Drinks with “Mule” in the name traditionally include ginger beer, like the Moscow Mule. Mules are the evolution of an older category of drinks called Bucks, which consist of a spirit, ginger ale or beer, and citrus. Those definitions are not set in stone, and are in fact a hot topic among hair-splitting mixological nomenclaturists like yours truly.
This drink from Aaron Polsky of the Harvard & Stone bar in Los Angeles originally went by the name “Tequila Grapefruit Mule.” But we are compelled to note that this recipe contains neither ginger ale neither ginger beer, so we cannot in good conscience call it a Mule when it isn’t, even by the most generous interpretation.
Since we have loosened the ingredient requirements, we feel entitled to take artistic liberty with the name of this otherwise-excellent drink, and have re-christened it the Mula Pomelo, a Spanglish translation of “grapefruit mule.”
Polsky’s original recipe calls for Aperol as the orange apéritif, which is our choice as well. If you prefer it less sweet, swap in something more bracing like Campari.
