Shaker – what it is: where to buy and how to choose a tool for cocktails

The content of the article

• What is a shaker for?
• How to use a shaker
• Classification
• How to choose
• How to make a shaker
• Popular brands and models
• Price

The preparation of certain types of drinks requires intensive mixing, and for this purpose they use a special device – a shaker. This is a kind of glass with a tightly screwed lid that fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The name comes from the English word shake – shake, shake. A shaker is a mandatory attribute of a bartender, and many are able to handle this device especially masterfully. The bartender at the bar raises the shaker, juggles them, and skillfully picks up at the most unexpected point on the flight path.

What is a shaker for?

The main task of the shaker is to thoroughly mix pieces of ice with liquids of different consistency and density to obtain a homogeneous mixture. Most often, the accessory is used to prepare alcoholic beverages, which are served immediately after preparation, but sometimes non-alcoholic cocktails are also prepared with its help. Shakers for sports nutrition have additional compartments designed for liquid, dry ingredients, as well as capsules. Such a device is taken with them for a run, training, and a cocktail is prepared right in the hall.

How to use a shaker

With the help of a shaker, even a novice can make a drink. The sequence of actions is as follows:

• Fill the main part of the glass with 2/3 crushed ice. Cubes can be replaced with ice crumbs – frappe. Such a mass should be imposed with a spoon.
• Fill a glass with selected drinks. First, apply or pour in more dense components – fruits, syrups, juices with pulp, then alcohol. The recipes often indicate the sequence of use of the ingredients – it is worth sticking to.
• You can come up with your own version of the drink by mixing 2-3 components with ice. It is not recommended to use carbonated drinks – this way you can ruin the accessory, and when you open the glass you get a fountain of spray.
• Close the shaker and shake for 10 seconds in arbitrary movements. You don’t need longer – the ice will melt, the drink will get a watery consistency.
• Remove the top of the appliance and pour a cocktail into the glass using the built-in strainer or an external strainer to filter ice, foam, fruit pieces.

There are rules that it is advisable to adhere to unless otherwise specified in the recipe. For example, professionals know that dairy products should not be mixed with lemon juice, and egg white should not be mixed with alcohol. Ice in a glass can be reused, but no more than two times. The finished drink is made out with mint leaves, slices of lime or cocktail cherry..

Classification

There are several types of shakers – each has its own purpose. More often the accessory is made of stainless steel, sports varieties are made of plastic. There are glass, crystal, gilded, silicone or products made from combined materials. The following types are popular:

• European, the second name is cobbler. This is a classic type of device, the product consists of three parts – a glass, a strainer in the form of a cover and a cap. Cobbler is used not only by professionals, but also by beginners, since its design is convenient, equipped with a built-in filter (sieve). Made of metal, glass, less often – of plastic.
• Boston. A simple and concise option popular with bartenders. A professional Boston shaker consists of two parts – a base glass and a glass cover. The main part is made of steel, and the upper one is metal, glass, plastic. Simplicity of construction is compensated by complexity in use. To work with the accessory, you need a skill – opening is done by hitting the wall, and the ice is filtered using an external sieve with a spring (strainer). Sometimes the bartender pours a cocktail not using the grill, but holding the ice with his upper glass.
• French. Spectacular and powerful, this look consists of two parts: a glass and a lid that resembles an inverted cup in shape. The filter and measuring cup are not included in the package, but open the accessory by installing it on a hard surface. Some models are equipped with a “heel” – a protrusion around the bottom, which facilitates opening.
• Speed ​​shaker (speed option). This is not called a device, but a method of preparing a drink. A glass is put on the base from the Boston shaker, in which a cocktail will be served.
• Two-component. Sports shakers are made of plastic, less often – of metal. Two-component models have a powder compartment (protein, creatine, etc.) at the bottom of the glass. The main compartment is for water. At the moment when you need to make a cocktail, the lower part of the accessory is removed and the powder is poured into the water. Inside the glass there is a special mesh or ball to obtain a homogeneous consistency without lumps.
• Three-component models have two additional compartments. One of them is for powder, the second is for capsules.
• The four-component products are equipped with three compartments designed for two doses of powder and capsules.
• Electric sports shaker. Similar models are equipped with a motor and a whisk, which works like a mixer. After filling the bowl, you need to press the power button and after 10-15 seconds the airy and uniform cocktail is ready. As batteries, 2 AAA batteries are used.

How to choose

It is difficult for a beginner to choose a cocktail shaker, since there are many varieties of them on sale. To make the purchase useful, it is important to think about how often the accessory will be used, to estimate the number of servings of the cocktail. Basic selection rules:

• Volume. One portion of the cocktail – 100-150 ml. Based on these figures, you can choose the volume of a glass – 300, 500, 600, 900 ml.
• Material. It is better to choose a classic type of shaker made of metal. So you can determine the temperature of the cocktail by touch, and not break the device with an awkward movement. For a quality stainless steel cup, the walls have a thickness of 2-3 mm, a thinner does not open well after mixing – the container parts may freeze. Glass ones are not always convenient – they are heavier and easily slip out of your hands.
• Additional accessories. It is advisable for a beginner to use a shaker with an integrated filter (cobbler) – it is difficult to hold an external sieve.
• Measuring scale on a cup-lid will help to correctly measure the ingredients. It is even better to purchase a special cup for measuring liquid – a jigger. The product consists of two parts, the larger one contains 40 g, the smaller – 20. It is desirable that the cup be equipped with a thick rim from the edge – it will be easier to pour from it.
• It is better to choose a sports shaker from plastic – this product is easier and more convenient to carry. It is important that the plastic does not produce an unpleasant odor – this will spoil the taste of the drink. It is worth buying a model that provides fasteners that secure the glass on the simulator or belt.
• For athletes who use weight gainers, an accessory of 600-700 ml is suitable – this type of powder requires more than protein. The rest you can buy a half-liter glass with a lid.
• An important selection criterion is the tightness of the accessory. It is better to choose not screw caps, but those that are worn on a glass.
• The electric model is suitable for active people who regularly use sports nutrition. The built-in whisk will help to achieve a uniform consistency of the drink. The product can be used for beating eggs, making omelettes, pancake dough.

How to make a shaker

Not everyone on the farm has a shaker, but you can make a standard drink without it. Homemade cocktails are prepared using a blender, but it has a minus – the knives of the device heat the liquid during mixing. The easiest way is to replace the shaker with a metal thermos. If the accessory is with a glass bulb, it can be removed from the case beforehand..

If there is no thermos, you can use a glass jar with a screw-on lid. Before mixing the cocktail, the can is glued on the outside with tape so that it does not crack during operation. First, the container needs to be cooled by putting ice in it for several minutes, and the resulting liquid should be drained. It is necessary to pour the finished drink from such a can, holding the ice cap so that its fragments do not fall into the glass.

Popular brands and models

You can buy a shaker from metal, plastic or glass. To prepare alcoholic cocktails with ice, it is better to order a metal product – this material allows you to estimate the temperature of the drink during shaking. If you need a shaker to mix sports nutrition – you can choose plastic or metal. Among the products of popular brands, you can find models of a traditional form, comfortable for a beginner.

Price

The cost of a shaker can vary widely. The price depends on the manufacturer, volume, material of manufacture, the availability of additional accessories. Models from China delivered by mail to St. Petersburg, Moscow and the regions of the Russian Federation can be bought relatively cheaply, European brands are more expensive without a discount. The table shows the prices for products from various materials that can be purchased in online stores in Moscow and the Moscow region.