The refreshing Moscow Mule served in a copper mug was inspired by two men who needed to sell their products.
You know that phrase, “what’s old is new again”? Well, that is certainly true with classic cocktails in recent years. There has been a major trend, both at home and in bars and restaurants, in making those old fashioned cocktails like the Moscow Mule.
There is a popular legend about the invention of this classic cocktail with the interesting name. It says that the drink was created in the 1940’s when two businessmen, one was selling vodka and the other ginger beer, couldn’t move their products. They sat down together at the famous restaurant the Hollywood Cock n’ Bull, owned by the man who sold ginger beer, and while commiserating over drinks they came up with the Moscow Mule by combining one part vodka, two parts ginger beer and a squeeze of lime over ice.
In order to give their product a marketing edge they went to a mutual friend who owned a copper factory and had a lot of mugs available. They engraved the names of famous celebrities who frequented the Cock n’ Bull on the copper mugs. The public saw the celebrities drinking the Moscow Mule in the signature mugs and the drink became a major hit. The cocktail remained a big favorite throughout the 1950’s.
Around 2006 this cocktail made it back into mainstream popularity and has since been enjoying the spotlight, still served in copper mugs.
Source: http://www.chicagonow.com/chewables-chicago/2013/08/does-the-mug-make-the-moscow-mule/