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If I had a (Velvet) Hammer

Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy gets a drink named in her honor

"Murphy's Velvet Hammer" at the Hawk N Dove. (Clyde McGrady/CQ Roll Call)
"Murphy's Velvet Hammer" at the Hawk N Dove. (Clyde McGrady/CQ Roll Call)

Bourbon and Prosecco. Two things you wouldn’t expect to pair well together, much like woven tufted fabric and household hardware.

But that’s what you’ll get when you walk into D.C.’s Hawk N Dove and order a “Murphy’s Velvet Hammer,” the new drink named after Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy.

The drink, which debuted Wednesday night, consists of Maker’s Mark, Prosecco, ginger beer and orange bitters. It is not to be shaken nor stirred. Rather, the drinker should sip the Prosecco (velvet) on top before being hit with the bourbon (hammer) at the bottom.

Murphy was on hand to celebrate the honor with staff and lawmaker friends, including Reps. Kathleen Rice (her roommate), Tom Suozzi and Jimmy Panetta.

According to Murphy, the nickname comes from her time serving at the Pentagon.

“My team decided to give me that name based on how I handled some pretty tough situations with a lot of people who are a lot more senior than I was in writing the strategic guidance document for the department,” she said. “And once they gave me that name and a coin with it engraved, they figured it sounded like a pretty good drink.”

And how does the Velvet Hammer herself feel about the honor? “I think it’s a lot of fun to have a drink here at Hawk N Dove,” she said, before calling the longtime D.C. establishment an “iconic” Washington watering hole.

Murphy says the idea came about when she and some friends were at Hawk N Dove and requested a bourbon and Prosecco mixed drink. The staff was so impressed they asked if they could add it to the menu. After a bit of tinkering with the recipe, Murphy’s Velvet Hammer was born.

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