The Ins And Outs Of This Bar Essential
Your home bar needs equipment to balance functionality and your personal style. And one of the most important barware musts is, of course, the shaker. It’s the tool that’s front and center while making your favorite cocktails – a big part of the show.
Before you buy this bar essential, it’s best then to make sure you know which is the best cocktail shaker for you. We breakdown the three basic types of cocktail shaker types here, covering who they’re good for, their style, and their functional pros and cons. Read on to make a more informed decision.
Good For The Beginner: The Cobbler Shaker
The cobbler is the most common and, for most bartenders, the easiest to use. It consists of a metal tumbler, a lid, and a built-in strainer. That built in strainer makes this shaker style perfect for the beginning home bartender:- Mixing a drink is as simple as putting on the lid and pouring through the strainer.
- These are cheap, easy to find, and easy to use.
However, it also has its downsides:
- Low temperatures can condense the metal, making the lid difficult to open once you finish shaking your drink.
- The strainer can pour slowly.
- The small lid for the strainer often gets lost.
For The Pro: The Boston Shaker
While a cobbler may be the best cocktail shaker for a beginner, the Boston offers much more barware style, but a steeper learning curve. It consists of one glass and one metal tumbler. Here’s why you might want a Boston:- This is by far the coolest looking shaker when used properly. It showcases the cocktail during the shaking.
- Once the learning curve is met, you can produce drinks much faster than with other types of shakers.
But be prepared for its own quirks:
- A novice will often spill drinks while shaking and during the pour.
- It requires a Hawthorne strainer to properly pour drinks out of the glass.
- The glass can break. Fortunately, replacements are cheap and easy to find.
For The Stylish: The Parisian Shaker
This is one of the oldest cocktail shaker types,with classic lines to match. The Parisian represents sleek style above all else. It resembles a cobbler without the built-in strainer. The Parisian comes with its advantages:
- Most people like its unique sleek appearance. It makes for a great decoration on your bar.
- It is used similarly to the cobbler, but it is simpler in design.
It does have a few downsides:
- Because there is no built-in strainer, you will need to use a hawthorn strainer.
- These are more difficult to find. On the other hand, their rarity adds to the mystique.
The choice is yours. Pick the best cocktail shaker to match your personal style, or choose based off your current bartending ability. Or pick up one of each. Cocktail shakers are not that expensive, and it is a good idea to have a few available behind your home bar.
