With the AFFTA Dealer Summit transpiring in Bozeman this week, I couldn’t help but notice that the participants spent a bit of time at several fine dining and beverage establishments in the area, including a spin through the Bozeman Spirits shop on Main.
Being the astute observers of the use of fly fishing metaphors in retail marketing that we are, we couldn’t help but notice the comely lass on the Montana huckleberry vodka poster was dressed appropriately for the summer dry fly season.
However, her hip waders suggest she’s been wading colder waters, perhaps the upper Gallatin or even higher tributaries, and in fact there appears to be a bobber attached to her rig suggesting she’s been nymphing the deeper runs between hatches, further suggesting she’s been fishing during the peak of the midday sun. All the better to work on one’s tan; good thing she’s wearing a hat and we can only hope she liberally applied sunscreen.
This spin on the Moscow Mule, the Montana Huckleberry Mule, is humbly offered up today to highlight Bozeman Spirit’s colorful (and tasty) tip of the hat to a long-time Montana and northern Rockies favorite – the Huckleberry.
While those in the know tell us the Moscow Mule was born in Manhattan at the Chatham Hotel in 1941, by a trio including Jack Morgan, LA restauranteur and president of Cock ‘n’ Bull ginger beer, it’s patently obvious that the beverage has reached it’s zenith in Montana.
1 half lime
2 ounces Huckleberry Vodka
4-6 ounces Ginger Beer
Garnish: Lime slice
Squeeze the lime into a copper Mule mug (or a Collins glass if you must); drop in the squeezed lime shell. Add several ice cubes, pour the vodka and then top with ice cold ginger beer (homemade if possible).
Garnish with a lime slice and go to it.
Enjoy.
