Many people who first hear the name, Moscow Mule, tend to assume the drink dates back to its Russian roots. However, its origin story isn’t that simple. There are a couple of legends surrounding this infamous drink that we hear all the time.

The first origin story can be traced back to the 1930s Sunset Strip in sunny California. A man named John G. Martin, had purchased an unknown vodka distillery, called Smirnoff (sound familiar?). He was having an incredibly difficult time selling his vodka, resulting in a surplus of product. After all, Americans were more interested in whiskey and beer during this time.

Martin had complained to his friend, Jack Morgan, who happened to be the owner of a bar in Hollywood, called the “Cock ‘n’ Bull.” Turns out, Morgan faced the same problems in trying to sell his ginger beer. In 1941, the two decided the best strategy to combat this surplus was to combine their drinks and sell it as one. It worked perfectly, as the drink skyrocketed in popularity.

Wait – but where did the copper mug come from?

Jack Morgan’s girlfriend at the time, Osalene Schmitt, had her own business of copper goods. From there, the three combined the ginger beer, vodka, and copper mugs, to create one of America’s most favorite drinks, the Moscow Mule.

The second origin story has the original characters of John G. Martin and Jack Morgan, but instead of Osalene Schmitt, introduces a Russian immigrant named Sophie Berezinski. Legend has it, Berezinski arrived in America with 2,000 copper mugs – a surplus from her father’s copper factory in Russia. She walked into the Cock ‘n’ Bull bar in Los Angeles with the intention of selling her supplies. After meeting Morgan and Martin, the three discussed ways to merge their products and tackle their surplus woes.

The rest, they say, is history.

With its timeless look and incredible insulating properties, copper mugs continue to be the ideal drinkware for experienced drinkers all over the world.