I’m sure most of you have tried a Moscow mule. They have been the avocado toast of the town for a while now. A few years back I ordered one in New Orleans, and the bartender looked at me like I asked for something dirty or illegal.

“A what?”

So, I purchased copper cups and made them at home.

Moscow Mule
1 1/2 ounces of chilled vodka
1/2 ounce lime juice
chilled ginger beer
crushed ice

Mix the vodka and lime juice in a copper cup. Fill the cup with crushed ice and then top with ginger beer. You can also muddle a sprig or two of mint into the vodka before adding the ice.

Unfortunately, I like the cups more than the cocktail. I’m just not a fan of ginger beer. But I do love ginger ale, so I came up with my own copper cup cocktail.

I am proud to introduce the Dixie donkey.

(Naming cocktails is tough. Jackson jackass was a close second, but I figured there are enough of those already.)

Dixie Donkey
1 1/2 ounces of bourbon
1/2-1 ounce lime juice
chilled ginger ale
mint
crushed ice

Muddle the mint and lime juice in the bottom of a copper cup. Top with crushed ice. Speaking of ice, a Lewis bag makes a huge difference.

You fill the canvas bag with ice, fold it over and beat it with a wooden mallet. The result is perfectly chipped ice and a major release of anger and aggression.

Add the bourbon and fill with ginger ale. Give it a little stir, and garnish with mint because you’re fancy.

I’m so fancy that I have a cocktail making assistant…

But I had to fire him when he dumped his bug box finds onto the table. Good thing I had that mallet handy.