How to Shake a Cocktail: A Guide for Home Bartenders

How to Shake a Cocktail? In this guide, we’ll shake up your mixology knowledge, exploring the ins and outs of shaking cocktails like a seasoned pro. You’ll learn why shaking matters, the different techniques to master, and even how to choose the right tools for the job.

Why Is Cocktail Shaking Important?

Shaking your drink is not done just for the fun of it. It’s a key step in crafting a delicious cocktail. The general “shaken vs. stirred” rule is simple: shake cocktails with nonalcoholic mixers or those with lots of flavors and heavy ingredients like fruit juices or cream. This is because cocktail shaking serves multiple purposes.

• First, it rapidly chills the liquid. Think of it like an ice bath for your drink. 
• Second, it expertly combines all the ingredients, creating a unified flavor. This is especially crucial if your cocktail includes ingredients that don’t easily mix, like syrups or eggs. 
• Third, cocktail shaking also dilutes the cocktail, reducing its strength so you can enjoy a pleasant sip instead of a harsh gulp. 
• Finally, shaking adds aeration to the mixture. This creates a lighter, frothier texture that’s more enjoyable to drink.

Remember, the goal isn’t just a cold drink. We want a perfectly balanced, velvety smooth cocktail with a consistent texture. Shaking helps to reduce bitterness and increase sweetness, giving you a more rounded and delicious experience. So, next time you’re mixing up a drink, don’t be afraid to give it a good shake!

Using a Cocktail Shaker 101

Now that we’ve covered the “why,” let’s talk about the “how.” The standard shaking technique works wonders for most drinks containing spirits, juices, cream, fruits, syrups, or other heavy ingredients. The goal is to get all those elements perfectly mixed, diluted, chilled, and aerated in one smooth move.

Types of Shakers and Strainers: Choosing Your Tools

Before you start shaking, you’ll need the right gear. When it comes to shakers, there are two main types: the cobbler and the Boston shaker. The Parisian or French shaker is less common and, honestly, a bit more annoying to use, but it can still make great drinks. It’s all about personal preference.

1. Cobbler Shaker: This is the three-piece shaker you probably picture when you think of cocktails. It has a metal cup, a top with an integrated strainer, and a metal cap to seal the opening.
2. Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece system with a large metal cup and a smaller cup that fits inside. You can either seal the metal with a smaller cup or use a Boston glass (like a beer pint). The latter is primarily used for shaking and can be removed to strain multiple drinks at one time.
3. French/Parisian Shaker: This is a hybrid, combining a two-piece, cobbler-style top with no cap and a built-in strainer. They’re more expensive and rare than the other styles.

Boston shakers require an external strainer to keep ice shards out of your drink. This takes a bit more skill, as you need to learn how to crack the seal and pour through the gap between the tins. This technique is best mastered with:

• Hawthorne Strainer: This metal sieve features a coiled spring that helps catch ice during the straining process. Hawthorne strainers work best with larger metal tins, as the spring can conform to smaller glasses.
• Julep Strainer: Similar to a slotted spoon, this strainer is useful for holding back ice when pouring directly from the shaker. A julep strainer is ideal when pouring from a Boston or pint glass.

In the end, the better shaker is the one that feels comfortable in your hands. The caps on cobblers sometimes get stuck or leak, and they can’t handle multiple drinks. However, Boston shakers, while favored in professional bars for their classic look, can be trickier to master than the cobbler, making the latter a popular choice for home bartenders.

READ: When to Shake or Stir a Cocktail

How to Shake a Cocktail Shaker: The Basics

Now that you have your shaker and strainer, let’s get shaking!

1. Add the Ingredients to the Cocktail Shaker: Start by adding all the required ingredients, such as spirits, juices, syrups, or any other mixers specified in the recipe, into the cocktail shaker.
2. Fill the Shaker with Ice: Next, fill the shaker with ice cubes. This is crucial for chilling the drink and diluting it to the desired strength.
3. Secure the Lid and Hold with Both Hands: Secure the lid or cap of the shaker tightly to prevent any leakage. Then, hold the shaker with both hands, one on the bottom and the other on the top.
4. Vigorously Shake Using a Horizontal Motion: Shake the cocktail vigorously using a horizontal motion, moving the shaker over your shoulder. Keep shaking until the outside of the shaker frosts up, which typically takes a slow count of ten.
5. Strain the Cocktail into a Chilled Glass: Once the cocktail is properly shaken, strain it into a chilled glass, ensuring that any ice or other solids are left behind in the shaker.

Top Tip: Be careful not to over-shake your drink. While regular bar ice is suitable for most cocktails, larger ice cubes may break down faster, so adjust your shaking time accordingly. It’s time to strain when it feels like a slushy. As a general rule, shaking for less than 15 seconds is recommended for most drinks.

Beyond the Basics: Embellishing Your Shake

While shaking a cocktail is a straightforward process, some bartenders like to add a few embellishments to make the experience more entertaining. However, remember that these embellishments have no effect on how the drink tastes and are purely for show. Common embellishments include:

1. The Click-Clack: Using an up-and-down motion with the shaker to create a pleasing, professional-sounding, tambourine-like effect.
2. The Two-Hander: Gripping the shaker with one hand at the front and the other at the rear, demonstrating complete focus and dedicated input from both arms as you shake.
3. The Too Much Coffee Shake: Shaking at a superfast pace to shock and awe your guests, but be cautious about going too fast at home.
4. The Motorboat: Shaking two shakers simultaneously, alternating between them as one moves forward while the other goes back.
5. The Gun Show: Shaking two shakers with perfect symmetry while flexing your biceps and squinting intently.
6. The Spin: Twirling the shaker in the palm of your hand as you pick it up, looking cool (but occasionally spraying water or alcohol on fellow bartenders).

The Dry Shake and The Reverse Dry Shake: Advanced Techniques

• The Dry Shake: A “dry shake” refers to shaking the ingredients in a cocktail shaker without ice. This technique is particularly useful when a recipe contains egg whites or other ingredients that benefit from vigorous shaking.
• Dry Shaking with Egg Whites: If a recipe contains egg whites, a dry shake is essential. Shake the egg whites vigorously for at least 30 seconds in the dry shaker. This process allows the egg white to combine smoothly with the other ingredients, creating a frothy texture.
• Adding Ice and Shaking Again: After the dry shake, ice is added to the mixture, and it is shaken a second time. The cocktail is then strained and served.
• The Reverse Dry Shake: The reverse dry shake is the same technique, but in reverse order. Bartenders commonly use this technique for classic cocktails like the Whiskey Sour or Ramos Gin Fizz. They first add all ingredients except the egg white to a shaker with ice. After shaking and straining out the ice, they add the egg white and shake the mixture again, this time without ice, to create a consistent, foamy texture.

Top Tip: When straining cocktails that have undergone a dry shake or reverse dry shake, it’s recommended to use a fine-mesh strainer. This extra step helps remove any ice shards or small particles that may have formed during the second dry shake, ensuring a smooth and velvety final product.

The Hard Shake: A Technique for the Pros

If you’re looking for a shaking technique that’s both effective and visually impressive, look no further than the “Hard Shake”. This method, invented by Japanese bartender Kazuo Ueda, involves a three-point shake that’s particularly effective for egg or cream-based drinks. It provides excellent control over how the ice moves within the shaker, maximizing aeration and creating a silky, smooth texture.

But here’s the twist: “the hard shake” doesn’t actually mean shaking hard. Japanese bartenders developed a highly stylized, yet paradoxically gentle, series of simple shaking movements known as the Hard Shake. They typically use a smaller Cobbler Shaker, allowing for greater control over the direction and movement of the ice.

Top Tip: For the smoothest possible drink, always fine-strain the liquid after a hard shake to remove any lingering ice shards.

How to Shake a Cocktail without a Shaker?

Don’t have a cocktail shaker on hand? No problem! Any jar with a tight-sealing lid will do in a pinch. Mason jars are a great option. Choose a medium-volume jar and clean it thoroughly to prevent contamination of your cocktails with residual flavors or smells.

READ: How to Muddle Cocktails

How Long Should a Cocktail Be Shaken? 

A general rule of thumb is to shake a cocktail for around 10 seconds in a stainless steel shaker tin. This should be enough time to ensure the shaker tin becomes frosty on the outside, indicating that the drink has been properly chilled and diluted. However, some people prefer their drinks shaken for a little longer or with more force to achieve an excellent cocktail texture.

On the other hand, it’s best to avoid shaking for too long, as this can result in overly diluted drinks. If a cocktail contains many ingredients that don’t mix well together, such as eggs or cream, it may require at least 30 seconds of vigorous shaking to ensure a proper mix. In such cases, it’s often recommended to perform a dry shake (without ice) first, followed by adding ice and shaking normally.

Does Ice Matter? (Cocktail’s Crucial Ingredient)

Ice is an often-overlooked but crucial cocktail ingredient. The quality of ice you use when mixing your drink can significantly impact the final result. As you shake, the ice dilutes your cocktails with water, so it’s important that the water is pure and fresh.

Standard cubes work well, especially after you shatter them and they develop rounded edges from a good shake. Remember that smaller cubes release more water, so you might want to shorten your shaking time. While crushed ice breaks down quickly and is rarely used for shaking, it can be perfect for certain stirred drinks.

You might also hear bartenders talk about wet vs. dry ice. “Dry” ice is colder, straight out of the freezer, and reduces dilution. Feel free to experiment with the type of ice that works best for your shaking style and preferences.

Tips for Building Shaker’s Stamina

1. Shorten Your Shake: Aim for an 8-12 second shake, as anything longer is often a waste of time and energy. Over-shaking can lead to over-dilution and an unbalanced cocktail.
2. Use Tin on Tin Shakers: Tin on tin shakers are lighter and less straining on your muscles, making it easier to shake drinks colder without as much effort.
3. Develop a Variety of Shaking Techniques: Practice 3-4 different shaking styles for various cocktails, as switching up your technique can help prevent fatigue in specific muscle groups.
4. Become Ambidextrous: Train yourself to shake, stir, and pour drinks with your non-dominant side. This will help balance the workload and prevent overuse injuries.
5. Zen Out After Work: Incorporate yoga poses like the “Cat-Cow Pose” or “Warrior I Pose” into your post-work routine. These stretches can help loosen and strengthen the key muscle groups used in shaking, such as your back, legs, hips, chest, and arms.
6. Get Active Outside of Work: Engage in a sport or physical activity outside of work that helps strengthen your stabilizing muscles, which are essential for maintaining proper shaking form and preventing strain or injury.

Helpful Shaking Tips: Become a Cocktail Shaking Pro

To master the art of “how to shake a cocktail properly”, keep these tips in mind:

1. Don’t overfill your shaker with ingredients. Leave plenty of room to prevent spills. An average-sized shaker can usually handle two or three drinks, but the volume of a small shaker is best suited for mixing one drink at a time.
2. If using a cobbler, point the cap, which is usually smaller than the two tins of a Boston shaker, away from you to avoid spraying your guests. Make sure the seal isn’t too loose.
3. With a Boston shaker, place the ice/ingredients in the smaller tin, and the larger one on top. If it’s overfilled, the alcohol can gush out of the shaker and into your face.
4. If your Boston shaker gets stuck, don’t smack it against a hard surface. This could dislodge the containers, but you also risk broken glass in your drink. Instead, give it a gentle squeeze and wiggle to unlock the shaker.
5. For drinks served up (without ice), double-strain your shaken cocktail through a small mesh sieve as you pour it into the glass. This will avoid any ice chips and make it look extra fancy.
6. For egg white cocktails, don’t skip the dry shake for a perfect froth.
7. Hold the shaker horizontally, so there’s more surface area for contact between the ice/cocktail and the metal of the tin(s). Shaking over your shoulder can cause the shaker to come apart if your one of your shoulders isn’t natural at pointing the lid (the smaller piece of a Boston shaker) to the back. At best, you’ll wet your guests. At worst, you’ll end up wearing the drink. Use enough force so that the horizontal, side-to-side vertical shake is effective without being awkward.
8. Shake with rhythm. Many bartenders find it helpful to hum a tune or match the beat of the movement to the music playing in the bar. A Caribbean drum beat is a fun way to get into the groove!
9. Shake like you mean it. Your cocktail won’t mix itself! A gentle movement won’t cut it. Put some force and power into it, like a mini exercise.
10. Keep a firm grip. No matter your style, hold both pieces of the shaker firmly to ensure they stay together while you’re shaking. If using a cobbler shaker, place a finger on top of the lid to hold it in place. You don’t want your cocktail all over the floor – that’s a sad thing! And remember, you want to keep the one piece on top.

Advanced Shaking Techniques: Double Shake and Beyond

Let’s dive into some advanced techniques that can elevate your cocktail game.

1. Double Shake – This simple technique can save time behind the bar. You’ll shake and strain two cocktails at once, one in each shaker, one in each hand.
2. While it takes practice to master, remember that not all shaken cocktails are the same. A Daiquiri, for example, needs plenty of ice and a hefty dose of elbow grease because it’s served very cold. A Tom Collins, on the other hand, only needs a few solid flicks of the wrist to combine, chill, and dilute before topping it with soda water.
3. Shake the cocktail that will be served straight up with your dominant hand for an effective double shake.
4. Use your non-dominant hand to shake the cocktail that’s served on the rocks. This allows you to maintain the proper texture and level of dilution for that drink.

Top Tip: If each cocktail calls for a different shake style, decide which hand to use based on which drink needs more ice and time to shake.

READ: How to Hold a Martini Glass

Key Takeaways: Your Cocktail Shaking Cheat Sheet

• Why Shake? Shaking chills, combines, dilutes, and aerates cocktails, resulting in a smoother, more flavorful drink.
• Shaken vs. Stirred: Shake cocktails with nonalcoholic mixers or those with heavy ingredients. Stir spirit-forward drinks.
• Shaker Types: Cobbler shakers are beginner-friendly, while Boston shakers are preferred by pros.
• Shaking Technique: Add ingredients and ice, seal the shaker, and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds.
• Advanced Techniques: Bartenders use the dry shake, reverse dry shake, and hard shake for specific cocktails
• Ice Matters: Use fresh, clean ice for optimal dilution and flavor.
• Building Stamina: Use proper technique, shake with variety, and stretch to avoid fatigue.
• Shaker Substitutes: A jar with a tight-sealing lid can work in a pinch.
• Have Fun! Cocktail shaking is a skill, but it’s also about expressing your creativity and having fun.

FAQs: Your Cocktail Shaking Questions Answered

How to shake a cocktail with one hand?

Shaking a cocktail with one hand is possible, but it requires a bit of practice. Hold the shaker firmly towards the bottom with your dominant hand, and use a sharp, snapping motion to shake it back and forth. This technique isn’t ideal for every cocktail, but it can work in a pinch if you need a quick drink.

How long to shake a cocktail?

A general rule of thumb is to shake a cocktail for 10–15 seconds, or until the shaker is frosty on the outside. However, the ideal shaking time can vary depending on the ingredients and the desired dilution level.

How to shake a drink?

To shake a drink, fill a cocktail shaker with ice and your ingredients, secure the lid tightly, and shake vigorously in a horizontal motion over your shoulder. Shake until the outside of the shaker is frosty, then strain into a glass.

What is the proper way to shake a cocktail?

The proper way to shake a cocktail involves a few key steps:

1. Add ingredients to the shaker.
2. Fill the shaker with ice.
3. Secure the lid tightly.
4. Hold the shaker with both hands and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds, or until frosty.
5. Strain into a chilled glass.

How to correctly shake?

To shake correctly, use a firm grip on the shaker and shake it with a sharp, snapping motion. Avoid shaking too gently or too hard. You want to agitate the ingredients and ice without causing them to break down too much.

How to one handshake a cocktail?

Refer to the instructions above for shaking a cocktail with one hand.

What is the Japanese 3 point shake?

The Japanese 3 point shake, also known as the “hard shake,” is a technique that involves three specific shaking motions designed to maximize aeration and create a smooth texture in cocktails. It’s particularly effective for egg or cream-based drinks.

Why do bartenders shake drinks a certain way?

Bartenders shake drinks in different ways for a variety of reasons. Bartenders use some techniques purely for showmanship, while others achieve specific results, such as better aeration, dilution, or chilling. The type of cocktail and the bartender’s personal style also play a role in how they shake.

How to shake like a professional bartender?

To shake like a pro, practice the different techniques discussed in this article. Experiment with different shaking styles, grips, and rhythms to find what works best for you. Pay attention to the ice and dilution levels, and always strive for a smooth, consistent texture in your cocktails. With practice and experimentation, you’ll be shaking like a seasoned bartender in no time.