Professional bartenders pour the exact quantities of liquor "freehand" when preparing cocktails and shots. It is also an interesting technique for bar patrons to see. It is also much faster and more efficient (although not always accurate) than other techniques. Anyone with good coordination can learn this way of pouring. If you want to impress your friends and be the life of the party, read on.
Steps
Step 1. Get jigger scoops of different sizes (the most common) and a liquor bottle with a dispenser
The latter must be well inserted into the neck of the bottle and adhere hermetically. You won't need jiggers right away, but they are indispensable for learning how to pour the right amounts. Fill the bottle with water, unless you are exercising at a party!
Step 2. Grab the bottle firmly by the neck by placing your index finger on the base of the dispenser
It is very important to hold the bottle correctly to check the spill!
Step 3. Lift the bottle and, with one smooth motion, tilt it towards the glass
Then return the bottle to an upright position and place it on the table. Although the technique may vary, this explanation helps you understand how to pour in a controlled manner. You have to start pouring the liquid all at once and then stop just as quickly. The liqueur must instantly flow out of the bottle with a uniform flow. If all else fails, the dispenser is probably not properly threaded into the bottle neck or the wrong size. Make sure you tilt the dispenser the right way, so that the liquid flows evenly.
Step 4. Count as you pour until the jigger is full
This is the secret that allows you to know the exact amount of liquid you are dosing in the glass. So, as soon as the liquid starts to flow, the count begins and, as soon as the jigger is full, stop. People can count up to three or four to fill a one ounce (28ml) jigger, but be sure to set a specific count for a given volume. Train in this way many times with the one ounce jigger, then switch to the ¾ ounce, one and a half ounce jigger, and so on. Eventually you will have to count less for the small jiggers and more for the larger ones.
Step 5. Pour "freehand" into a glass using the counting system you developed in the previous step, then check how accurate you were putting the liquid into the jigger
This way you check your accuracy and if you have been able to dose the desired amount of alcohol. Most people are accurate.
Advice
- Different spirits and liqueurs have different viscosities and specific weights. Some pay faster than others. Experiment with the bottles to find the right amount of time to pour the desired volume.
- Each bottle dispenser works differently. So train with different models, or use just one type for all of your bottles.
- If you don't have an empty bottle of liquor available to insert the dispenser and train, don't worry because it's not essential. Try any glass bottle.
- Most dispensers are built to fit 750ml bottles and may not fit well in larger or smaller bottles. Purchase dispensers that are the correct size for the bottles you use.
- Until you become familiar with this technique, it is best to count up to 4 to fill a 2oz (56ml) jigger. This way you learn to halve the amount by counting to two, or to increase the dose by 1 ounce (28ml) by adding 'another count of two', which is very useful when making martinis of different sizes.
- Better dispensers allow for easier and more continuous pouring. Long, metal ones are usually better, although plastic ones are cheaper and fit better in some bottles.
- If you are unable to pour the right amount of liquid "by eye", continue training with the instructions above. Make sure you have an adequate counting system for each volume of liquid you need to pour.
- To add just one or two drops of an ingredient (such as vermouth in martini) hold a finger or thumb over the opening of the dispenser and drop the liquor from the air inlet of the dispenser. Plastic dosers are usually great for this technique.
- In many liquor bottles there is a plastic insert that allows you to not use the dispenser, however it is an accessory that can be removed. Bartenders usually don't use bottles larger than one liter.
Warnings
- If you practice alcoholic beverages, go no further and don't drink them all! Cocktails with a high percentage of alcohol need about an hour to "take effect". You could go into an alcohol coma if you drink too much too quickly.
- When you fix the dispenser to the neck of the bottle, you probably have to force it by pressing it inside the opening. This way you are sure you have inserted and sealed it; however, it is better to use plastic dispensers instead of metal ones, as the latter could be sharp and cause injury. Regardless of which dispenser you use, always be cautious during these operations.
