About White Russians

The White Russian cocktail gets its name from the combination of milk and vodka that makes up its base. The "White Russians" who fought against the Bolsheviks during the early 1900s have no bearing or relation to this popular drink. It is a drink that has been around since the 1960s, and its resurgence in popularity may be linked to an appearance in "The Big Lebowski" film, in which the movie's main character literally lives off the milky drink.

History

During the 1950s, a marketing campaign for vodka was put forth in the United States to promote the little-used alcohol. Creating fun and tasty drinks for the public was part of the blitz that made vodka a popular (and now common) additive for many beverages. Named because of the vodka inside, the White Russian first came into popular existence in 1965 with the advent of a recipe printed in the Oakland Tribune.

Features

The White Russian is made up of coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua, and vodka, poured over ice. The name comes from its trademark cream or milk topping giving the drink an overall white look. The basic recipe for a White Russian is: 1 ½ measures of vodka, 1 measure of coffee liqueur and 1 measure of light cream or milk. This drink should be served on the rocks in a plain drinking glass.

Considerations

White Russians are great party drinks, as the coffee or Irish cream liquor provides a somewhat sweet dessert-drink flavor. The use of cream in the drink, with a whipped cream and cherry garnish, makes it perfect for a holiday party and the ability to swap out liquor flavors makes it versatile enough to please anyone. Use of soy milk makes it appropriate for lactose intolerant people.

Types

A White Russian can be customized by the type or brand of vodka used or by varying the liquor flavor placed in the drink. A Virgin White Russian is a humorous term used for a simple glass of milk, and a Black Russian is basically vodka and liqueur without the milk or cream.
A Colorado Bulldog is a White Russian with a shot of cola, while a White Cuban is a White Russian that uses rum instead of vodka.
A Blonde Russian replaces the milk with Bailey's Irish Cream, and a Larry's White Russian uses coconut liqueur instead of the coffee liqueur.
A Dirty White Russian adds chocolate syrup and a cherry garnish while a Brown Russian adds cocoa powder. Soy milk or skim milk can also be used in a traditional White Russian to cut the calories.

Warning

The White Russian is a powerful drink wrapped in an inauspicious package and therefore can get someone drunk in a short amount of time. Like many vodka drinks, the vodka is diluted with a tasty flavoring, making it difficult for some drinkers to realize how much alcohol they are actually consuming.

Resources

• Famous Cocktails and Where They Were Born
• Great Cocktails