Best Canned Moscow Mule: 6 Moscow Mule Cans to Buy ASAP

I’m a fan of canned cocktails in general, but a canned Moscow Mule is particularly satisfying, because the cocktail is designed to be sipped out of a metallic vessel. (Yes, the copper mug is just marketing but it’s part of the cocktail’s DNA.) I along with other canned Moscow Mule fans are in luck, because there happens to be a lot of Moscow Mule cans on the market. But, like most things that spring from promising ideas, not all of them are executed well. 

We sourced ten different brands making a Mule drink in a can—including both Moscow Mules (ginger beer, lime, and vodka) and Whiskey Mules (ginger beer, lime, and whiskey, also called Kentucky Mules). We looked for spicy ginger beer flavor (these are Mules we’re talking about, not Bucks, which are made with ginger ale). We looked for real, citrusy lime flavor—not just citric acid. And we looked for fizz. Lots and lots of fizz. Did a premade Moscow Mule have to taste like booze to make this list? Nope! I think the reason a lot of folks drink Moscow Mules (and other vodka cocktails) is because they don’t taste like alcohol. So we didn’t ding any Moscow Mule cans for hiding their spirited base. 

Here are the best Moscow Mule cans (and other Whiskey Mule cans) you can buy. 

Best Zero Sugar

This zero sugar canned Moscow Mule from Reed’s (maker of some of the best ginger beer) is very, very tart. If you like an extra squeeze or two of lime in your drinks, then this could be the best canned Moscow Mule to buy—especially if you’re cutting down on sugar. That extra lime flavor is essential. It helps cover up the flavor of artificial sweeteners, so you don’t immediately know you’re drinking a zero sugar cocktail. It’s limey (very limey). It’s gingery. It’s refreshing.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Tropical

Unlike some cocktails like the Negroni or Manhattan or Martini, I’m not too precious about the Moscow Mule. Go ahead and doctor it up or adapt it however you please. Make it a tropical cocktail by adding a splash of mango, as long as you do it like Absolut and actually make it taste like real, fresh mango nectar. This Moscow Mule in a can boasts a balance of spicy ginger beer and sweet-but-not-too-sweet mango flavor. And there’s practically zero alcohol flavor. If you want booze but don’t like the taste of booze, this is the best premade Moscow Mule you can buy.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Non-Alcoholic

Did you expect to see a non-alcoholic Moscow Mule this high on our ranking of the best Moscow Mule cans? I didn’t. But that just speaks to the quality of this canned mocktail. It’s infused with “distilled botanicals,” which is what sets it apart from just being some limey ginger beer. It’s spicy and bubbly—it really tickles your nose—and it has a very restrained sweetness. It really tastes like a cocktail, and yet, no booze! Plus, it’s only 35 calories. Whether you’re sober or just looking for something better than a soda to drink with lunch, this is the Moscow Mule in a can for you.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Best Whiskey Mule

On the other end of the spectrum is this Whiskey Mule drink in a can. This is BOOZY. It’s 11% ABV. (Compare that to a standard can of beer, which usually hovers around 6% ABV.) It’s dry—not too sweet at all—but it also doesn’t smack you over the head with whiskey. You still get a lot of spicy, refreshing ginger beer flavor. You can drink a whole can easily—so watch out, whiskey drinkers, because you’ll go through a lot of these if you aren’t careful.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Fall Flavored Mule

I know it’s not even summer as I write this, but I’m already stocking up on these Whiskey Mules for the fall. When you crack a can, you’re instantly hit by a genuine apple aroma. And when you sip it, you sip fresh ginger apple cider. It almost tastes a little like the sweet pickled ginger you get with takeout sushi. It actually tastes more like a classic Reed’s ginger beer than the Reed’s canned Moscow Mule—but with the addition of some fresh-pressed apple cider. My only critique is that you can’t actually taste much bourbon. But the flavors you can taste are so good, I’m willing to let that go.

Credit: Merc / Total Wine

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Sold in a copper can (why wouldn’t it be?), Mule 2.0 is the best canned Moscow Mule around. It’s tart and spicy and sweet—all in perfect harmony. Essentially, this is boozy ginger beer, and isn’t that what you want out of the best Moscow Mule in a can? If you really like it limey, you could add a squeeze of lime, but it’s certainly not necessary. It’s a true, classic Moscow Mule. And, at 8% ABV, it’ll get you tipsy without totally knocking you out.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other canned Moscow mule brands we tasted: Mixed-Up Mule Watermelon Jalapeno Mule, Reed’s Zero Sugar Stormy Mule, Cutwater Vodka Mule, The Standard Vodka Mule

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