Copper mug
The lined copper vessel associated with the Moscow Mule and its family. Copper conducts heat quickly, so the mug itself goes cold in the hand and frosts on the outside — a genuine sensory difference rather than pure theatre.
What it's for: Serving mules and other ginger-beer highballs over ice.
Don't have one?
A highball glass. The drink is identical; you lose the cold-metal sensation and nothing else.
The chill you feel is real but the drink is not measurably colder — copper conducts heat both ways, so the mug also warms quickly once out of the cold. Fill it with ice properly and it holds up fine.
⚠ Unlined copper should not be used with acidic drinks such as lime juice. Check the mug is lined before serving anything citrus-based in it.
Buying guidance
Buy lined mugs only. Unlined copper reacts with acidic drinks, and lime juice is acidic enough for that to matter — a stainless or nickel lining removes the concern entirely. Hand-wash; dishwashers strip the finish.
Cocktails served in this glass
4 recipes call for it as their glass of choice.
