Shaking your cocktail

May 20, 9:16 AMNY Cocktails ExaminerSara Gorelick

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Properly shaking a cocktail is an important part of every successful drink. It is not as easy as it looks; ask any bartender who didn’t screw on those glasses tight enough in their early mixing days! Most cocktails call for a good shake so the ingredients are evenly distributed through the beverage and reach a cool temp, so this is an important technique to master. Once you have your shaker set, which you can buy at a variety of liquor or a home goods stores, you are ready to shake it like a Polaroid picture!

First things first, add some ice to the stainless steel cup, to about 1/3 to a half full. Also, ice the glass that you will be pouring the drink in to chill it. United States Bartender Guild NY Chapter President and Cocktail Guru Jonathan Pogash has a mean shaking arm. He recognizes the importance of the right kind of ice and advises to be aware of what you are putting in the glass first. “Shaking is an integral part of the technique behind mixing up quality, craft cocktails. But it all comes back to ice, and the importance of good quality ice. When you’re shaking a cocktail, you have two unique reasons for doing so: 1) diluting the drink with the proper amount of water 2) making the drink cold. Thus, ice that dilutes properly and alters the temperature of the drink to the perfect degree, is a must for any good cocktail bar or home bartender. The best kind of ice melts at a slower pace, while still ensuring the drink remains cold. Chipped block ice is best, or the ice cubes that come out of Kold-Draft ice machines, as they are thicker, larger, purer, and melt slower.”

Start building your cocktail over the ice. When you have all the ingredients measured and poured, place the glass on top of the shaker, bottom side up, so that it snaps together in one piece. Twist it a bit so it really gets stuck on there. Shake with both hands, one holding the glass on top and one holding the bottom of the shaker. Start shaking over one shoulder and have yourself a good time! Shake around for as long as you want (about ten seconds is great)! Once you become master of shaking, you will look like a pro and it’s also a nice little arm workout!

Pulling the glasses apart can be tricky. If they don’t come apart easily, slap the point where the glasses connect with the bottom of your palm. Use a cocktail strainer (called a Hawthorn strainer) to pour the mixture from the stainless steel cup into your cocktail glass. And you are done! Once you get started shaking, don’t stop! Throw on some Jump in the Line by Harry Belafonte or Shake It by Metro Station and practice, practice, practice!! Cheers!