Shaken cocktails are prepared with shakers to obtain cold and pleasant mixes of drinks. They have a different texture and flavor than mixed cocktails, and are visually very tempting. Also, it's nice to watch someone make a shaken cocktail. Even the right garnish contributes to the embellishment of a cocktail, and is an essential component of it. To learn the art of making shaken cocktails, read on.
Steps
Step 1. Prepare the gasket
Generally, a cocktail is not complete without a garnish; so, before you start preparing it, you need to have the suitable one ready. Among the most common toppings are maraschino cherries, but also citrus wedges, washers, curls and spirals.
Step 2. Put some ice cubes in the shaker
Generally, shakers are filled with ice up to halfway, although different amounts can be used, depending on the type of shaker. Leave some space so that the ice can be shaken vigorously along with the ingredients in the shaker. When using a small glass tucked into a larger one as a lid, fill the large glass approximately half full with ice. Boston shakers can be completely filled with ice, since the glass filled with ice is corked by inserting it into a larger one. Cobbler shakers do not use a separate glass as a lid, but incorporate a filter. Boston shakers and others like them are used with separate filters. Normally, two metal glasses are used as shakers. When using a Cobbler shaker or a large metal glass and a smaller one as a lid, you can hold and shake the shaker with one hand. Often the metal glasses in the shaker are weighted to make the shaking more effective, when a heavy glass cup is not used.
Step 3. Pour the ingredients into the shaker
The ingredients can be poured into the shaker freehand or measured with measuring cups. Put the ingredients for one or more cocktails, depending on the capacity of the shaker and the number of cocktails to be prepared. For Boston shakers, place the ice and ingredients in the glass cup.
Step 4. Cap the shaker
After the ingredients have been poured in, close the shaker tightly with the lid. Make sure it is tightly closed, but don't press the lid too hard, as it can be very difficult to remove.
Step 5. Shake vigorously for at least five seconds
Keep the lid tightly closed on the shaker. Hold the shaker vertically or slightly tilted, and shake it up and down. Hold it firmly so that it feels relatively comfortable. To add some style while shaking the shaker, you can apply some additional motion, such as horizontally. For most shakers you will need to use both hands, holding one at the base and one at the top. The ingredients must be carefully cooled and thoroughly mixed. When the cocktail is mixed and cooled properly, condensation should form on the outside of the shaker, which should now be cold to the touch.
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If you are using a Boston shaker, you should turn it upside down when you shake it, so that the glass beaker is on top. This will prevent the glass beaker from hitting against an object and shattering, preventing ingredients from seeping out of the shaker. The cooling process that occurs during shaking will also cause the Boston shaker to form a consistent seal between the glass and metal beakers (as it cools, the metal contracts on the glass).
Make a Shaken Cocktail Step 6 Step 6. Remove the lid from the shaker
Carefully remove the lid or cup on top and place the filter in the cup at the base. This will be relatively easy with all-metal shakers, but can be difficult when using a Boston shaker. To open a Boston shaker, in fact, you have to "force it". For all shakers, before removing the lid or the glass on top, place the metal one on a table. For Boston shakers, hold the metal cup firmly at the base with one hand, and the glass cup on top with the other. Try to move the glass cup back and forth a little to free it from the metal cup while pulling it upwards. Do not try to force the glass cup too hard against your side, as this could jam even further into the metal cup. For Cobbler shakers with a built-in filter, simply remove the top lid. Never hit an object with the shaker in an attempt to open it; it's okay, instead, to give it a few taps with your hand.
Make a Shaken Cocktail Step 7 Step 7. Place the filter in the shaker glass
As for Boston shakers and those made up of two metal cups, just insert the filter into the metal cup. Cobbler shakers have a built-in filter.
Make a Shaken Cocktail Step 8 Step 8. Drain the shaken cocktail in the special glass
While you are pouring it, keep your fingers on the filter, to keep it in the glass of the shaker. According to the cocktail recipe, the drink will be filtered into an empty glass or one that has been filled with ice. Before pouring the cocktail, the glasses can be chilled in the freezer or using ice.
Make a Shaken Cocktail Step 9 Step 9. Garnish and serve the cocktail
Many shaken cocktails will have delicious foam.
Advice
- Shake vigorously, but carefully! Connoisseurs of shaken drinks are wary of "bruises" generated by ice breaking from being shaken too violently, and then diluting the final drink.
- Don't overfill the shaker.
- If you shake the shaker long enough, a layer of ice will form on the outside. It doesn't take long for this to happen, and according to some people, this indicates that the shake is complete.
- Before preparing the actual cocktails, practice setting up the toppings.
- Prepare the cocktail quickly so the ice doesn't melt too much.
- It takes time to learn how to skillfully prepare a cocktail.
- Practice sealing the metal shaker on the glass bowl. Sometimes a very small tap, maybe just a gentle squeeze, is all you need. If you exert too much force, you could get it stuck, so do some tests with water first to find out what strength is needed. Never align the metal shaker symmetrically with the glass container before corking it; instead, join the metal to the glass so that it forms an angle, then press. In this way it will be easier to separate them, simply by straightening the "tilted hat" closure, also leaving you a bit of room to maneuver in case you have pressed too much, fitting the metal with the glass.
- Practice shaking and draining using ice with water, juice, or milk.
