When you think of Christmas Cocktails, your mind immediately goes to creations such as Egg Nog or Mulled Wine. Or at least it does when you are in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern, it is far too hot for anything so heavy.
And that got us thinking. Is there such a thing as a perfect Christmas Cocktail that can straddle both ends of the globe?
On one hand, you need enough spice in the drink to warm the bones but on the other enough refreshment to cut through the humidity.
In other words, the perfect trans-hemisphere drink needs to be able to both warm you up and cool you down at the same time.
The Ultimate Christmas Cocktail
So what did we come up with? Well, we think we have the perfect combination and that is found in the modern classic, The Berlin Mule. And better yet, we have three points that should really sell it.
It may be a variation on the Moscow Mule but the Berlin Mule has twice the spice. Not only does it have the mild spice found in Ginger Beer but it also has the more robust, herbal spice that you find in Jagermeister. So that’s the northern Hemisphere sorted.
There is nothing more refreshing than a Mule. With Citrus and Ginger Beer it is definitely a drink that is thirst quenching no matter what the climate. That’s the Southern Hemisphere handled.
This cocktail is so easy you can get your guest to make it themselves. Yep, no more shlepping behind the bar for you. This is a drink that your guest can not only build themselves but once you set up the “Berlin Mule Station” they will have fun doing it too.
The Berlin Mule Station
Sounding like its straight out of a Cold War Thriller, your Berlin Mule Station is like the equivalent of home mixology for dummies.
Sure, a Berlin Mule ain’t hard to make. Simply add Jagermeister, Ginger Beer, strips of Cucumber and a couple of Lime Wheels to a Highball glass and you’re golden. So golden in fact that if you set up a serving station with all the fixings, everyone can just do it themselves.
Simply pull out the Jagermeister, a jigger, the Ginger Beer (which you conveniently have in little easy, single serve cans/bottles – and your organizational skills are astounding everyone!), gently strip a cucumber (with its permission of course) and cut up a few Limes.
Really, within a few minutes, you have a serving station, where everyone can serve themselves, and you can actually enjoy the night.
So this is what you’ll need:
Bar space: If you have a good, sturdy bar cart, then this is the time to use it but if you don’t, create a tabletop space to gather ingredients. You may want a little sign to guide them, especially when it comes to outlining the standard recipe (see below) — and they can take it from there.
Glassware and tools
You’ll need highball glasses and a bar spoon for stirring.
A jigger is recommended – free pouring can just get messy – a few jiggers, if you have them, would be recommended but they don’t need to be fancy. Cheap, plastic jiggers are easily available online and are not bad to keep in the house for situations like this. Worst comes to worst, be aware the 1.5oz equals 3 tablespoons.
Some sort of stirrer would also be good – a couple of bar spoons preferably but any sort of stirrer, as long as it’s taller enough and narrow enough to fit in the glasses.
Spirits & Liqueurs
Depending on how big a crowd it is, you’ll need a couple of bottles of Jagermeister (trust me your local bottle shop will thank you).
Mixers
As we’ve said a number of small single serve cans or bottles of Ginger Beer are what you are after. And spending a little more on boutique Ginger Beer will be really appreciated by your guests.
While you might think it’ll save you money to buy Ginger Beer in much larger bottles, at the end of the day it is very much a false economy.
The longer a large bottle is left open, the less effervescent it becomes. If you want your guests to enjoy their drinks single serve containers will keep the bubbles flowing.
Garnishes
Lime wheels or even Lime wedges really make this drink, so go nuts when it comes to cutting up these wonderful, gree citrus bombs.
And you really can’t go past thinly sliced strips of Cucumber to add that cooling edge. This is where a vegetable peeler is your best friend but just remember to take your time and not rush as those suckers can be sharp.
Ice
When you are making Mules or any sort of Highball Cocktail, you really can’t have too much ice. As it melts, be sensible and only put out as much as will be used within short periods of time.
There are heaps of guides across the internet about how to make pure, clear ice but seriously, unless you are intending on Instagramming all your friends’ creations, a little cloudiness will not be the worst thing in the world.
Ingredients
1.5oz Jagermeister
3.5oz Ginger Beer
Lime wheels
Cucumber strips
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a highball glass and stir
Now the joy of this is that it’s not your business whether anyone keeps the recipe or not. They are making themselves. But for the uninitiated, it ‘s useful to have it.
Write it down, stick it to the wall near your bar area and enjoy the night. You’ve provided all the fixing for a great Christmas drink and you’ll have the time to actually enjoy your own party.
