The BarSomm Meets the Moscow Mule with Rachel Kling (TCGP S3 E10)

AI Transcript: TCGP S3 E10 

Announcer:
Jonathan Pogash is the cocktail guru, a mixologist and hospitality expert. See, you know big words. Dude, I'm the cocktail guru. Cheers. Jeffrey's his dad, a wine and spirits author, historian, and consultant.

Jeffrey:
I do my homework.

Announcer:
With decades of experience, they're always looking for the next big thing. Join this father and son duo for a few laughs as they explore the hottest trends in hospitality with the service industry's leading trailblazers and tastemakers. Welcome to the Cocktail Guru Podcast.

Jeffrey:
Today, our episode is going to be much more interesting than the shirt because it's going to involve some delicious products. and some great historical facts about. A product in particular, or maybe more than one product and and a drink, and I won't mention what that is, but I happen to have something right here that I'm sipping on.

Jonathan:
Wait. Oh, where's your mug? Where's your where's your copper mug?

Jeffrey:
I don't know. I believe it or not, you know, about my collecting passion. They had somewhere, I do have an original, an old, can I say what it is? A Moscow mule mug, copper mug.

Jonathan:
Why wouldn't you be able to say what it is?

Jeffrey:
Just to create suspense before we introduce our guest. Is that what you're doing? That's what I'm doing. But yes, a copper, I do have somewhere in my collection, copper Moscow mule mug, but I have no idea where it is.

Jonathan:
Yes. No idea where it is. Well, it really. OK, I know. Well, there's a lot going on in your collection.

Jeffrey:
There is. It's a vast collection, takes up multiple rooms in my house, including the basement and the garage.

Jonathan:
It just stresses me out. It stresses me out talking about it. So let's just drop that. And I'd like to bring on our guest because we've known her for a little while, and I believe she started her hospitality career in Washington, D.C. And she is currently the national educator for the Diageo portfolio and has worked very closely with the U.S. Bartenders Guild and educational programming involved with Diageo and their partnership with the USBG. And that is amazing because I've been involved, obviously, for a very long time with the USPG. And I know that Diageo has been a huge part of developing and contributing to the success of the USPG and all of its members. So we are thankful to have Rachel Kling on as a guest. And we are going to talk about some of the educational programming that Diageo is doing, as well as the Moscow Mule because we were just in LA recording some episodes and we are geeky about cocktail history and origins. So welcome, Rachel.

Rachel Kling:
Thank you so much. It is beyond a pleasure to be here. Thank you so much.

Jeffrey:
Don't I know you from the bar at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington, D.C.?

Rachel Kling:
You do know me from the bar at the Jefferson Hotel. That is where I spent close to a decade of my career, just what, three blocks from the White House. So if you buy me a Moscow mule sometime when we're together, I have some stories for you. Now that I'm no longer a bartender, I feel like I can start to share a little bit.

Jeffrey:
Wow. It's a date. That's fine.

Jonathan:
I'm counting on it. And Rachel, before we go into anything, we always ask all of our guests this one question. What is your desert island cocktail?

Rachel Kling:
Oh, I love these type of questions. And you mentioned that I was a part of a couple guilds, most importantly, the U.S. Bartender Guild and just next to that, the DC Craft Bartender Guild. And we always ask our newcomers what their guilty pleasure cocktail is. So do you consider this a guilty pleasure island drink or what I would actually love to drink on an island?

Jonathan:
It's open to interpretation.

Rachel Kling:
Eat all of the above. I'll be honest, since I moved to Huntington Beach, California, I have more opportunity to feel like I'm on a desert island and enjoy the beach cocktails. I've always been a madras girl. It's straightforward, but cranberry, orange, little vodka, twist the lime. That is my favorite tropical beach beverage.

Jonathan:
Wow. I haven't heard that cocktail name in a very long time.

Rachel Kling:
Well, I spent my formative years in Boston, so as a Cape Codder aficionado, I really enjoy how that little splash of orange juice balances out that cocktail. So, perfect for the sand.

Jeffrey:
Wow, the Cape Codder? Is that what it was? I'm sorry, I wasn't... Yes, Cape Codder, vodka, cranberry juice, and lime. Which probably evolved into another drink that we know and love quite well. that begins with a C. The Cosmopolitan. The Cosmopolitan, yes. Yes, exactly, because I've been doing a lot of research on the Cosmopolitan recently.

Rachel Kling:
Well, being fellow New England fans, I know you're used to calling it a Cape Codder, but I called it that in Washington, D.C. and got strange looks until I very quickly learned to just call it a cranberry vodka. So evolution of drinks and what they're called where continues to fascinate and embarrass me.

Jeffrey:
No need for embarrassment at all. It's a great drink.

Jonathan:
So, Rachel, what was that transition like when you were working behind the bar in hospitality and then moving on to the brand side? Because a lot of people strive to do that and a lot of people do it and do it really well. Was it a hard transition? Was it easy? Was it challenging?

Rachel Kling:
very clear cut lines to my transition because I did it during COVID. My bar closed on March 13th of 2020. My bar, the Quill is not my bar, but it's where I feel a deep amount of ownership. And the Quill did not reopen for months and months to come. I had, I am friends with many people that work in the Diageo Hospitality Partnership Program. And eventually one of my mentors, Jamie McBain had a come to Jesus moment with me in May of 2020 and was like, Rachel, you're the quill is not reopening for some time. Uh, let's start yanking away that security blanket a little bit. And he spent hours on the phone with me where I went through all sides of the equation. And ultimately I feel I have the ultimate privilege and fortune to say that COVID was very good to me and I could not be happier in this role. I've been surrounded by incredible people who I know both of you know incredibly well. Most of them and you and Morgan in particular really took me under his wing when I joined the portfolio. And as I was based in Washington, DC, he was based in Annapolis, we still couldn't really travel. So I kind of trapped him like a bug under a cup and was just like, tell me everything, you know, and tried to shake out as much as I could. But I truly couldn't feel more honored to work with this portfolio. And I know that sometimes can sound a little canned, but we'll get into some of the histories of one brand in particular. But being a previous law nerd and longtime history nerd, working with these brands that have been icons in the industry for hundreds of years, some of them is an honor.

Jeffrey:
And I agree with you. I know and love some of these brands as well because they were part of my portfolio way back when.

Rachel Kling:
And I know I'm going to learn a thing or two today, more than a thing or two.

Jeffrey:
So I don't know about that. We'll be learning more than you will from us. But we'll have a great time anyway. So let's get this party started.

Jonathan:
Party's already started. Oh, okay, but you wanted um, so we'll let's specifically talk about Smirnoff vodka and It's it's vast influence. There it is. There's a bottle. It's vast influence in Pop culture really and and the United States and vodka in general in the United States.

Jeffrey:
It's the vodka that started it all.

Jonathan:
Yeah, because as we know, prior to the 1940s, around the 1940s, vodka was not a consumed beverage or vastly consumed in the US. It was just very, very specialized.

Rachel Kling:
Vodka did not pay the bills at that time. There were no t-shirts saying vodka pays the bills in the 1940s. Right. The opposite. And I mean, of course, whiskey, as you can tell, is very near and dear to my heart. But at the same time, Americans just were not used to consuming vodka. It wasn't something that was on their tables, that was not their request at the bar. And Smirnoff had a huge amount to do with changing that perception.

Jeffrey:
Yeah, whiskey and gin. Whiskey and gin were the things to drink, so Smirnoff actually went after gin with a vengeance, and it worked out quite well for them.

Rachel Kling:
I should say so. I mean, when the Smirnoff family had to sell the brand, right after Prohibition, it really was questionable whether we would see this brand exist to this day. And I think many people would have said, absolutely not. That's not a possibility. And some very far sighted folks and people with great imagination, the ability to use the tools of language and reconfigure this idea of vodka as white whiskey and putting that in a bottle and changing the vernacular to looking at the spirit in that way completely revolutionized how it was accepted, not just in the United States, but in a global perspective.

Jeffrey:
Incredible. It was a brilliant stroke of marketing genius.

Rachel Kling:
Unless you were a whiskey distillery. And then you had very different feelings about it, particularly in like the 70s and 80s. But seeing the trajectory of spirits, seeing the trends that occur, that's what keeps me ticking. And I recently put together a presentation called The Retro seminar that I presented at BCB this past year that follows from prohibition on the different eras. I don't define them by decades, but eras of cocktail consumption and what was most importantly, maybe not when was it invented, but when was it popular? and what was happening in the United States culturally to cushion that entering either our vernacular, our drinking culture, our habits, et cetera. So this is what makes the world go around as far as I'm concerned.

Jeffrey:
Absolutely. And Smirnoff really gained tremendous traction when the Hubline started advertising it and marketing it as a product to mix into cocktails. so that you would not taste the vodka, but you taste whatever other ingredients were there, mostly fruit juices and sometimes tomato juice, like for the Bloody Mary.

Rachel Kling:
Seeing how cocktails went from being a communal component of punches and mulled wines that came in large containers down to cocktails. That process is fascinating. And the idea of mixing a drink that's set to anyone who grows up in our culture, that's what you do with spirits. Generally, it's more an outlier to have cocktail categories that you're not intent on mixing. And I think we're starting to see that shift a little bit where we feel more comfortable just saying, let's just drink our scotch over a piece of ice or neat. We don't need to necessarily mix it into things. But the idea of mixing Smirnoff into different cocktails was revolutionary at the time. And I do have to give a nod to the fact that a lot of those cocktails and the cocktail movement in general is often driven by women. And seeing cocktails appear in different glassware, seeing cocktails appear with mixers that women are familiar with working with in the kitchen had a major part to do with those cocktails entering our lexicon that we still know today. So cheers to the ladies. Oh yeah.

Jeffrey:
Always cheers to the ladies.

Jonathan:
Don't have to twist dad's arm to cheers to the ladies.

Jeffrey:
I'll drink to that.

Jonathan:
And so, you know, the 1940s and 50s was a huge time, obviously, kind of a formidable foundation time for for Smirnoff. But really, and you mentioned it briefly, the 70s, 80s, what what was going on with with Smirnoff and and cocktails at that period of time?

Rachel Kling:
Well, culturally, the generation that was starting to consume at that time was absolutely disinterested in anything their parents were doing. I can't relate to that mentality at all, but they were eschewing the classic whiskey cocktails or the classic whiskeys in general, or the portfolio surrounding it. And it became fashionable to not just drink vodka, to drink Smirnoff, which had so much to do with different cultural movements. Anyone who's a James Bond fan knows that Smirnoff had a major role in being the martini that is shaken, not stirred, much to the annoyance of bartenders today everywhere. But at the time, seeing Smirnoff associated with these cocktails that were starting to rise really had a lot to do with what we come to see in the 70s and 80s. And in our culture today, we don't like hearing the words, you know, preservatives. We don't like seeing colors necessarily, depending on who you are. I do love a good blue drink. I think we all do. Yeah. But in the 70s and 80s, it was fascinating to see these different products again with these different colors, with these different glassware. and vodka really started to be that nebulous spirit that could assimilate to so many different flavor profiles and preferences. And I feel like that's also where we get the misinformation that vodka is completely odorless and tasteless because that was seen as a positive at that time for it to just meld into and chameleon into whatever you were mixing with it.

Jonathan:
And I want to take a I want to take a quick break and we'll get back to your thought dad in just a second. Hey everyone, Jonathan here. If you're into swag as much as we are, then look no further than our Cocktail Guru shop. The items in our store have been personally chosen, handpicked with care by me, I'm Jonathan, and my team of Cocktail Gurus. A water bottle with a stainless steel straw? Yep. T-shirts? Mm-hmm. Hoodies? The snapback hats, signed copies of Mr. Boston Bartender's Guide, cocktail box kits, bar tools, and more. You betcha. We've even managed to create a onesie for that mocktail lover in your family. So head on over to shop.thecocktailguru.com and use code GURU23 for 10% off your first order. It's a great deal. That's shop.thecocktailguru.com, 10% off with code GURU23. Cheers. And now we're back.

Jeffrey:
Remember Smirnoff leaves you breathless.

Rachel Kling:
I mean, when you look at the different marketing taglines that there was a song in 1965, there was a whole song about the Smirnoff Moscow Mule as we're getting into that conversation that had a dance to it. And these are all part of culture that is shifting again, what we're ultimately finding in our glasses. And Smirnoff went through so many transformations in its history. I mean, considering that the brand was founded in the mid-1800s, for a full 120 years later, for it to be riding this wave of popularity, of public acceptance, of just demand, is incredible, absolutely incredible.

Jeffrey:
Yes, and we have both the Moscow Mule and the Bloody Mary, those two in particular to thank. for this tremendous success and for the, how can we say, the amplification of vodka, particularly Smirnoff, throughout the United States and eventually the world. It conquered the world.

Rachel Kling:
What was your experience with that, Papa Pogash, when you were working with it? I can't wait to hear your perspective of working with these brands.

Jeffrey:
Well, actually, we did not have Smirnoff in our portfolio.

Rachel Kling:
Oh, OK.

Jeffrey:
We did not, but we had Johnny Walker, we had Tanker Ray, we had a whole bunch of other, but not Smirnoff. That was reserved for the home office. No, the home office took care of that on their own. I was with a company called Sheflin and Somerset. So that was 50% Diageo and 50% Moet Hennessy USA. So, but I, I used to drink Smirnoff. I studied it voraciously because of my interest in the history of cocktails. And then it helped me get involved in my studies of the Bloody Mary, as a matter of fact, because that's a subject that became near and dear to me. And just helped me explore the history of vodka and specifically of Smirnoff even more than I had before. So Smirnoff has played a very important role in my life as a cocktail historian or wannabe cocktail historian and as a lover of fine cocktails.

Jonathan:
But Dad, growing up, did Grandma and Grandpa, they liked

Jeffrey:
Vodka was what they drank that was their primary father my father had a bar in his in our den real built-in beautiful bar and Smirnoff was always on the bar I mean along with Johnny Walker and tanker a and and doers as well doers was part of my portfolio originally, too and That's why I would always see it on the bar so with all of these products were an integral part of my life in the fact that I was seeing them all the time. Even though I was a child, I was in the den a lot and I was looking at the bottles and kind of wondering what they were like. And so I grew up seeing these products because one of my father's oldest and dearest clients was the primary Diageo, well, sorry, in those days, Guinness, Guinness PLC distributor in the state of New Jersey. Those were important products for me and helped me, helped ease my way into the industry when I came of age.

Jonathan:
Were you ever asked as a child, Oh, Jeffy, please make me a please go pour me a vodka on the rocks.

Jeffrey:
No, but my father had me taste some of these spirits. Yeah, no, no, no one ever. No, my father wouldn't dare ask me to make a drink as well.

Jonathan:
A lot of people, several people we've interviewed, several people we've interviewed have said, you know, that growing up, their parents would would have them have them make drinks for them.

Jeffrey:
Right. Well, my father knew exactly how he wanted his martini. He drank martini, drank gin martinis and vodka martinis as well. Mostly mostly gin, because when he my mother loved vodka and she always had She always asked everywhere she went for Smirnoff on the rocks with a twist.

Jonathan:
Yeah.

Jeffrey:
Yeah. You remember that, right? I do. Yeah.

Rachel Kling:
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, this was the iconic brand on my family's counter as well. And every Friday night when my dad would make a gimlet, it was with Smirnoff and the label color changed throughout time as he moved up in his role in his company. And so even just observing at that age, what was being consumed, seeing what quality differentials men, and Smirnoff has been a cornerstone of that for generations. And it's a real honor to always have these great outfits for a time to come.

Jonathan:
Rachel has on, Rachel has a little beanie, a red and white Smirnoff beanie.

Jeffrey:
Smirnoff holiday beanie, or ski beanie, it's beautiful.

Rachel Kling:
when we see how the brands continue to evolve and keep their name relevant and continue being a part of the party as it were. And Smirnoff certainly has also taken a cornerstone of the flavored vodka market. And I have use flavored vodkas throughout a variety of cocktails as my preferred vodka to use. I prefer a citrus vodka in a Cosmo, for example, and Smirnoff continues to innovate this Smirnoff Tamarind. Wow. This is my favorite flavored vodka period to come out in the past. I'll give it even five. This is absolutely incredible. It's a good amount of heat, a good amount of spice. It really adds complexity. So to continue to see the evolutions, like I said, is really what keeps these brands alive and keeps us still talking about them hopefully another 120 years from now.

Jeffrey:
I better rush right out and get that one. I've never tasted that one before.

Rachel Kling:
Well, you'll be excited to learn that it also glows in the dark. What? Yeah, because it's a sugar skull. It's exactly like those tamarind candies that you can get in Mexico, but this sugar skull glows in the dark at night. That's super cool. Really?

Jeffrey:
An added bonus.

Rachel Kling:
An added bonus, to put it mildly, yes.

Jonathan:
Can we pivot slightly so that we have a few minutes to talk about education and what Diageo is doing and the Diageo Hospitality Partnership?

Rachel Kling:
I would be honored. I am one of multiple. I should say that first and foremost, although my role is national educator, I'm one of eight at this point spread throughout the country. And we each are not necessarily pigeonholed. We are full portfolio through and through, but we each have our specializations within the brands. So specifically for me, I work very closely with the female-led brands, of which we have many, many in the Diageo portfolio. And I also work on the North American whiskeys in particular. I am a whiskey lover through and through. But each of us work with different local teams. So we have educators in local markets and we work with our educators and also their counterparts, the advisors to educate. That really is the name of what our program does. And that's something that when I talk to folks, they're always like, okay, but what about sales? Where are you measured on sales? And sales is always a connected part of our world, but it is an absolute privilege to see brands really putting an emphasis into education and Diageo Hospitality Partnership. That is our function. There is a super cool platform called Diageo Bar Academy, which is free and has everything from two minute videos all the way on up of nerds like me. And if I may be so bold, us talking about different spirits, different cocktails, different categories, and providing those resources to bartenders is obviously a passion for me and is a keystone of what Diageo Hospitality Partnership stands for.

Jonathan:
And the relationship between Diageo and the US Bartenders Guild is deep and connected. And I'd love to, you know, briefly bring that up and talk about, well, first of all, when we were talking about the, when you were talking about how your job, when you started the job during the pandemic, Diageo was a huge supporter and always is of the USBG, but especially during the pandemic and the, USBG National Charity Foundation and the Bartender Emergency Relief Fund and donated, I think it was, am I mistaken? Was it a million dollars? It was an insane number where there was relief given to bartenders via Diageo. And I know that that's something that you guys focus on.

Rachel Kling:
honestly point to myself when it comes to what Diageo was willing to do during the pandemic. I mean, the fact that they were hiring during the pandemic was tremendous. And quite frankly, I don't know where I would be if I had not had the privilege to work with this portfolio. I've spend a lot of time when I'm like shampooing my hair thinking just about that question. But the crown jewel, if I may, of USBG and Diageo's partnership is without a doubt, world-class. That is the most illustrious bartending competition I've ever seen. It is a competition of integrity of some of the most talented humans, not even defining them as bartenders, because during the world class competition, people are encouraged to bring so many aspects of who they are as an individual into the competition. So I've seen people put together musical pieces, put together art pieces. I mean, It's no secret to anyone in this room that bartender skill sets go well beyond the stick and to have a competition like world-class where you are provided mentorship. And that is something that I see Diageo as very tied to as well as understanding the power of mentorship and community. And I know that the folks who engage in the world-class competition maintain contact with their co-competitors for years, which is a testament to the caliber of the competition itself.

Jeffrey:
Yeah, and that's one of the great specialties at Diageo. It's education and presenting workshops. I attended many of them during my career, and they were all wonderful and very informative and helped me on my path to success in the wine and spirits industry.

Rachel Kling:
And I know that firsthand, as I had the pleasure of seeing both of you in the audience of one of my presentations at USBG's 75th anniversary this past year. And we love partnering with USBG to come together for those larger educational events. Those were presentations that my wonderful Seattle educator, Amber Aristi, and myself built specifically for USBG in that seminar.

Jonathan:
Well, that's terrific. And we're so thankful that you were able to join us, Rachel, and for educating us and talking about Smirnoff and history of vodka and education and what Diageo is doing. And we hope to see you in person again and share a cocktail.

Rachel Kling:
Please.

Jonathan:
Yeah, share a cocktail very, very, very soon.

Rachel Kling:
It was an honor to be here. Thank you so much. Cheers to both of you. Happy 2024. Cheers.

Jeffrey:
Thank you very much, Rachel, and we'll have that drink date very shortly. Excellent. Cheers.

Rachel Kling:
Cheers.

Announcer:
The Cocktail Guru presents Cocktail Commentary with Jeffrey Pogash. Sit back and enjoy the story of Smirnoff and the Moscow Mule.

Jeffrey:
This is the story of one of the most successful marketing campaigns in the history of the cocktail and spirits industry. Unless you've been living on another planet, anyone who drinks cocktails knows that vodka is one of the most popular spirits in the world. Vodka is everywhere. But this was not always the case. I'm certain that most people listening to or watching cocktail commentary have no idea whatsoever that vodka was once unknown in the United States, virtually non-existent. So how did we find ourselves in the middle of a vodka boom for the past 40 years or so? The tremendous rise in popularity of vodka can be attributed to one company and one brand. The company was Hublin and Brother, and the brand was Smirnoff. Yes, I said Smirnoff. Most of us know this vodka. Originally, it was a Russian brand called Smirnoff with a V at the end, but eventually it became an American brand. And here is the how and what. Once upon a time, there was a man by the name of John Martin, president of Hublot, an importing company that was also a producer of spirits, located in Hartford, Connecticut. The year is 1939. World War II was just beginning, and Martin is approached by a Russian man who has a curious proposition. He held the secret recipe from a family in Russia known for its vodka, Smirnoff. The man was Rudolf Kunit, a supplier of grain to the Smirnoffs in Russia. Coincidentally, Kunit had emigrated to the U.S. and was producing and selling the vodka in Bethel, Connecticut. But things were not going so well for him. He was selling a beer 6,000 cases and could it was running out of money. So he approached John Martin and offered to sell his vodka brand and its recipe for $14,000, the equivalent of about $310,000 today. The deal was sealed. Even though Hugh Blythe was a manufacturer of spirits, Martin's purchase did not meet with cheers. The executive's issue line called it Martin's folly. After all, post-prohibition America was drinking whiskey and gin. Nobody in this country knew anything about vodka. But that was about to change. Keep in mind that prohibition was difficult for Hublot, and for all importers and producers of wine and spirits. What kept Hublot alive during these terrible 13 years was one product. Brace yourselves. A1 Steak Sauce. That's right, the stuff that you slather all over a steak. That's what kept the company alive. Nobody knew if wine and spirit sales would ever return to pre-prohibition levels. But the forward-thinking visionary that was John Martin was not deterred. He hunkered down and began creating a marketing and advertising campaign that would change the face of the spirits industry and our drinking habits. So exactly what did he do? Settle with a product that unlike whiskey is unaged, there are no old casks involved. A bit harsher to the palate, colorless and odorless, relatively speaking, and was considered typically Russian or Polish, Martin and his team began experimenting with Svirnoff as a spirit that could be enjoyed when blended into mixed drinks. They even went so far as to sell Smirnoff as, brace yourselves once again, white whiskey. That's right. Martin had to roll up his sleeves, spend lots of money, and use his ingenuity to ingratiate Smirnoff into the hearts and minds of the American public, like whiskey and gin had succeeded in doing. In the 1940s, Hugh Blaine revved up his campaign, explaining in brochures and ads that because, quote, its color was indelicate in flavor and aroma, Smirnoff will mix perfectly and lose itself in the other ingredients. It leaves little aftertaste and afterbreath. This was a not-so-subtle attempt to get gin and whiskey drinkers to switch to vodka. Here's another quote. Unlike gin, Smirnoff will never reveal to the outside world that you are drinking alcohol. Smirnoff vodka is often preferred in mixed drinks, where gin was customarily used. This ad inspired the tagline, which we all know, Smirnoff leaves you breathless. That was used from the 1950s through the end of the 1970s. The print campaign and slogan was the brainchild of advertising executive Milton Goodman and appeared in most major magazines of the era, including Life, Look, Playboy, Time, and The New Yorker. To put this mixability theory to a practical test, Martin set about creating a signature cocktail for Smirnoff. just two years after the brand was acquired. This was accomplished. In 1941, he met with the owner of a tavern in Los Angeles called Cock and Bull. Jack Morgan had a boatload of a brew that he had trouble selling. It was called Ginger Beer. Aha, said John Martin, maybe, just maybe, if we combine Smirnoff vodka with some ginger beer and ice and a wedge of lime. we might have a drink that could solve both problems. As the story goes, and to be perfectly candid, it was the bartender at Cock and Bull who came up with the recipe, but no one really knows for sure exactly who invented the drink. What we do know is that it seems to have been a joint effort, which definitely helped John Morton to sell more Smirnoff and Jack Morgan to unload the supply of homemade ginger beer that he had But there is an essential element to this story that we have not yet mentioned. Her name is Sophie Berezinski. Sophie emigrated from Russia, where else, with 2,000 copper mugs in total that she had designed and made in her father's shop in the old country. She managed to sell a certain quantity of them to the cocklepool. So Jack Morgan was looking to create a drink to fit the mug. Lo and behold, the Moscow Mule was born. Good dining for Sophie, Jack, and John. Remarkably, Sophie's family continues the tradition, so you too can own a piece of history when you buy the original Moscow Mule cups from the very company that Sophie created back in the 1930s. As a history buff, I find it very exciting that the tradition continues to this day. Cheers. That's good. And now, my friends, you know the rest of the story.

Jonathan:
Today's top off is sponsored by Moscow Copper. And while we're on that topic of Moscow mules, I just wanted to share a little bit of a cocktail tidbit here for you. So the reason why a copper mug is used for a Moscow mule is due to the fact that the copper itself, hear that, is ideal for taking on the temperature of a drink and for keeping that drink cold throughout. Yes, it's nice and cold and it also enhances the citrus notes when you put some lime in there or some lime juice. So there you go.

None:
Cheers to that.

Jeffrey:
Get an original Moscow Mule Mug from the brand that started it all. Go to www.moscowcopper.com and enter code GURU15 at the checkout to receive 15% off your order.

Jonathan:
That does it for today's show.

Jeffrey:
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Jonathan:
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Jeffrey:
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Announcer:
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