The beauty behind the ready-to-drink (RTD) Portland Mule is not just the four-times distilled award-winning vodka, but its portability! Best yet, Eastside Distilling’s Portland Mule is as delicious as it is portable. This canned cocktail has been designed to be enjoyed on-the-go as well as in the moment. Our interpretation of a Moscow Mule embodies our rustic Oregon roots and fuses the Pacific Northwest into the mixed drink. It’s not from Russia so why pretend it is?
Fads and trends are innovation incubators. The poor ones come and go and the best ones re-shape our thinking as to what is possible. We’ve taken the momentum of the canned cocktail craze to analyze what exactly is happening here and why. Looking at the category from 30,000 feet gives us a clear view of what is working and what is failing. Canning a cocktail is only one piece of the single-serve revolution; dissecting the details around scope of demand, ecological impact, functionality and yes, profitability is a task that we’re fully committed to understanding.
Let’s talk demand. The demand for quality is not going anywhere - it’s here to stay and therefore is a rule, not a trend. As demand for quality spreads through varying aspects of our lives it is pertinent that we, as distillers and beverage producers, understand our role in this evolving dynamic. Not everyone has a personal bar cart and not everyone can mix a cocktail (ironically our distiller included which she is happy to discuss at length). As a society we are more on the go than ever and opportunities to be leisure are not always planned weeks, days or even hours in advance. Sharing a cocktail is the most leisure activity we indulge in as social creatures so we’re working to alleviate the additional stresses involved in having a good time.
It’s not always economical or ecologically responsible to bring glass bottles to sacred outdoor spaces such as river beds, beach fronts, trails, pools or parks. You know and respect the concept of “pack it in, pack it out” as we do. It’s our responsibility as a guest of nature that we leave these places as we found them - or better! The small format, slim-style can that we sourced fits perfectly in picnic baskets and backpacks, lightning the load and allowing space for essentials such as food, water and gear. Limiting the amount of material brought in to a space is more manageable when we design products to fit these needs and drastically limit potential remnants. It’s functional and good for the planet!
Crafted in collaboration with Portland Syrups, the Portland Mule combines Eastside’s award-winning Portland Potato Vodka, spicy ginger syrup made from whole ingredients and a dash of fresh lime. We designed the Portland Mule to have a bold, balanced flavor with a refreshing fizzy finish. This Portland rendition is best enjoyed straight from the chilled can or poured over ice.
Now that you have less stress about what to carry around and if potentially tainting our natural habitat, you can finally live in the moments that matter most: times when friends can gather, enjoy an experience, and create a memory seamlessly without excess or waste. These moments and want for these moments was our inspiration for use of alternative packaging. If less is more then you can bask in your new ritual of opting for portable mixology where mahogany stools are replaced with stumps and straws are replaced with pop tops.
The Portland Mule canned cocktail fits perfectly into your life as a 250ml thin can. It’s 10.5% alcohol-by-volume which is the actual serving you would receive at a bar, and artfully crafted with local, whole ingredients from small businesses you’d be proud to support. Available year round you can sip in the summer or sulk in the rain, you won’t feel guilty wherever and whenever you crack a can.
Enjoying a cocktail in your happy place. { Mocks Crest Park, Portland OR }