This quirky cocktail has been going in and out of style since it was invented in the 1940s, during the height of the U.S. "vodka craze." 2014 was a golden—or should I say copper, wink-wink—year for the Moscow Mule, so what better drink to toast the New Year?

Taste: The Moscow Mule consists of ginger beer, vodka, lime juice, and mint served over ice and in a distinctive copper mug. This particular Mule was mixed at Donnelly’s Pub, 110 E. College, and for an Irish bar, they stir a good vodka drink. The ginger flavor was strong enough to soften the vodka, but didn’t overpower the hints of lime and mint that give this cold drink a wintery feel.

Advice: If you decide to mix your own Moscow Mule, go whole hog: find actual ginger beer—Court Avenue Brewing Co. of Des Moines brews a good one—instead of ginger ale, and don’t forget the sprig of mint. The aesthetically-pleasing copper mug is worth a splurge as well, and it’s rather fun to watch the ice stick to the inside of the mug like a tongue on a cold metal pole. I triple-dog dare you to try it.

—By Emma McClatchey