Charles Koh
Local distillery, Copperworks Distilling Company, gives a nod to a classic cocktail this winter season as it unveils its version of the Moscow Mule. The drink was popular in the U.S. in the 1950’s during the vodka craze and was named after the perception of vodka as a Russian product. But the vodka in this drink is all local!
Copperworks opened its doors in October last year, with the goal of creating premium spirits (their Gin just won Gold at the recent World Beverage Competition). Copperworks Vodka is also hand-crafted in small batches using a base of premium malted barley that gives it a subtle and distinctive flavor. The vodka is first distilled in a traditional copper wash still, hand-built for Copperworks in Scotland. It is then further purified in another custom-built Scottish 25-plate copper column still. The result is a delicious vodka that has a touch of sweetness and a smooth, rich finish, that can stand on its own or serve as a base for vodka cocktails such as the traditional Moscow Mule.
It is often said there are FOUR key ingredients to a classic Moscow Mule – vodka, ginger beer, lime and a copper mug! (The fourth “ingredient” often leaving the bar with the patron!) With a name like Copperworks, the distillery gets a lot of requests for copper mugs and is now offering them for sale in its tasting room on the Seattle waterfront. The copper mug holds 11 oz. and costs $20 and is the perfect vessel for a Moscow Mule.
Try Copperworks version of the classic Moscow Mule:
Copperworks Moscow Mule
2 oz. Copperworks Vodka
.5 oz. fresh lime juice
4 to 5 oz. ginger beer
Squeeze the lime juice into a copper mug. Pour in the vodka, add ice and stir. Add ginger beer (adjust the amount to your taste). Garnish with a lime slice.
