Cucumber Moscow Mule

Currently, I'm chilling on my sofa with my laptop (quite appropriately) placed on my lap, typing this post and wishing that I had one of these cocktails in my hand. There's something about Friday nights that always makes cocktails sound like the best idea ever. Course, Saturday nights are kinda like that too -- evidence.

By now, you might have realized that I have a thing  for bright, citrusy cocktails, like the margaritas and mojitos of the world, but with the weather getting a little cooler and it being officially "fall" (it's 90 something degrees here, so I'm not quite feelin' it yet), I'm trying to experiment with drinks that sorta play into the less summery months. Obviously, I can and will drink my margas throughout the year BECAUSE I CAN, but when it comes to food blogging you have to act like you're at least a somewhat seasonally appropriate eater/drinker, so that's the deal here. I love this drink for a segue into fall because it still has that brightness from lime and some bubbliness, but it's also got that warm ginger kick to it that makes it feel a little bit more cool-weather appropriate.

My twist here (literally... haha) - is the cucumber. Adding some fresh cucumber juice and a long cucumber sliver to garnish your glass makes the drink a little more cool and refreshing and mellows out the ginger just a touch for a nice twist on the classic moscow mule. It was a drink that totally came about by accident but became a new addition to my regular pickings. If you're a ginger beer fan/moscow mule fan, this one should definitely be up your ally! Alsoooo, if someone would please like to gift me with copper mugs, I'll be your best friend. Just sayin'. :)

Cucumber Moscow Mule

A light and fresh cocktail with warm notes of ginger - perfect for summer but with just enough spiciness to be appropriate for cooler seasons as well.

• Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• ice
• 2 ½ ounces vodka
• 1 ½ ounces fresh cucumber juice*
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¼ ounce simple syrup**
• thin cucumber slice, for garnish
• 3 ounces ginger beer

Instructions

1. Add ice to a cocktail shaker along with vodka, cucumber juice, lime juice, and simple syrup. Shake well.
2. Strain mixture into a highball glass (a lowball will work too but will end up pretty full) filled with ice and garnished with a cucumber twist. Top off with ginger beer and mix in.

Notes

**To make fresh cucumber juice, skin a cucumber and grate flesh. Use a cheesecloth to squeeze and strain juices from grated cucumber.

***To make simple syrup, stir together 8 ounces (1 cup) water with 7 ounces (1 cup) granulated sugar in a saucepan set over medium heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, just until the sugar has dissolved into the water. Store in a jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator. This will make enough for several drinks.

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