2016 marks the 75th anniversary of the Moscow Mule, and SMIRNOFF, its inventor, is looking to celebrate – Sadly, I wasn’t invited.
At this year’s 14th Annual Tales of the Cocktail, SMIRNOFF put together a series of dinners highlighting the Moscow Mule. Guests were taken back in time to experience the origin of the Moscow Mule in a pop-up restaurant designed to look like the meeting place of the creators.
“Any mixologist or bartender can make a Moscow Mule,” said Daniel Meyers, President of C-B Beverage Corp., owners of Cock’n Bull® Ginger Beer. “But it’s not an original Moscow Mule unless it’s made with the zesty combination of SMIRNOFF™ vodka and Cock’n Bull® Ginger Beer.”
The First Vodka Cocktail
Back in 1941, when darker spirits were all the rage and vodka was under appreciated, John Martin of Heublein (now The Smirnoff Co.) met a Los Angeles restauranteur and co-created America’s first vodka cocktail. Similar to how today’s Moscow Mules are served, they used copper mugs. The drink consisted of SMIRNOFF No. 21 Vodka, Cock’n Bull Ginger Beer, and a squeeze of lime.
It’s safe to say the Moscow Mule was what jumpstarted the love of vodka and the popular mixed drinks that followed, like The Bloody Mary, The Gimlet, The Screwdriver, and more.
Original Moscow Mule Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. SMIRNOFF No. 21 Vodka
- 4 oz. Cock’n Bull Ginger Beer
- Fresh Lime
Directions:
In a copper mug with ice, add SMIRNOFF No. 21 Vodka and garnish with a lime wedge.
