Comments on: Vodka R.I.P., part 3

By: Is Your Bloody Mary Really the Best? : Drink Dogma

Is Your Bloody Mary Really the Best? : Drink Dogma — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 07:42:49 +0000

[...] cocktail juice, should balance the included alcohol, in this case vodka. As pointed out before and reinforced by Drink Boston this week, I am not a big fan of stressing the differences between vodka in cocktails. It is a spirit that is [...]

By: Eric

Eric — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 14:52:17 +0000

vodka has truly saved the day twice, once when I ran out of kosher salt and later when out of purell. whether or not it kills cocktails, it’s really good at killing germs.

By: The Pegu Blog

The Pegu Blog — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 03:11:32 +0000

[...] The Moscow Mule is actually a very important and influential drink, though I’m sure there are many folks out there who are not thankful for its influence. Before there was Bond, there was the Mule. It was sort of the A-Bomb before the H-Bomb in the Vodka explosion in America, and in cocktails in general. Dr. Cocktail, in his book Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails has a really excellent run down on the history of the Mule, so I won’t try to duplicate his work. I will simply summarize it thus: Right after World War II, a troika (naturally) of people, one with a sea of unsell-able vodka, one with a sea of unsell-able Ginger Beer, and one with excess copper manufacturing capacity, came together to create one of the first commercially promoted cocktails: The Moscow Mule. To me, the Mule is interesting because, besides being yummy, it is emblematic of the West’s infuriating, or laudable (depending on your politics), desire to identify with its mortal enemies. Like croissants, which were invented during the Crimean War against the Turks (the Ottoman crescent), Mao jammies, and Che Guevarra t-shirts, the Mule was Soviet Chic. Some bought them to lampoon the enemy. Some bought them to embrace the enemy. In the end, capitalism works. After all, crescent rolls are yummy, Mao pajamas are comfy, Moscow Mules are delicious, and Che was one dashingly handsome, sympathetic mass murderer. So the Moscow Mule gave Smirnoff enough money to be able to do product placements in the Bond movies. Which in turn made Vodka what it is today. Why? A lot of people think it has to do with the iconic copper mugs that were de riguer in the mule’s heyday. I was first introduced to the Moscow Mule in genuine copper mugs in a restaurant called Papa Pieroshki’s, in Atlanta, back when I was young and dinosaurs walked the Earth. The mug really does add something to the party. But you can barely find the things, and they are not cheap. Do you antique? Go yard sale shopping on Saturdays? If you do, keep your eyes open. If a copper cup presents itself, pick one up. The fact that the mug was probably stolen from a bar in 1951, contributing to the demise of this fabulous cocktail, should not dissuade you. The statute of limitations has probably run out. Seriously. If you don’t like Moscow Mules yourself, send it on to me! That said, I don’t own a copper mug, and I don’t think you need one to enjoy this cocktail. The drink is great on its own, the copper makes it funky. Upon its introduction, The Moscow Mule was just as much about selling the esoteric Ginger Beer as it was about selling this weird, unknown booze called Vodka. So is Ginger Beer what makes it great? In my humble opinion, no. Some Ginger Beers make a great mule. Others, frankly, suck. I prefer Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Could that be more boring? No. But it is reliable, available, and tasty. And with some tweaks to the original recipe, you get the same spicy wonder from boring grocery store ingredients. So do I insist on Smirnoff’s in my Moscow Mules? Please. Tanqueray Sterling at home, and Ketel One at bars. I’ll get around to trying Smirnoff’s some day soon. If it makes a huge difference, I’ll make a huge stinking deal about it here. For now, I can only recommend decent stuff. I’m sure Smirnoff’s would be great. No Valu-Rite. And no Grey Goose, Ultimat, or Belvedere. Save those for Martinis. Let’s examine a final issue before we get to the recipe: What are Mules good for? It is not an elegant sipping cocktail. I employ it as alcoholic Gatorade, in all honesty. I only drink it when it is hot, I am sweaty, thirsty, and often still exercising. I find it to be the most refreshing alcoholic drink I have ever had. I’m guessing that if you give it a try, you may very well agree. It is not a very strong drink at all, so it is excellent while playing tennis, golf, or… what the heck, badminton! I think I’ll give two recipes here: the classic original, and my own practical alternative. Classic Moscow Mule 1.5 oz. Smirnoff’s Vodka 1.0 oz. Lime juice Ginger Beer [...]

By: Br. Cleve

Br. Cleve — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:53:41 +0000

I recall reading about some place in Revere or Lynn that has these big Russian events…maybe someone here knows more about it. That place in Brighton Center was the greatest. You’d ask for vodka and they just put a bottle on the table. Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, has some huge venue where they do an entire Russian night; I heard it was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s show recently.

Curiously, the cocktail scene is huge in Moscow right now, with all sorts of swank lounges opening in the last few years. I’ve dj’d in a few of them. More than just vodka in the drinks.

Hollywood started the vodka kick in the late 40′s, then Smirnoff got an ad agency involved and the Moscow Mule was born. But the first big drink craze was the Screwdriver, and the ad campaign “Smirnoff Leaves You Breathless”…..like no one could tell you had 3 martinis with…or for!…lunch.

By: ljclark

ljclark — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:02:53 +0000

Clearly, Boston needs more outlets for Russian-style vodka drinking.

Crawford brought vodka here? It figures. I’m surprised she wasn’t blacklisted for that. Davis was a classy New England gal.

By: Br. Cleve

Br. Cleve — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 05:19:46 +0000

I have to agree with my esteemed compatriot MC Slim JB — a straight shot of ice cold vodka along with some cavier or herring — that’s the only way I can or will drink it. I’ve been fortunate enough to have spent quality time in Moscow over the years, and a straight 3 oz shot of Russian Standard Export (the best) or Smirnoff, with a pomegranate juice chaser, is the way its really swallowed over there. I happily recall the Russian restaurant in Brighton Center, though the name of it is escaping me at this moment (Slim, I know you know…it was like Velda or something….)….I believe all they had waqs vodka, and it was only sold by the bottle. You bought 750ml or a liter or more. They had a Russian disco band that was awesome, especially after a half a tank worth of Smirnoff. Other than that, though, my motto has always been “Vodka Is For Children”, and really…thats who drinks it, kids who are having fruity, sweet drinks that vodka mixes so easily with. I can’t stand it, though. Russian Standard in Russia is completely different than the Russian Standard that they sell in the U.S. Ask Jackson and Misty — we A/B the bottles from Russia and the bottles from Atlas. 2 completely different animals. The Russian bottle won, the export sucked.

Vodka — blame it all on Joan Crawford. She introduced it to Hollywood in the late 40′s. Bette Davis could kick her ass……she preferred gin.

By: ljclark

ljclark — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:31:43 +0000

Jon, is that you? Well put.

By: jonathan

jonathan — Wed, 12 Sep 2007 03:27:57 +0000

Vodka was created for the express purpose of getting mindlessly drunk as fast as possible. The best way to enjoy vodka is to get a bottle and drink it with two friends – probably in a park, maybe in the courtyard of an apartment building – then get in a senseless fight and break some of your teeth tripping on the cement steps. Then scrounge up the cash for a second bottle.

Another interesting way to try vodka is to drink it in 200 gram shots at room temperature accompanied by greasy dumplings, beet salad and stale black bread.

The “soul” of vodka is destroyed if you turn it into a cocktail.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 20:29:50 +0000

Lauren, there is nothing wrong with the occasional RB & vodka. I have to admit that I enjoy one now and then. It’s not a cocktail so much as a way to quickly get both an alcohol and caffiene buzz simultaneously, from a refreshing drink (not possible with, e.g., an Irish Coffee). It’s not certainly something I’d want to sip in a nice bar or lounge, but rather something to quaff while trying to pick up the energy to do some dancing after a hard day of work. Just like anything else, including vodka, it has its place in the right setting and in moderation (and not in a cocktail lounge).

I wouldn’t recommend drinking them all night, in any case. I once made the mistake of drinking more than a few of these canned/pre-mixed vodka/RB drinks (http://www.sparks.com), and the next morning was not one to be proud of…

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 17:04:22 +0000

at the bar we try really hard to have potato, grape, and rye vodka…no brands are offered. but we get so many free samples. i enjoy making a cosmo because we charge alot which people love because its a sign of quality and it subsidizes whiskey costs. our brand of vodka pretention hasn’t offended anyone because vodka consumers are more indifferent than people realize. a small vodka selection has become a flag to some people that they are in a cocktail spot… the blue room only has absolute… i think matt murphy’s has only triple 8. someday i will get away with that… i will try and remember that red lion recipe. that sounds like a sophisticated crowd pleaser. i am pretty sure you put gin in a bloody mary… if you make one for me anyhow…