What You Didn't Know About The Colorado Bulldog Cocktail

When it comes to cocktails, most people have knowledge of the White Russian, if not by ordering one up to drink, then by virtue of watching Jeff Bridges' iconic character "the Dude" sip on this dessert-like drink from an old fashioned glass in the cult classic comedy, The Big Lebowski. The White Russian is the perfect after-dinner drink, starting with ice in a glass, using vodka as the base, and layering in Kahlua and heavy cream to create what Liquor.com calls "a delicious alternative to adult milkshakes."

The White Russian is without a doubt a great drink; however, have you ever heard of the Colorado Bulldog? The Colorado Bulldog is like the White Russian, only better. It's got the vodka, the coffee liqueur, and the cream, but it also adds the effervescence and sweetness of Coke to create a completely new cocktail (via Quartz). If the addition of this ingredient has you singing, "Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated!" we feel that Laverne and Shirley vibe as well. (For those who didn't watch the show, Laverne drank a mix of milk and Pepsi.) But this apparent metamorphosis has us wondering how the White Russian turned into the Colorado Bulldog (and that's assuming the drinks are even related). What are the origins of this ice-cream-soda-like drink that has us stepping up to the bar for its creamy goodness, and how do you make one perfectly?

Despite all of our internet sleuthing, discovering how the Colorado Bulldog got its name left us with an unsatisfying conclusion that doesn't take us any farther from where we started. The origins of the Colorado Bulldog are a mystery. Sorry, that's the reality. Honestly, you would probably have better luck finding a needle in a haystack than trying to discover how this drink got its name. Boulder Locavore noted the theory that the Colorado Bulldog was created in Russia, but we can't imagine under what scenario a drink with Colorado in the name would claim Russia as its birthplace. Boulder Locavore had similar thoughts on this subject and noted they, too, were stumped by the supposition that the drink came from Russia. 

Per Dictionary.com, naming a drink can pose somewhat of a challenge for a cocktail's creator, noting that the drink's name must get customers to order it while serving as a hat tip to where the drink was created or spotlighting the star ingredient. Naming a drink also provides its creator the opportunity to get creative and distinguish his or her invention from other cocktails. But let's set aside its origins and instead focus on what matters: making the perfect Colorado Bulldog. The makers of Kahula suggest taking equal parts Kahula, vodka, and cream and mixing them in a shaker with ice. Pour into a glass over a strainer, top off with cola, and enjoy.