Merican Mules are one step cocktails
For many of us, it’s been a very long time since we’ve gone to a bar for a quality Mule, Martini, Margarita, or any other cocktail for that matter. There’s a good chance it’s been even longer since going to a bar that serves crazy cocktails. You know the type. The ones that serve drinks made with 16 ingredients take four special tools and a deep knowledge of cocktail history to make.
Maybe you tried to replicate said drinks at home. Maybe you even got close to something that was more than just drinkable and approached what might tentatively be called good — even if it took three tries and who knows how much liquor poured down the drain (or gulped down, no judgment here).
Yet no matter how good you got at concocting complex cocktails, few things can beat the flavor and quality of the one-step cocktail. And we’re not talking about just pouring some bourbon in a glass and calling it a day. We’re talking about balanced and flavorful one-step ‘Merican Mule canned cocktails.
The golden age of one-step cocktails
We are living at the start of the golden age of one-step cocktails. Craft beer was the first to fully embrace cans as the ultimate vessel for ease of use, and now craft spirits companies are getting into aluminum. Canned cocktails come in all sorts of flavors and styles these days. There are even variations on standard drinks. Take, for example, ‘Merican Mule. There are standard Mules made with spicy ginger beer and vodka, Southern Mules made with bourbon, and Mexican Mules made with tequila. There are even tropical mules made with pineapple and rum and fiery mules made with whiskey and cinnamon.
All of the styles and flavors have one thing in common: They only take one step — popping the top — to enjoy (or two steps if you want to get wild with it and pour your canned cocktail into a glass).
Why a ‘Merican Mule one-step cocktail is the way to go
Quality one-step cocktails have a lot going for them. First and foremost, they taste just as good as a cocktail that you’d get at the bar. Depending on the bar in question, they may even be better. Shortly after on the list of importance, one-step cocktails are more convenient in a wide swath of occasions than making cocktails from scratch.
House parties are up there, obviously. People want something good to grab at a party, but they also want variety. ‘Merican Mule provides both and can satisfy even the most discerning drinker. You don’t need a crowd of people to see the benefits, though. One-step cocktails are also lovely after a long day of work when you want a cocktail to relax with but don’t want to go through the process of measuring, shaking, and pouring — or the hassle of washing everything involved afterward. Trust us, your dog or cat will appreciate all of the extra time you have to devote to pets.
None of this is to say that complicated and well-crafted, from-scratch cocktails are bad. Just that there are plenty of times when a flavor-packed canned craft cocktail is a better option.
So keep all of those cocktail books that you’ve collected. They make for great coffee table books and decorations. Plus, you and all of your friends will have all the more time to admire them and the rest of your digs thanks to the time you saved preparing your one-step cocktail.
Nickolaus Hines is a Denver-based freelance writer who covers drinks, food, and travel. You can follow his work on Twitter and Instagram.