The Moscow Mule is a classic cocktail that combines vodka, ginger beer and lime juice and therefore falls under the ‘Buck’ category, which combines a citrus drink with ginger beer. It has become inextricably linked with the impressive copper glass in which it is served, and although its name is reminiscent of a Russian cocktail, the Moscow Mule was created in America. Apart from its characteristic serving, it stands out for its special taste that uniquely combines the sweet-peppery notes of ginger with the acidity of aromatic lime. Try it to find out.
The story behind the name
The origin of the name is not entirely clear, but the most famous story states that the cocktail was created in 1939 in New York. John G. Martin, who was trying to market Smirnoff vodka in America, met with Jack Morgan, who had warehouses full of ginger beer that he was having trouble selling. So, they combined these two drinks, and the new cocktail was named Moscow because of the widespread consumption of vodka in Russia.
Why is it served in a copper cup?
There are several myths surrounding this tradition. According to one theory, when the cocktail was first made, another businessman was present trying to sell copper glasses. Another story says that Martin himself gave the copper glasses to the bartenders to sell more of the cocktail. Of course, none of the above may be true, since copper was a fairly cheap and not hard-to-find material in 1940s America anyway. Regardless, the copper tumbler remains a favorite. After all, it helps keep the drink chilled for longer.
Moscow Mule Cocktail
Materials
60 ml of vodka
15 ml fresh lime juice
90 ml ginger beer (cold)
1 slice of lime for garnish
Procedure
Fill a Moscow Mule mug (or tall glass) with ice. Then add the vodka and fresh lime juice and top off with cold ginger beer. Garnish with a lime slice and enjoy.
Tip
If you like strong flavors, you can add ginger-flavored bitters. There are also many variations of the cocktail that you can try, such as those with berries or flavored vodka.
