Kul Mocks Mock Mule
Kul Mocks Mock Mule
Moscow Mule / KUL MOCKS NA / 0.0%
Creating KUL MOCKS wasn't just about the beverages, it was about creating the experience of drinking a cocktail, minus the alcohol. Hand-crafted with simple ingredients and natural flavors, KUL MOCKS ready-to-drink alcohol free cocktails are flavorful and fun! Using natural ingredients with a touch of real cane sugar makes them 50 calories or less without sacrificing any taste.
During my time spent reviewing products in the world of non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits, I have discovered that there are two basic categories that nearly all of these companies fall into. Half of them are trying their best to mimic a traditional alcoholic beverage as closely as they can. They want us to get lost in the drink and forget that what we are sipping on lacks that one key ingredient. The other half are simply doing what they can to make their product as tasty as possible. Whether it has the characteristics of an alcoholic version is not nearly as important as the drink simply being something that consumers can enjoy. I don’t think that either approach is more valid than the other, but they are clearly distinct from each other.
Most brands that are creating canned “mocktails” fall into the second category, and Kul Mocks seems to be no exception. Each of the varieties that they offer is crafted with a classic cocktail in mind, but they strike me more as cold, summer drinks that anyone can enjoy without even knowing what the creators were going for. Or at least that’s the impression I got from sampling the Strawberry Mock-arita. Today I have decided to try out another flavor, their Mock Mule, and discover if that trend holds true. Keep reading my Kul Mocks Mock Mule review below to find out how tasty it is and whether it really does evoke thoughts of an alcoholic cocktail.
Kul Mocks Mock Mule Review
At first glance, Kul Mocks appear much like many of the other canned cocktails in the liquor store. White can with some colorful lettering and designs and a bunch of taglines all over the label. But the logo for the Mock Mule is actually quite pleasant when you stop to take a look. An animated copper mug is adorned with a lime garnish and backed by a mountain range. Ginger plants frame the foreground.
And it turns out that the taglines aren’t actually taglines but more so health-conscious facts about the beverage. They tell us that this drink is gluten-free, non-GMO, and contains no artificial sweeteners. The back of the can informs us that it contains just 45 calories and 10 grams of sugar, relatively low numbers compared to a soft drink or any alcoholic beverage. Many NA consumers are looking after their personal health, and Kul Mocks seems up to snuff in that regard.
I can’t imagine many people pouring a beverage of this sort into a glass, but if you choose to do so, it is sharp and clear with a decent but not overwhelming amount of carbonation. The sole aroma that I really get on the nose is lime but a pleasant strength nonetheless.
While all of the health tidbits are important is convincing consumers to choose your product, they don’t answer the question, “Is Kul Mocks Mock Mule good?” To do that, we must tip a can back and see how it plays on the tongue.
Is Kul Mocks Mock Mule Good?
The short answer to that question, which is immediately apparent the moment that it touches your lips, is yes. This Kul Mocks Mock Mule is quite tasty. I am a little bit surprised how much it resembles the Strawberry Mock-arita, however. That drink had just a hint of lime to go with the berry flavoring, while this one is much heavier on the citrus while, of course, losing the strawberry altogether.
The thing is, this doesn’t really add up to a legitimate facsimile of any type of mule. One of the key ingredients to a Moscow Mule is ginger beer, which Kul Mocks is clearly aware of going off of their can label. Unfortunately I don’t get any sort of ginger flavoring at all in this drink.
Still, the Mock Mule is quite refreshing. There is none of that syrupy sugar quality that ruins so many canned alcoholic cocktails. I wonder if it’s a case where the company is forced to cover up the sting of alcohol that turns many people off by overpowering it with sweetness. Whatever the reason, I enjoy it. There is just a slight hint of sour character that comes through naturally with the lime but, again, nothing overpowering.
There aren’t a lot of other flavor elements to be found, but the levels of everything are pretty balanced, and the beverage is very light and drinkable. The drink is flavorful throughout the tasting experience and nice and crisp on the finish, prepping you for the next sip every time.
What does all of this mean for my Kul Mocks Mock Mule rating? It may not end up exactly as you are anticipating. Finish reading below to find out exactly how I scored it.
Kul Mocks Mock Mule Rating
As I stated in the introduction of this review, some NA brands try to mimic an alcoholic beer or cocktail as accurately as they can while others simply set out to make a delicious drink. Kul Mocks clearly falls into the latter category, which makes it a little bit tricky to analyze this product as a mocktail. When reviewing the Strawberry Mock-arita, I arrived at a rating of 4 stars because despite the drink not entirely tasting like a margarita in a can, I could see it being dolled up with the proper flourishes to make it truly reminiscent of the cocktail. I can’t really see that happening with the Mock Mule.
A Moscow Mule, or any kind of mule for that matter, contains just three basic ingredients – vodka, ginger beer, and lime. Obviously this mocktail has nothing resembling vodka, but I was bummed out that it also lacks ginger. None of this is to say it isn’t a tasty beverage that I could see myself sipping a few of on a hot day at the beach. The fact is it just comes up short in what it is trying to accomplish. So I feel compelled to end this Kul Mocks Mock Mule review by knocking one more point off of my previous review and awarding it 3 out of 5 stars. Most people will enjoy the drink, just don’t expect a mule.
Photo Credit: https://www.kulmocks.com/
