History of a Classic Cocktail: Moscow Mule
The Moscow Mule has everything you can want in a cocktail: the punch of vodka, the freshness of lime, and the fiz of ginger beer. But did this cocktail originate in Moscow? Unfortunately, the origins of this classic cocktail were never clearly documented, giving rise to several theories. We break down these theories and everything you need to know about this classic cocktail.
Origins of the Moscow Mule: The Main Theories
There are two main theories (with a few variations) about where the Moscow Mule came from: The west coast theory and the east coast theory.
West Coast Theory
The west coast theory starts with a woman named Sophie Berezinski, a Russian-born woman living in Los Angeles in 1941. Sophie’s father was the owner of the Moscow Copper Co. in Russia. Sophie had an idea of copper-made mugs, and designed the original version herself. 2,000 of Sophie’s copper mugs were produced in her father’s factory. Sophie and her husband traveled to Los Angeles with the thousands of mugs to sell them in the land of opportunity.
Sophie started going door-to-door, at every home and bar she could walk to in Los Angeles. One day she went into the Cock ‘n’ Bull; a pub in Ocean Park, close to Santa Monica and Venice Beach. The pub was owned by a man named Jack Morgan and it was his dream to give the world an authentic, American-made ginger beer. His close friend, John G. Martin, was the head at Heublein & Brothers, a distillery he had purchased which was drowning in vodka.
So the legend goes, the three individuals sat down that fateful day and brainstormed a way to use the vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs in a unique cocktail. And thus the Moscow Mule was born.
East Coast Theory
At the same time Sophie was trying to sell her copper mugs, a man named George Sinclair reports the Moscow Mule having actually been born in Manhattan, New York. The East Coast theory alleges the Moscow Mule originated inside of New York’s Chatham Hotel. The year is still 1941, and both Jack Morgan and John Martin are in New York, trying to sell their vodka and ginger beer. As they are sitting at the bar in the Chatham Hotel, they ask the bartender to mix up a combination of ginger beer and vodka. And thus the Moscow Mule is born again.
Both of these theories point to the same people, although the East Coast theory makes no mention of Sophie and her copper mugs. Unfortunately, we may never know exactly where the cocktail was born.
Where did the Moscow Mule Get its Name?
The origins of the name Moscow Mule are as hazy as the beginnings of the cocktail itself. If the West Coast theory is to be believed, the name may have come from Sophie’s copper mugs and she may have even used a Mule to carry them around as she tried to sell them door-to-door.
However, it could be that the name simply comes from the fact that vodka is the main spirit in the cocktail, and is the most classic spirit in Russia.
Why are Moscow Mules Served in Copper Cups?
Regardless of where the copper cups came from, after the cocktail was created, John Martin took the Moscow Mule and copper mugs all across the United States. As he taught bartenders to make the drink, he would always take photographs of the cocktails in the copper mugs. As time went on, people began to see these images and ask about the mysterious cocktail in the copper mug. As more and more people demanded the cocktail, bartenders were forced to add it to their menus making it one of the most popular cocktails on bar menus even today.
While it is not necessary to serve a Moscow Mule in a copper mug, it is traditional and highly recommended by most bartenders. However, studies have shown risks involved with serving alcohol in purely copper cups. This has given rise to many companies creating the traditional copper mugs, but lining them on the inside with nickel or stainless steel.
How do you make a Moscow Mule?
The classic Moscow Mule consists of vodka, lime juice, ice cubes, and ginger beer. But many people are putting their own spin on the Moscow Mule. This winter try our own Winter Mule, a spin on this classic cocktail with cranberry juice!
Ingredients
2 oz Eight Oaks American Vodka
1 oz Fresh lime
3 oz Cranberry juice
Ginger beer (We love Goslings’ Ginger Beer!)
Fresh cranberries
Lime slice
Sprig of rosemary
Directions
In a glass or a copper mug with ice add vodka, lime, cranberry juice, and top with ginger beer. Garnish with fresh cranberries, slice of lime and fresh rosemary!
Cheers!
