{"id":11945,"date":"2020-10-01T09:00:37","date_gmt":"2020-10-01T13:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gervasivineyard.com\/?p=11945"},"modified":"2025-06-03T14:14:03","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T18:14:03","slug":"gervasi-spirits-the-manifestation-of-the-moscow-mule-spirit-root-mug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gervasivineyard.com\/gervasi-spirits-the-manifestation-of-the-moscow-mule-spirit-root-mug\/","title":{"rendered":"Gervasi Spirits \u2013 The Manifestation of the Moscow Mule"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many classic cocktails around the world are products of inspiration and grass-roots popularity growth. The Moscow Mule is not<\/em> one of those cocktails.\u00a0 Instead, it was designed intentionally to fix a problem and then paired with good marketing.\u00a0 When it was created in the 1941, this drink was created to \u201cfix\u201d the lack-luster sales of vodka, ginger beer, and copper mugs.<\/p>\n

Starting in the 1930\u2019s, the Smirnoff Vodka brand was purchased by\u00a0G.F. Heublein Brothers Inc. for production and distribution in the US.\u00a0 Unfortunately, even by 1941, vodka was still very unpopular with Americans, who instead preferred whiskey and gin.<\/p>\n

At the same time, Jack Morgan\u2019s Cock n\u2019 Bull Ginger Beer<\/em> wasn\u2019t showing much success with American palettes either. This is where an enthusiastic entrepreneur, Sophie Berezinski, made her mark.\u00a0 Having emigrated from Russia while in possession of 2,000 copper mugs she designed herself, Sophie needed a way to market and sell her inventory.<\/p>\n

The owners of these three products met accidently at the Cock n\u2019 Bull pub in 1941.\u00a0 What happened next was a master stroke in product promotion.\u00a0 After the drink was invented, John Martin (president of G.F. Heublein Brothers Inc.) traveled the country promoting Smirnoff Vodka.\u00a0 He did so by stopping at a bar, requesting the bartender make a Moscow Mule, and then pose for a photo with one of the copper mugs.<\/p>\n

John would then go to the next bar and use the previous photo as \u201cproof\u201d of the drink\u2019s popularity.\u00a0 Bar after bar, across the United States, Martin eventually built an impressive collection of photo opportunities, and practically crafted the Moscow Mule\u2019s<\/em> success by hand.<\/p>\n

Over time the mugs have changed, flavors have been played with, and the Moscow Mule has created its own subculture of variety.\u00a0 And with its rise, so too has it continued to achieve its original purpose: make vodka popular.<\/p>\n

\"Gervasi<\/p>\n

Vodka has continued to grow in popularity and is made locally at The Still House at Gervasi Vineyard<\/a> where the boutique distillery<\/a> is housed. Gervasi Spirits Small Batch Vodka is made using both the distillery\u2019s pot stills and column stills, for added purification to ensure a high quality spirit.<\/p>\n

According to Andrew Codispoti, Director of Winemaking and Distilling Operations for GV Destinations<\/a>, \u201cWhen we sought to produce a Gervasi vodka, we understood that its broad usage can range from leading role to co-star. So, we wanted our vodka to be well suited in cocktails but be equally pleasurable in its raw form.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWith that goal in mind, we set process standards to deliver both purity and pleasurable characteristics, a vodka that would be reminiscent of the icons but yet distinctly Gervasi.\u00a0 Mindful attention by skillful hands have accomplished just that,\u201d said Codispoti.<\/p>\n

\"The
The Spire of Temperance<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Gervasi Small Batch Vodka is staged for your drinking pleasure at The Still House<\/a> at Gervasi Vineyard in classic cocktails<\/a>, including the Moscow Mule, and several contemporary libations<\/a>:<\/p>\n