Shaking is the classic mixing technique for cocktails with juice, cream, egg or syrup. Here you’ll learn how to fill the shaker correctly, how long to shake, and what to watch out for when opening and straining. With the right technique, your drinks will be perfectly chilled, without excessive dilution, and light and creamy.
Enlarge graphicWhen shaking, you combine the ingredients by vigorously shaking with ice. Unlike stirring, this process incorporates tiny air bubbles, making the drink lighter and creamier. That’s why this technique is especially suited for cocktails with viscous or cloudy ingredients like fruit juice, sugar syrup, cream or egg white. Classics such as Daiquiri, Whiskey Sour or Margarita are always shaken.
Preparation and filling
1. Add all ingredients to the smaller part of the shaker (tin or glass for the Boston shaker, bottom part for the three-piece Cobbler shaker).
2. Then add ice – preferably large cubes or spheres that melt more slowly. Fill the shaker to about two-thirds with ice.
3. Attach the second part of the shaker and seal it by gently tapping or twisting (depending on the model). For the Boston shaker, the top tin sits at an angle and is tapped firmly into place with the palm of your hand.
The shaking technique
4. Hold the shaker firmly with both hands – one hand on the top, one on the bottom. Your fingers should wrap around the connection point.
5. Shake vigorously and rhythmically for 10–15 seconds. The movement comes from the wrist and elbow, not the shoulder. The shaker moves in a straight line in front of your body, roughly from shoulder to hip.
6. You’ll notice the shaker exterior fogs up and feels cold – this shows the cooling is working.
Opening and straining
7. After shaking, the seal often sticks (due to the cold creating a vacuum). For the Boston shaker, tap the top tin firmly with the palm of your hand on the side where it connects. It will then come loose easily.
8. Pour the drink through a bar strainer (strainer) into the pre-chilled glass. The Cobbler shaker has an integrated strainer. If you want to double-strain (fine strain), hold an additional tea strainer between shaker and glass – this catches ice shards and fruit pieces.
Avoiding common mistakes
Shaking for too short a time results in a warm, unmixed drink. Shaking for too long (over 20 seconds) unnecessarily dilutes the cocktail. Make sure the shaker is properly sealed before you start – otherwise you’ll get a cold shower. And: never shake drinks with carbonation, as they can explode when opened.
Related topics
- Mixing: Stirring
- Boston Shaker
- Bar strainer (strainer)
- Using ice cubes correctly
Frequently asked questions
How long should I shake a cocktail?
Usually 10–15 seconds. This is enough to chill the drink to around 0 °C and mix the ingredients. For drinks with egg or cream, you can shake for 15–20 seconds to create more texture.
Which cocktails are shaken and which are stirred?
Rule of thumb: Cocktails with juice, cream, egg, liqueurs or syrup are shaken. Spirits-only drinks like Martini, Manhattan or Negroni are stirred to preserve their clear texture.
Why is my Boston shaker so hard to open?
The cold creates a vacuum that pulls the two parts together. Tap the top tin firmly with the palm of your hand on the side where it connects. Don’t tap the bottom, or you’ll dent the shaker.
Can I shake without ice (dry shake)?
Yes, for cocktails with egg white you often do a dry shake without ice to properly froth the egg white. Then add ice and shake again (wet shake) to chill.
