Overview
Theshaker is unquestionablythe most iconic co*cktail tool, and pretty essential if you want to do co*cktails right. Thewhole point of shaking is to get theice churning back and forth which aerates and emulsifies theco*cktail. To learn more about which co*cktails should beshaken and why visit the Shaking vsStirringpage. To learnhowto shake like a pro, head over to the Shaking page.
There aretwo basic types of shakers: thetwo-piece and thethree-piece. The two-piece consists oftwo different sized vessels being wedged into one another. They can betwometal shaker "tins", ora standard pint glass and a larger shaker tin. The three-piece shaker, aka Cobbler shaker,hasa built-in strainer on top that's covered with a third removablecap piece.
I personally prefer using a two-piece, as do the majority bartenders,while the common choice at home is athree piece. I'll get into the minutia between the two below.But know this: no matter what shaker you have, you can make delicious co*cktails.
Shakers
1. Boston Shaker:Tin on Tin - Tins are available in multiple sizes. I prefer an 18and28 ouncecombination, or something similar. The more contrast in sizebetween the two halves, the smaller the shaker will be when it's sealedbecause the smaller tin will fitfurther inside the larger one. Some prefer a smallershaker because they find it less bulky andeasiertohandle;others want a larger one so there's more space for the ice.As always, it's entirelyyour call.
co*cktail Kingdom:"Koriko" Tins - These are whatI use.
Winco:ShakerTins-Justasfunctional and slightly more affordable, note thelarger size gap.
2. Boston Shaker: Glass on Tin
For this, it's just the basics. Thereisn't really a higher end option.
Shaker Substitute- A shaker's cleanliness and efficiency makes ita tough tool to replace. But in an emergency, pretty much any container that will close tightly could potentially be used to shake co*cktails, such asalarge mason jar, asthese guyscleverly figured out (justdon't shake it too hard)l or asalad shaker, particularlyOXO'swhicheven has a spout you can even strain from.
Purchase:
Boston Style:Tin on Tin vs. Glass on Tin
The Boston Shaker is the most common two-piece styleand what most bartenders use. It is operated by fittingthe mouth of the smaller vessel - which can be a pint glass or a metal tin - inside the mouth of the larger vessel,always a metal tin.
The two halves are thenmanually sealed togetherso they don'tcome apart when shakingand then broken apart afterwards to strain out the co*cktail. It takes a little practice at first -you can see myfoolproof methodon the Shaking page- but once you get the hang of it, the Boston Shaker is faster and easier to use than any other shakerstyle.
Parisian Style - This other two-piece shaker style, also called a French shaker, is less common in the U.S. As you can see, it's composed a little like a three-piece shaker but with no removable cap. It differs from the Boston shakerin thatrather than the two halves being wedged together, they fitsnuggly into one another.
Separating them can sometimes require a little bit of shimmying. They can't bepopped open quite as easily asa Boston shaker. So speaking from a professional bartender'sperspective, I prefer the Boston shaker. But aside fromthat, these areperhaps the most beautifullooking shakers of any style, andarea lovely home bar option.
Most Bartenders Prefer Tin on Tin . . .
In my experience, two metal tins are superior. Mainly because metal is lighter and more pliable, which gives it thesefunctional advantages:
Tin on tinformsa tighter seal thatis also easier to break. Breaking theseal with a pint glass requires more force.
Since they're lighter, you can shake harder with less effort.
Metalgets colder faster than glass, and thus,chills theco*cktail more quickly.
Metal doesn'teventually break!
3. Parisian Shaker -These are not as common in the U.S., though you'll find plenty of optionsbrowsing the internet. I particularlylike the silver andgold plated ones. Here's a basic example:
3.
2.
1.
. . . Though Glass on Tin has itsBenefits Too
While I don't prefer them, there arethree points in favorof using a pintglass which I must acknowledge:
It can double as amixing glassfor stirring co*cktails,which makes ita good option if you're looking to minimize your number of tools(of course, you could always stir in a metal tin as well).
You canseethe ingredients as the co*cktail is being prepared, which is visually appealing,particularly if there's anymuddling involved.
If you don't want to bother with glassware, a pint glasscan double as a drinking glass one you're done mixing. Cheers!
3 piece shaker
Two-piece Shakers
Two-Piece Shakers
There are two primary benefits of using a two-piece shaker. The biggest one for me is there'smore space for the ice to travel back and forth, whichcreates more aeration. Inthe smaller three-piece shaker, the ice is more cramped. Also, once you get accustomed to working with a two-piece, it's much quicker and streamlinedthan a three-piece.
Three-Piece Shaker
The three-piece hastwo major conveniences going for it, primarilythe removable cap piece that eliminates the need for a separatestrainer.You also don't have to acclimate yourself to forming andbreaking asealas witha Boston style two-piece shaker. That's why it's a common choice for manyhome bars.
Problems- As I've alluded to above, despite these benefits, there are some drawbacks to a 3-piece shaker. Thebiggest one for me is they generally hold asmaller volume than a 2-piece, which meansthere'sless room for the ice to travel.Additionally,thebuilt-in strainer is quitenarrow soitstrainsslowly. This problem is exacerbatedifthere are multiple drinks or any muddled ingredients which canreducethe flow to a trickle.Finally, both thecap piece and the larger top piece frequentlyget stuck and can be a nightmare to separate.
I admit, a lot of these are a bartender's pet peeves and at home they will be far less pronounced, if pronounced at all. So I'm not saying you should throwout your three-piece shaker. If you have one and like the co*cktails it makes, that's all that matters. You make the co*cktail, not the tool.
If you are in the market for 3-piece shaker, I'd go fora larger one, 28 ouncesor so;that will alleviate the aeration problemsomewhat.
Purchase - You'll find a trove of options out there. Here are two at oppositeends of the price spectrum.
The co*cktail Kingdom option. It'sheavier and designed to be easier to separate. 28 oz.
While it's not my first choice, I'd be remiss if I ignored thebudget standard.
