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Cocktail History
The Bandon Bronco is a fall cocktail that was created by author Jassy Davis and was first published in her book Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter. Named for Bandon, Oregon, which is one of the top producing areas of cranberries in the United States, this is a simple variation of the Moscow Mule that uses the classic’s iconic template of vodka, citrus, and ginger beer but adds cranberry for a tart twist.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Vodka: This is the base spirit. It’s a type of clear distilled alcohol made with grains or potatoes. We used Smirnoff Vodka because it’s high quality yet still affordable. For a mocktail version of this drink, use Strykk Non-Alcoholic Not V*dka in place of the vodka.
Cranberry Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cranberries, white sugar, citric acid, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Cranberry Juice: This is the liquid juice of a fresh cranberry. We used Simple Organic Cranberry Cocktail.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Ginger Beer: This is a carbonated beverage made with ginger spice, yeast, and sugar. We used Q Mixers Ginger Beer because it has a delicious ginger flavor that is sweetened with agave syrup.
Lime Slice: This is one of the garnishes. It adds more fresh citrus aroma.
Cranberries: These are the other garnish.
Tasting Notes
The Bandon Bronco starts with cranberry and ginger aromas and has a flavor that mingles the ginger’s heat with a bit of fruity tartness to complement the lime, and it has an aftertaste that goes down with even more of the pronounced cranberry flavor with a touch of lingering heat.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We both loved this drink just as much as any good mule we’ve come across, and we think it’s the perfect accompaniment to a Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Working with the Moscow Mule template is a lot of fun because the recipe leaves so much room for extra innovation and, quite frankly, it’s hard to make it taste bad. This version adds in cranberry for extra kick and beautiful color; the original recipe called for a few ounces of cranberry juice, but we figured that swapping a bit of our cranberry syrup in for some of the juice would be even better. We were right, with the added sweetness playing an important part at keeping the tangy cranberry at bay.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Who doesn’t love a mule? I enjoy the classic Moscow Mule, but there’s just something special about holiday renditions. This tart cranberry version is no exception to how especially delicious those can be; the bitterness of the cranberry plays so well with the spice of the ginger beer. They’re a match made in cocktail heaven if you ask me. I will absolutely be making this drink again and again. It’s simple and very tasty!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis.
Add vodka, cranberry syrup, cranberry juice, lime juice, and ice to a lowball glass or Moscow Mule mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with lime slice and cranberries.
Ingredients
Directions
Add vodka, cranberry syrup, cranberry juice, lime juice, and ice to a lowball glass or Moscow Mule mug.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with lime slice and cranberries.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Strykk Non-Alcoholic Not V*dka in place of the vodka to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Autumn Cocktails
If you like this autumn cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that are similar that you may enjoy:
Flannel Shirt: A Scotch cocktail made with apple cider, Amaro Averna, lemon juice, simple syrup, St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, and an orange peel
American Trilogy: A rye and apple brandy cocktail made with brown sugar syrup, orange bitters, and an orange peel
Filibuster: A rye cocktail made with lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, and Angostura aromatic bitters
Spiced Pumpkin Punch: A gin cocktail made with apple cider, pumpkin purée, honey syrup, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon sticks
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