The Origin of the Mule

The exact origin of the Moscow Mule is somewhat debated but according to the most popular claims, the cocktail was created in 1941. At the time, whisky was more popular than vodka in the USA and most Americans didn’t even know what ginger beer was.

According to popular belief, John Martin and his friend, Jack Morgan, who owned a pub in Los Angeles, created their own ginger beer. As owner of Smirnoff at the time, John naturally mixed the new creation with vodka and a delicious new serve was born.

The two friends hit the road showcasing the cocktail to other bartenders along the way. The two men kept this cycle going and by 1943 the Moscow Mule had taken the USA by storm.

The cocktail has seen a big resurgence in recent years. It’s a simple mix of vodka, fresh lime and ginger beer which creates a zingy, spicy flavour combination. Using this classic combination as a base, you can easily twist this cocktail by playing with different spirits and substituting the lime with other citrus flavours.

Why fix what’s not broken?

As much as creating brand-new drinks is great, there is always a charm in exploring the classics. Customers are more likely to try a cocktail they know, so by putting your own twist on a classic, you get to be creative and get your customers to try something new.

Here are a few twists on the Moscow Mule that I have created which follow the same style of a simple built mule. Each serve contains ginger beer, which in terms of flavour is the key element of any mule.