Updated April 2026.
A Kentucky Mule is not an IBA drink. It is a Moscow Mule with bourbon instead of vodka. The IBA Moscow Mule is 45 ml Smirnoff vodka, 120 ml ginger beer, and 10 ml lime. Swap in 45 ml of 40% bourbon and you still have one NIAAA standard drink from the spirit. Ginger beer is not extra ethanol unless the can is alcoholic — read it. This is not a 2022 top-15 tasting.
90–100 proof holds up to ginger and ice. Related: vodka mule, Old Fashioned bourbon.
What the copper cup actually needs
| Job | Typical bottles | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Default 90–100 | Buffalo Trace 90, Woodford 90.4, Wild Turkey 101 | Holds ginger; 27 CFR 5.143 |
| Budget | Evan Williams Bonded, Jim Beam Bonded | 100 proof. Cheap bourbon |
| Skip | Honey / cinnamon whiskey | Different class; sugar on ginger |
Four 45 ml 40% mules are four drinks. A 2-ounce bar pour is 1.33. NIAAA binge pattern is a health line, not a target. Hours are state law. Pour math: whiskey drinks.
Sources
- IBA Moscow Mule (fetched 2026): 45 ml vodka, 120 ml ginger beer, 10 ml lime. Kentucky Mule = bourbon swap, not a separate IBA card.
- TTB 27 CFR 5.143. NIAAA (December 2025). No invented ranking or MSRP.