The Kentucky Mule

A bourbon cocktail as dependable as it's namesake...

Cocktail history:

While we’re all about whiskey here, we can’t discuss the history of the Kentucky Mule without acknowledging that it is a variation of the Moscow Mule. That drink was invented around 1941, in Los Angeles, and not only does it have ties to the first whispers of the rise of vodka in popular American culture, but also to one of most unbelievable yet true stories in cocktail history.

Mr. John G. Martin, president of Heublein, Inc. and great-grandson of it’s founder, purchased the rights to sell Smirnoff worldwide in 1939 for $14,000. At that time, whiskey was still dominantly the king of the American palate, and this surprising purchase was often called “Martin’s Folly”. Sales of vodka in the USA began very slowly…

But Martin, not against breaking some rules, eventually found some successful ways to market Smirnoff- as “White Whiskey”, with catch-lines like “No Smell, No Taste”, and “Leaves you breathless!” (Often misunderstood to mean that vodka could be drunk without leaving any impact on the imbiber’s breath). He even initially chose to seal his bottles with whiskey corks. Using these methods, he found success in creating new ways to use Smirnoff in cocktails. He was credited with the development of many drinks such as the Bloody Mary, the Moscow Mule, the Screwdriver, and more. Martin became known as “The man who introduced vodka to Americans.”

"If Smirnoff was to have a chance of competing with whiskey in America, it had to be as a mixer..."

John Martin, in an interview in the 1980's

The Story of the Moscow Mule goes something like this, from the mouth of Martin himself, in an interview in the 1980’s.

He spoke of one of his market trips to Los Angeles in 1941. Through a business associate, he was introduced to a man named Jack Morgan, who owned a restaurant in Los Angeles called The Cock ‘n’ Bull. Emphasizing his past success using Smirnoff as a mixer, the two gentlemen put their heads together to craft a recipe. Morgan had his own brand; “Cock ‘n’ Bull Ginger Beer” produced in LA but with no clear path to sales. Americans drank ginger ale, not ginger beer. Morgan had a girlfriend, Augeline Schmidt, who’d inherited a copper-works, but had yet to find any useful outlet for its products. Apparently, she’d made a number of mugs, but her customers complained of the peculiar zing that the copper left on the tongue.

Serendipity plied her subtle craft, and the Moscow Mule was born. Remembering that fateful day, Martin said he couldn’t quite remember where the name had come from, but was sure “It had something to do with the kick…”

To nail down when bourbon entered the fray, is a bit more difficult. A wide number of variations on the Moscow Mule came to be, such as the Mexican Mule; which used tequila, the Dutch Mule; with Gin, and eventually, the Kentucky Mule with bourbon. Far and away, the best of them all.

Ingredients:

The Classic Recipe- 1941

2 oz Bourbon
Ginger beer
Fresh Lime juice (If we’re being honest, the original recipe probably called for Rose’s Lime Cordial, but we know modern mixologists turn their noses up to this product)
A copper mug (This is as important an ingredient as any other. If you don’t use a copper mug, its not a Mule.)
Mint leaves or a lime wheel

Equipment needed:

Copper Mug
Jigger

Glassware:

Served in a Copper Mug

Note: look for one that’s not rolled at the lip, as they are incredibly difficult to clean properly.

WARNING: Because of copper toxicity, we recommend replacing your copper mugs every few months, depending on how often you use them.

How to build:

This cocktail is a build-in-glass. Start by placing your Mule mug on an even surface, and pour 2 ounces of Bourbon. For a great cocktail, you’ll want to experiment with what bourbon works with what ginger beer. We prefer to use a robust bourbon with a spicy ginger beer. Russell’s Reserve 10 year is an excellent choice.
Add 1 oz of fresh squeezed lime juice- and we mean fresh. For an excellent cocktail, always use citrus juices that have been squeezed in the last 8 hours and properly refrigerated.
Fill the mug with good clean fresh ice cubes. Don’t be afraid of ice- dilution is part of the recipe.
Finally, fill to the top with the ginger beer of your choice. We enjoy Spicy Ginger Beer by Thomas Henry.
To mix the ingredients, use a bar spoon to gently stir ONCE. We don’t want to flatten the ginger beer.
Top with a mint crown or a lime wheel, and serve.