By: Rob Mariani, Bartender, Alley Twenty Six, Durham, North Carolina.
Recipe:
- 1 1/2 ounces Montelobos mezcal
- 1/2 ounce Ancho Reyes chile liqueur
- 1 ounce housemade ginger syrup (1:1:1 ratio, see recipe below/page 00)
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- Splash of soda water
Directions:
- Add crushed ice to copper mug.
- Add a splash of soda.
- Then add the ginger syrup, lime juice and liquors.
- Swizzle.
- Garnish with candied ginger and a lime twist — hang the candied ginger in the rim of the mule mug, and drape the lime twist across the top of the drink, with one end on the ginger.
Inspiration:
“Cold war kid to southern bartender.” I was born in Tallinn, Estonia. I now live in Durham, North Carolina. Like many people from cold places, I gravitate toward warm places. While living in Los Angeles, I came to love Mexican cuisine – and, of course – agave spirits. Thus, I took this LA-born drink a bit further south. The spice from the ginger and the smoke from the mezcal pair perfectly with the smoky spice from the Ancho Reyes. Watch out — this Mule can kick!
Ginger Syrup Recipe:
Equal parts (by volume) ginger, sugar and water. Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Add chopped ginger and return to boil. Then low simmer, uncovered, for 20 min. Strain out the ginger, bottle and refrigerate.
