National Moscow Mule Day
March 3, Monday
The Moscow Mule cocktail was created in the 1940s in Los Angeles, as a result of a collaboration between three entrepreneurs: the owner of the Smirnoff vodka brand, an alcoholic beverage distributor, and a restaurant owner. At the time, vodka was a relatively new and little-known drink in the United States, and the partners were looking for a way to popularize it. Thus, the idea arose to mix vodka with ginger beer and lime juice, and then serve the cocktail in a copper mug to attract attention.
The Moscow Mule cocktail's name refers to Russia as the birthplace of vodka, and the word "mule" in the name symbolizes the refreshing and "punchy" taste of ginger beer. The cocktail's rapid popularization made it one of the most recognizable in the United States and beyond.