Moscow Mule Copper Mugs: A Legend that Spans Decades

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As a vessel for holding liquids, copper has been a popular material for many millennia. In India, yogis drank from cups made from copper; the Irish used the escra - a copper goblet - to drink in the ancient times. In the mid-eighteenth century, the American colonists also used copper vessels like the Virginia Tankard and flagons that could store at least three servings.

And, who can forget the time when these copper mugs where exclusively used to serve a new refreshing drink invented in the 40s - the Moscow Mule! This cocktail gave its drinkers a rather delightful kick and became one of the signature drinks at many bars that required its own particular container that came to be known as Moscow Mule Copper Mugs.

If you are to believe the stories of how this unique, zingy drink came into existence, then here is how it happened: the president of a spirits importer on the East Coast that had earlier gained fame for bringing the most popular steak sauce to America tried to repeat history when he bought Smirnoff, a small vodka distillery back in the 1940s. Of course, vodka was not famous at that point because not a lot of people actually knew about it and haven’t even gotten the chance to try it.

However, the purchase didn’t seem profitable at first, something that this person told a friend who owned a famous pub located in Hollywood. When the pub owner shared a similar story that involved his ginger beer, they were joined by a woman who lamented that her numerous copper mugs lay useless in her house and that she didn’t know what to do with them.

That was when the three of them put their heads together to come up with a solution that fixed all of their problems. The copper mugs were then put to use by serving vodka mixed with the ginger beer and a quick dash of some lime juice. To top it all, the mugs were imprinted with the image of a kicking mule, thereby earning the name ‘Moscow Mule copper mugs’.

The consequential success that they received for their unique cocktail was nothing short of phenomenal. In fact, the Moscow Mule was included among the most well-known drinks in the consecutive decades. It was actually advertised as the Smirnoff Mule back then with notable Hollywood celebrities endorsing it, something which propelled its popularity among the general public like no other.

This is because the movie industry was known to be a trendsetter when it came to the latest cocktails. Soon after, Moscow Mule copper mugs were sold throughout the country as the demand for them increased. Today, these are still quite famous and make great gifts for many occasions. In fact, the vintage mugs from the 1940s might even be available on the internet. If however, you aren’t able to find them, you can still get a fantastic pair or two from Inox Artisans. Our Moscow Mule copper mugs are hand hammered from 100% copper that is heavy gauge and highly durable as a result. What’s more, our handmade copper mugs come in not one, but two shapes and designs for a more creative take.

Want to make this fantastic vodka and ginger beer-based drink at home? Simply mix these two together in a 1:2 ratio. For instance, if you pour two ounces of vodka, then add four ounces of the tasty ginger beer to it. Go for ginger ale if you don’t have some ginger beer handy. Can’t open that bottle of beer? Get a handmade wine bottle opener in that case! And don’t forget to garnish your cocktail with a wedge of lime - after you serve it in our fashionable copper mugs, that is!