Christmas Moscow Mule Cocktail
The perfect blend of ginger beer and vodka, the Moscow Mule is a cocktail with a unique history. Served in a copper mug, with flavors of lime, rosemary, and cranberry, it’s also called the Christmas Mule!
Who invented the Moscow Mule Cocktail?
The legendary Moscow Mule was invented in 1941. While there are somewhat different versions of who contributed to its creation, the main contributors were the same.
The first was Jack Morgan (real name John Morgan), who owned Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant (Chatham Hotel) and had struck out trying to sell ginger beer. The other was his friend John Martin, President of Heublein Brothers, the company that bought Smirnoff in the 1930s’, but hadn’t really made any good sales yet.
Rudolph Kunett, Wes Price, and Sophie Berezinski also played a part, but it depends on the version of the story you hear.
Anyways, back to the beginning. It’s 1941, and Jack Morgan and John Martin are enjoying drinks in the Hollywood Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant owned by Jack. They were joined by Rudolph Kunett, the President of Smirnoff’s vodka division.
While thinking up ways to sell both the ginger beer and the vodka, a two-ounce shot of Smirnoff was mixed with the ginger beer and topped with a dash of lime. The result, as they say, is history!
Of course, the Moscow Copper Company has a slightly different story to tell. According to them, it was another of Jack Morgan’s friends, Sophie Berezinski who was there that day, and not Kunett.
At the time, Sophie was trying to find a way to sell her father’s copper mugs. They started serving the drink in these copper mugs and it caught on.
The third story could also be true. According to this one, Wes Price, the bartender at the Cock ‘n’ Bull Restaurant had a lot of unsold ginger beer and vodka on his hands. In an effort to get rid of it, he came up with this cocktail, and everyone loved it!
Why is it called a Moscow Mule?
Morgan and Martin were trying to think of a name that tied the cocktail to vodka and Russia, and Moscow was an easy answer. The ginger beer that’s added gave a kick like a mule. So it was called the Moscow Mule.
So is the Moscow Mule really Russian?
No, the Moscow Mule is an American invention that’s simply tied to Russia through the vodka it’s made from.
What is a Christmas Mule?
A Christmas Mule or a Yule Mule is a Moscow Mule with some added Christmas cheer. It’s simply adding cranberries, rosemary, and cranberry juice for some red and green Christmas color.
Try it and you’ll find that while mulled wine is perfect for cold Christmas nights, the Christmas Moscow Mule is perfect for warm Christmas afternoons!
Tips For Making A Christmas Moscow Mule
- Traditionally made with Smirnoff, but you can use any other vodka that you like.
- You can replace cranberries with pomegranate seeds.
- Shake the other ingredients, but not the ginger beer.
- Rosemary can be replaced with mint leaves if you like.
- Serve with a candy cane garnish to make it more Christmassy!
FAQs about Christmas Moscow Mule Cocktail
What do you serve the Moscow Mule in?
The Christmas Moscow Mule is traditionally served in a copper mug. Why? Because copper is a good conductor and copper vessels preserve the temperature of the ingredients.
For food, copper keeps it cold, for drinks served cold, copper keeps them nice and chilled. Of course, you can serve the Moscow Mule in any other glass, but copper mugs give it the perfect temperature and vibe!
Can I make a Virgin Christmas Mule?
Yes, to make a virgin mule, skip the vodka and use non-alcoholic ginger beer.
What variations of the Moscow Mule can I try?
There are many modern variations of the Moscow Mule. Some of the easiest are replacing the vodka with these alcohols:
- Gin to make a Gin Mule
- Tequila to make a Mexican Mule
- Absinthe to make a Bohemian Mule
- Spiced rum to make a Jamaican Mule
- Tuaca liqueur to make a Tuscan Mule
- Akavit to make an Oslo Mule
What other cocktails can I make with vodka?
Other cocktails that you can make with vodka include:
- Rose, raspberry, and vodka spritzer
- Red gummy bear shots
- Oreo cocktails with Baileys
- Espresso Martini
Christmas Moscow Mule Cocktail
The perfect blend of ginger beer and vodka, the Moscow Mule is a cocktail with a unique history. Served in a copper mug, with flavors of lime, rosemary, and cranberry, it's also called the Christmas Mule!
Ingredients
- 1.5 shots vodka
- 1/2 shot (about 1 oz) fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 shot of unsweetened cranberry juice
- 4 oz ginger beer
- 1 lime wedge, for garnish
- 1 rosemary sprig for garnish
- 4 - 6 fresh cranberries, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Mix together the Vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice in a shaker.
- Fill half of the copper signature Moscow Mule mug with ice, then strain the mixed ingredients into the glass.
- Top the cocktail with ginger beer.
- Add lime wedge, cranberries, and rosemary for garnish.
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