Vodka may be the most prominent single spirit on the back bar today, but in the 1940s, the situation was very different.
The story goes that in 1941, in an effort to market the then-exotic Russian spirit, executives from Heublein—then owners of Smirnoff vodka—collaborated with the owner of the Cock ‘n Bull Tavern in Hollywood to create this simple, memorable drink composed of vodka, ginger beer, and lime juice, served over ice in a copper mug. Wildly popular among the movie crowd in Los Angeles, the Moscow Mule caught on elsewhere and, for a brief period, was one of the most popular drinks of the era.
Although its moment in the spotlight may have been brief, the Moscow Mule had a lasting impact: It introduced countless drinkers to the vodka experience and set a series of changes in motion that, several decades later, would propel the spirit to the top of the sales charts.
As I’ve written previously, I’m not really much of a vodka drinker, but I make the occasional exception for the Moscow Mule. Crisp and refreshing, and cooling on a warm summer evening, the Moscow Mule is a vodka drink that can appeal to vodkaphobes, and one of the few classic cocktails that can satisfy vodka drinkers who’ll touch nothing but.
June 2011
Our Classic 3-Ingredient Moscow Mule Recipe—Because Why Mess With Perfection
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1 tablespoon fresh lime juice from 1/2 medium lime
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2 ounces vodka
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4 to 6 ounces chilled ginger beer
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Squeeze lime into a Collins glass (or copper mug, if you’ve got one) and drop in the spent lime shell. Fill glass with ice and add vodka; top with chilled ginger beer to taste.
Serious Eats / Two Bites