Long the territory of vodka drinkers, the drinking landscape of West Hollywood has started to shift as of late, thanks to the help of mezcal pioneers like the team at Gracias Madre. For mezcal beginners, beverage director Jason Eisner recommends the Mezcal Mule: “The Mule is perfect for someone who has had Moscow Mules before but is looking for a bit more complexity.” For added freshness, Eisner adds cold-pressed lime and ginger juice, but for home bartenders, he recommends buying a good-quality ginger beer, like Q or Fever Tree. “If the soda you’re using is too sweet, up the percentage of citrus a bit to balance it out,” he says.

Ingredients

　　2 oz. mezcal, such as Vago Espadín

　　½ oz. fresh lime juice

　　½ oz. fresh ginger juice

　　1 oz. agave nectar

　　1½ oz. sparkling water

　　Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake. Careful—the bubbles in the soda water will give a little pushback, but don’t sweat it! Strain into a copper mule mug and add fresh rocks. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a quartered lime (optional).

　　Excerpted from Mezcal © 2017 by Emma Janzen. Reprinted with permission of Voyageur Press.Buy the full book from Amazon.