I’ve recently discovered that there is a difference between ginger beer and ginger ale. Ginger beer doesn’t have alcohol, and ginger ale is usually easier to find. I’ve always wondered why people just don’t take the short cut when making Moscow mules. I understand now.
Ginger beer is brewed and fermented. Ginger ale is just soda with ginger in it. Since Ginger beer isn’t carbonated it has a much more gingery flavor. And just because it says beer, don’t let that fool you. No alcohol plus way less sugar than Ginger ale. It’s a win-win really. And for the alcohol to make this Moscow mule a real mule, we just use something most of us have in our cabinets already anyway – vodka.