Today we’re celebrating the birth of our favorite cocktail, the Moscow Mule!
It’s hard to believe that 100 years ago, vodka was largely unheard of in the US. That is—until John G. Martin, a US spirits distributor, entered the scene. He saw the potential in this Russian liquor and purchased the US rights to Smirnoff Vodka in the late 1930s. It wasn’t until he met with Jack Morgan, the owner of Cock n’ Bull bar in Los Angeles in 1941 that his product really took off.
It all began when Martin, Morgan and a copper mug manufacturer came together at the Hollywood bar to brainstorm a new signature cocktail. They developed a simple and delicious drink using only three ingredients—Smirnoff Vodka, Cock n’ Bull Ginger Beer and lime. It was served, of course, in a copper mug and they named the drink the Moscow Mule! It took a bit of convincing at first, but once people tried this unusual combination of flavors—they were sold. And the rest—as they say—is history! (To learn more about the history of the Moscow Mule, check out our blog, 8 Interesting Things You May Not Know About the Moscow Mule.)
Today the Moscow Mule is one of the bestselling bar cocktails. Its unique flavor captures the attention of the first-time drinker and the cocktail connoisseur. It’s often the drink of choice at weddings and is perfect for a night out or drinks with friends at home.
In 2017, Smirnoff Vodka declared March 3rd to be #NationalMoscowMuleDay. This fun annual holiday was created on 3-3 to remember the three people who created the mule and the three ingredients included in the original recipe.
Join us today in raising your copper mule mug to this iconic beverage!
Here are a few tasty recipes to help get you started celebrating Moscow Mule Day:
The Original Mule
Ingredients:
2 oz. vodka
1 bottle/can ginger beer
½ fresh squeezed lime
1 cup of ice
1 slice of lime or sprig of mint for garnish
Directions: Add each ingredient to your copper mug. Mix together, add your garnish and enjoy!
The Strawberry Mule
Ingredients:
4 oz. vodka (2 oz. for lightweights!)
1/2 cup strawberries
1/3 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. sugar (preferably granulated)
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 can/bottle ginger beer
1-2 strawberries sliced for garnish
Directions:
Blend strawberries, sugar and water until pureed. Then use a cocktail shaker to mix ice, strawberry mix, vodka and lime juice. Fill your mug with ice, pour in the mixture and add your ginger beer. Add a little garnish and enjoy!
The Blueberry Mule
Ingredients:
1-2 oz. vodka
1 cup ginger beer
Juice from 1/2 lime
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 tbsp of sugar
1/4 cup of water
Step 1: Make Your Homemade Blueberry Syrup
Ingredients:
1 cup of fresh blueberries
1 tbsp of sugar
0.25 cup of water
Directions: Mix the ingredients in a sauce pan and allow to boil for 4 minutes. Then allow the mixture to simmer on low heat for another 11 minutes until it thickens. Use a strainer to remove any blueberry skins.
Step 2: Blueberries + Moscow Mule Recipe
Ingredients:
1-2 oz. vodka
1 cup ginger beer
Juice from 1/2 lime
Prepared blueberry syrup as shown above
Directions: Combine the lime juice, ginger beer, and vodka into your copper mug and stir. Add ice to the top of the mug and pour the blueberry syrup over the ice slowly. Stir it once more and garnish with leftover blueberries or the traditional lime wedge. Enjoy!
The Orange-Infused Mule
Ingredients:
2 oz. vodka
2 oz. fresh squeezed orange or tangerine juice
Juice from 1 lemon
1 bottle of ginger beer
Slice of orange/tangerine, sprig of mint and candied ginger for garnish
Directions: Fill your copper mug with ice. Add the vodka, juice and ginger beer. Stir and garnish with ginger, orange slice and mint. Enjoy!
Have a great Moscow Mule Day!