Moscow Mule

The Moscow Mule is the cocktail that saved vodka in America and launched Smirnoff to dominance. Created in 1941 at Hollywood's Cock 'n' Bull by John Martin (Smirnoff distributor), Jack Morgan (bar owner), and Sophie Berezinski (copper mug manufacturer), the trio combined their struggling products—vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs—to create marketing magic. The simple combination of vodka, fresh lime juice, and spicy ginger beer served over ice in a distinctive copper mug became an instant hit. The Moscow Mule represents American marketing genius, the vodka revolution, and tiki-adjacent tropical drinking. Before the Mule, vodka was virtually unknown in America; afterward, it became the dominant spirit category. The drink's success came from its approachability (no strong spirits taste), its photogenic copper mug (Instagram-worthy decades before Instagram), and aggressive marketing. The Mule embodies 1940s-1950s Hollywood glamour, the beginning of vodka culture, and the power of branding. The copper mug isn't just aesthetic—it keeps the drink icy cold and adds a metallic note. Quality ginger beer (Fever-Tree, Q, or Barritt's) makes the difference between good and great. Whether served at a Hollywood bar or a modern cocktail lounge, the Moscow Mule delivers refreshing simplicity with historical significance.