Used to describe cold weather, this saying derives from the traditional Navy phrase "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey". This references the brass structure or 'monkey' where cannon balls were stacked.

It was widely and incorrectly believed that the Beastie Boys were referring to a different drink made from a 40-ounce container of malt liquor mixed with orange juice ("forty" is mentioned in the lyrics); however, Mike D has publicly confirmed that the premixed Heublein cocktail was their inspiration.

There's no denying that the Beastie Boys were responsible for popularizing the Brass Monkey, but the origins of the drink are much more mysterious. In fact, the Brass Monkey they were rapping about was not orange juice and beer (or malt liquor), but a canned precursor to Smirnoff Ice.

The origin of the pre-mixed cocktail's name was likely a marketing ploy to make it seem exotic and captivating. Heublin weaved sordid tales of World War II subterfuge and espionage, all centering around a club in Macau, China, named the Brass Monkey.