Who Mixes Beer With White Russians?

In 2014, U.S. actor David Duchovny starred in a Russian beer commercial for the brand Sibirskaya Korona (Siberian Crown). The commercial attracted over 1.7 million views in four days. Duchovny, who is known for his role in the sci-fi series The X-Files, muses in the ad about how his life would have been different if he had been born Russian. However, it is important to note that despite many people in Russia believing that Duchovny has Russian roots, his ancestors were actually Jews from Poland and Ukraine.

In contrast, the actor Jeff Bridges, known for his role in the Coen brothers' cult comedy classic The Big Lebowski, is famous for drinking White Russians in the film. The cocktail is made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream, and the character Jeffrey The Dude Lebowski can be seen sipping it throughout the movie.

Jeff Bridges' character in 'The Big Lebowski'

In the 1998 Coen brothers crime-comedy *The Big Lebowski*, Jeff Bridges plays Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a single, unemployed man from Venice, California, whose pastimes include smoking pot, drinking White Russians, and bowling. The Dude is a fan of Creedence Clearwater Revival and is known for his signature Pendleton sweater, goatee, and long hair. He is also referred to as His Dudeness or El Duderino.

The character of The Dude is said to be based on Jeff Dowd, a member of the anti-war radical group the Seattle Liberation Front. Dowd, like his cinematic counterpart, was nicknamed "The Dude" by his friends in the sixth grade. Bridges and Dowd even met and took a photo together in 1998. Bridges' character in *The Big Lebowski* is known for drinking White Russians—a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream—throughout the film, which helped to revive interest in the drink.

The Dude is the protagonist of *The Big Lebowski*. The film's plot centres around a case of mistaken identity, as The Dude becomes entangled in a kidnapping scheme after his rug is urinated on. The Dude's rug, which he believes ties the room together, is based on a real rug owned by Peter Exline, a friend of the Coen brothers. Exline would interrupt his storytelling to ask the Coen brothers, "Doesn't this rug really tie the room together?"

The Dude's bowling teammates include Theodore Donald "Donny" Kerabatsos, played by Steve Buscemi, and Vietnam War-obsessed military veteran Walter Sobchak, played by John Goodman. The Dude is also acquainted with video artist Knox Harrington (David Thewlis) and conceptual artist Maude Lebowski (Julianne Moore).

David Duchovny's Russian beer ad

In 2014, David Duchovny, the American actor known for his roles in "The X-Files" and "Californication", starred in a Russian beer commercial for the brand Sibirskaya Korona (Siberian Crown). The ad, titled "You Have Things to Be Proud Of", attracted over 1.7 million views in just four days and sparked controversy for its heavy themes of pro-Russian nostalgia and cultural nationalism.

In the two-and-a-half-minute ad, Duchovny, who is of Ukrainian and Polish descent, imagines what his life would have been like if he had been born in Russia. He says, "This is the country where I was born and raised. But there is another country where I got my family name from. And sometimes I wonder: What if things turned out differently? What if I were Russian?"

The ad then showcases Duchovny's alternate lives as a Russian astronaut, hockey player, ballet choreographer, aspiring actor speaking Russian, disco-pop singer with a mullet, and an upper-middle-class Russian toasting with friends at sunset.

The commercial was released during a tense time in US-Russia relations, with ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and disputes over the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17. Some critics called the ad poorly timed and nationalistic, while the director, Michael Lockshin, denied any political intentions, stating they wanted to avoid nationalism and were simply inspired by Duchovny's Eastern European roots.

Despite the controversy, the ad was a viral success, with Duchovny's performance and the exploration of Russian pride resonating with many viewers.

How to make a White Russian

The White Russian is a decadent cocktail that is surprisingly easy to make. It combines vodka, coffee liqueur (usually Kahlua), and cream. The drink is served on the rocks, creating a delicious alternative to adult milkshakes.

The White Russian was first made in the mid-20th century, more specifically in 1955 in Oakland, California. Despite its name, the drink does not have Russian origins. Instead, it gets its name from its main ingredient, vodka. The Black Russian, which combines coffee liqueur and vodka, is the original version of the drink and was created in 1949 for the American ambassador to Luxembourg in a hotel bar in Brussels.

To make a classic White Russian, start by filling a small glass (or rocks glass) with ice. Then, add 2 parts vodka and 1 part coffee liqueur (such as Kahlua, Tia Maria, or Trader Vic's Kona). Stir to mix. Finally, top it off with 1 to 2 parts of heavy cream and stir gently to create a swirl effect. You can also slowly pour the cream over the back of a spoon held over the glass to create a layered look.

There are several variations of the White Russian that you can try. For a vegan option, you can swap the cream for coconut milk or your favourite nut milk. For a Bailey's White Russian, simply replace the cream with Bailey's Irish Cream. If you're feeling festive, add some pumpkin spice or pumpkin butter to make a Pumpkin Spice White Russian. Or, for an extra indulgent touch, swap the heavy cream for a big spoonful of homemade whipped cream.

When choosing your ingredients, opt for a mid-priced vodka to avoid overpowering the other flavours in the drink. For the coffee liqueur, Kahlua is a popular choice, but any coffee-flavoured liqueur will work. As for the cream, heavy cream will give you a rich and luxurious White Russian, but you can also use half-and-half, whole milk, or 2% milk for a lighter version.

History of the White Russian

The White Russian is a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream served on the rocks. The drink first appeared in the 1960s when someone added cream to a Black Russian, which first appeared in 1949. The name "White Russian" was first mentioned in an Oakland Tribune newspaper in 1965. However, neither the White Russian nor the Black Russian has any known Russian origin. Instead, the name is simply a reference to their base spirit, vodka.

In the 1960s and 1970s, brands such as Southern Comfort, Smirnoff, and Kahlua promoted the White Russian, which became one of the most popular drinks in America in the early 1990s. The drink's popularity surged after the 1998 release of the film "The Big Lebowski", in which the protagonist, Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, played by Jeff Bridges, drank White Russians frequently. The film breathed new life into the cocktail, saving it from extinction and turning it into a cult classic.

The White Russian's simplicity is a large part of its allure. The combination of vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream is so pleasurable that even if the measurements are not precise, the resulting drink can still be enjoyable. However, there is a certain magic to getting the proportions just right. The quality of the ingredients, particularly the vodka and cream, is essential to the taste of the cocktail.

The White Russian has many variants, such as the Mudslide, Bolshevik, or Blonde Russian (made with Irish cream). The Dirty Russian swaps in chocolate milk for cream, the White Cuban uses rum instead of vodka, and the Colorado Bulldog adds a splash of cola. The White Russian has become a cultural icon, with The Big Lebowski-themed bars and pop-up bars around the globe, paying homage to the drink's cinematic association.

Variations of the White Russian cocktail

The White Russian is a cocktail made with vodka, coffee liqueur (such as Kahlúa or Tia Maria), and cream, served with ice in an old-fashioned glass. It is a variation of the Black Russian, which first appeared in 1949 and is made by simply removing the cream from the White Russian recipe. The White Russian was then created in the 1960s when someone added cream to the Black Russian.

There are many variations of the White Russian cocktail, including:

• The Mudslide
• Bolshevik
• Blonde Russian (made with Irish cream)
• Anna Kournikova (named after the tennis player, made with skimmed milk)
• White Cuban (made with rum instead of vodka)
• Dirty Russian (with chocolate syrup added)
• Colorado Bulldog or Tall Black Russian (with a splash of cola)
• White Mexican (with tequila instead of vodka)
• Colorado Bulldog (with a splash of cola)
• Flat White Martini (equal parts Irish cream, vodka, and espresso shaken and served 'up')
• White Belgian (made with chocolate liqueur instead of coffee liqueur)
• White Canadian (made with goat's milk)
• Blind Russian (with Irish cream liqueur in place of cream)
• White Leprechaun (with Irish whiskey instead of vodka)
• Vegan White Russian (with almond milk instead of cream)
• Chai Tea White Russian (with creamy chai tea instead of cream)
• Coconut White Russian (with coconut milk instead of cream)
• Salted Caramel White Russian (with caramel and sea salt added)
• Horchata White Russian (with horchata and cinnamon instead of cream)
• Chocolate White Russian (with chocolate syrup added, served with a brownie)
• Irish Coffee-style White Russian (with Irish whiskey and hot coffee instead of vodka)

Frequently asked questions