their signature cocktails.

This drink is called a Gin-Gin Mule. It’s a modern classic, one of the most universally-liked drinks we’ve ever encountered. Make one every Friday at exactly 5pm, and be sure to tell your grandchildren about Pegu Club.

The Gin-Gin Mule

You’ll Need:

• Ice

• Highball

• 2 ounces gin

• .75 ounce lime juice

• .75 ounce simple syrup

• Several sprigs of mint

• Ginger beer

Step One: Mint

Pick around 5 or 6 mint leaves off one of your sprigs, give them a smack to release their minty oils, and toss them in your shaker. No muddling necessary.

Step Two: Simple Syrup

Next, add .75 ounce simple syrup to your shaker. If you’ve never made simple syrup, we’re pleased to inform you that it’s laughably easy. Use equal parts warm water and white sugar, then stir until everything is dissolved.

Step Three: Lime Juice

Use fresh lime juice. We’re honoring Pegu Club here, and it’s the respectful thing to do. Pour .75 ounce in your shaker.

Step Four: Gin

It doesn’t matter which gin you use, as long you like it. We really just want you to be happy. And we also want you to add 2 ounces gin to your cocktail shaker.

Step Five: Shake

Now, add at least six standard-sized ice cubes to your shaker, and give everything a good 12-second shake. Once you’ve finished, pour everything into highball filled to the rim with ice.

Step Six: Ginger Beer

You might be thinking, “Hm, maybe I can just use ginger ale for this.” But no, you cannot. Ginger ale is to ginger beer what a house cat is to a wild leopard. So find something with a nice, spicy flavor, and use it to top off your Gin-Gin Mule.

Step Seven: Garnish

As for garnishes, we like to stuff a few mint leaves and lime wheels in the side of the glass, then stick a big, healthy mint sprig in the top. Overall, your cocktail should look exactly like the mirage you’d see after walking through a desert for several weeks.