Shake It Up

Fancy three-piece cocktail shakers might look good in the store, but they’re impractical behind the bar. “They’re difficult to get apart, and since all of the pieces are often constructed from metal, you can’t see what you’re doing as you add the ingredients,” says Dale DeGroff, author of The Craft of the Cocktail. Here, DeGroff shows how to wield the Boston shaker, which has been yielding great drinks for 150 years. Rösle Boston shaker, $45, surlatable.com

Step 1
Experienced bartenders learn the “feel” of pouring certain measurements from a bottle, but you should pour into a measuring cup until you hone your senses. Add each ingredient to the glass part of the shaker before you add ice, so you can eyeball the overall mixture. Then, using a scoop, add ice on top.

Step 2
Firmly place the open end of the can on top of the glass. Tap it downward, if necessary, to form a vacuum seal. The snug fit will prevent liquid from leaking out when you shake. When the two are properly fitted, you should be able to lift the entire shaker and its contents off  the table by grasping the can alone.

Step 3
Turn the shaker over so that the glass is on top. Using two hands, vigorously shake the drink over your shoulder for a full 10 seconds. “The harder you shake, the better the drink,” says DeGroff. By placing the glass on top, you’ll avoid splashing onlookers if the shaker separates.

Step 4
Hold the shaker in your right hand, glass up, with your first two fingers on the glass and the other two on the can. “You need to control both parts of the shaker,” says DeGroff. Using your left hand, point your fingers up and firmly strike the edge of the can with an open palm. The vacuum should release. “If it doesn’t open after two taps, rotate the shaker a quarter turn and tap again until you find the sweet spot,” says DeGroff.

Step 5
Place a Hawthorne strainer (see “The Mixologist’s Tool Kit,” page 49) over the can and slowly pour the drink into the appropriate chilled glass, leaving the ice behind. If you’re serving a drink on the rocks, fill the glass with a handful of ice cubes as you’re shaking, then pour the drink over them.