Winter X Games has descended on Aspen, and along with the athletes and slew of ESPN personnel comes the horde of Front Rangers and college kids otherwise known as X Games attendees.<\/p>\n
And when the masses aren’t hanging at Buttermilk, they are quenching their thirst at your favorite local watering hole, meaning that the crowds at bars during X Games can make it feel like New Year’s week all over again in Aspen. So it’s important that if you chose to brace the X Games madness to get a drink, that you’re ready with an order that’s quick and will do the trick.<\/p>\n
So, what would a bartender recommend you order? Well, beer is always a good start, but for those with a cocktail in mind, HOPS Culture manager Zach Bowersock recommends a mule, and more specifically a mezcal mule.<\/p>\n
“Every bar is going to be at absolute maximum capacity,” Bowersock says, “so having an idea of what you’re trying to consume can be easier and very valuable.”<\/p>\n
“If you really want to treat yourself, I think one of the best things (to have) is a Moscow mule variation,” he says. “We’re finally cracking the formula and realizing we don’t just have to do vodka (in mules). I think we’ve really started to widen our horizon \u2026 (and) in this case my favorite would be the mezcal mule.”<\/p>\n
Bowersock loves the smoky element that mezcal brings to a mule and goes by the general rule that as tasty as it is when enjoyed neat, “mezcal should be in cocktails.” For the version he’s mixing up at HOPS, he uses Gem and Bolt mezcal, which is more approachable in price yet still delivers all the flavors you are looking for in a good mezcal.<\/p>\n
While the mezcal makes this particular mule what it is, Bowersock says “the key ingredient in a mule” is the Angostura bitters, as he adds a few dashes before adding the final ingredient: dry ginger beer.<\/p>\n
But if you’re more in the mindset of regular beer instead of ginger, HOPS also has you covered with a hard-to-beat deal: $3 tall boys of Montucky all day long.<\/p>\n
Libations was created by beloved Aspen Times publisher Gunilla Asher, who died June 2, 2014, after a brave battle with cancer. Cheers \u2014 to Gunner!<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIf you like a drier mule, then you can always dial back the simple syrup or even cut it out entirely,\u201d according to Bowersock.<\/p>\n 11\/2 ounces of mezcal<\/p>\n Full ounce of lime juice<\/p>\n 1\/2 ounce of simple syrup<\/p>\n 2 dashes of Angostura bitters<\/p>\n Top it off with a dry ginger beer \u2014<\/p>\n Bowersock says it\u2019s important that the ginger beer you use is dry because a sweet ginger beer \u201ccould really just corrupt the flavor of the Moscow mule itself.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\nMake Your Own<\/h3>\n