Have a Drink: Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule actually originated in America

In spite of the name, the Russian-sounding Moscow Mule is a cocktail with American roots. Although, it does use vodka as one might expect. Almost always served in a copper mug, it is an autumn and winter favorite with its “warming” vodka and flavors.

Here’s a little history on the origin of the cocktail from the New York Herald Tribune:

The mule was born in Manhattan but “stalled” on the West Coast for the duration. The birthplace of “Little Moscow” was in New York’s Chatham Hotel. That was back in 1941 when the first carload of Jack Morgan’s Cock ‘n’ Bull ginger beer was railing over the plains to give New Yorkers a happy surpriseâ¦

The Violette Family helped. Three friends were in the Chatham bar, one John A. Morgan, known as Jack, president of Cock ‘n’ Bull Products and owner of the Hollywood Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant; one was John G. Martin, president of G.F. Heublein Brothers Inc. of Hartford, Conn., and the third was Rudolph Kunett, president of the Pierre Smirnoff, Heublein’s vodka division.

As Jack Morgan tells it, “We three were quaffing a slug, nibbling an hors d’oeuvre and shoving toward inventive genius”. Martin and Kunett had their minds on their vodka and wondered what would happen if a two-ounce shot joined with Morgan’s ginger beer and the squeeze of a lemon. Ice was ordered, lemons procured, mugs ushered in and the concoction put together. Cups were raised, the men counted five and down went the first taste. It was good. It lifted the spirit to adventure. Four or five days later the mixture was christened the Moscow Mule…

So how do you make one of these cocktails that has nothing to do with either Moscow or a mule? You’ll only need a few ingredients.

• 1 1/2 oz. vodka
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1/2 oz. ginger beer
• 1 lime wedge
• ice cubes

Pour vodka and lime juice into mug; add ginger beer. Stir to combine, then add ice cubes and garnish with lime. Enjoy!

Help us grow by making a purchase from our Recommended Reading and Viewing page or our Politically Incorrect Apparel and Merchandise page or buy anything from Amazon using this link. You can also Sponsor The New Modern Man for as little as $1 a month.