Moscow Mules...A refreshing summer cocktail!

The Moscow Mule is a cocktail that's often forgotten until this time of year. (Unless you ask the Playlist Reverend... it's his drink of choice!) Whether it's a seasonal favorite or something new to experience, this drink's ingredients scream of summer!  It's perfect for the season, and - like many other summer cocktails - it's quite refreshing!

Plus, the history behind this drink is quite interesting.  Like many traditional classics of its time, it's coming back and we have the cooooollll copper mugs to enjoy this drink!

The year this cocktail sensation debuted is disputed, with some saying it was created after World War II and others arguing that it was created pre World War II. A man by the name of John G. Martin of Heublein Inc., an East Coast spirits and food distributor, is given majority credit for creating the Moscow Mule.

Why any drink would be up for debate is beyond me, but the story is interesting. In fact, the vodka used in this cocktail is what made it popular today.  So it goes, John Martin purchased a large quantity of Smirnoff Vodka at a time when gin was by far the dominant spirit of the United States. His purchase, within the industry, became known as "Martin's Folly."

In an effort to prove his doubters wrong, Martin took off across the country in an effort to market his vodka. His journey brought him through Hollywood where he stopped at a well-known restaurant on the sunset strip called the Cock 'n' Bull. At the time of his stop, his marketing campaign was not going too well. As "luck" would have it, the owner of the Cock 'n' Bull, Jack Morgan, made ginger beer on the side, and his business venture was also not going very well. At the same time, Jack Morgan had a friend who had inherited a copper factory that was struggling to unload........yep you called it, copper mugs.

Together, the threesome concocted what is now referred to as the Moscow Mule. Being that the drink was created in Hollywood and marketed well by Mr. Martin, the drink soon found its way into movies on the big screen thus launching the popularity of the now famous drink.

The Uptown now also serves Cock n Bull Ginger Beer, but what now makes this drink special is the ginger beer used. Just like purified or spring water, ginger beer is making it name in the market.

So take your pick of the ginger flavors... an old favorite or a new brew!  Perfect for a summer day (or night)!