How to Use a Martini Shaker?

While a cocktail is a combination drink that contains at least two or more ingredients, of which at least one is alcoholic, a Martini, on the other hand, is also a cocktail but made using three ingredients only, namely, gin, vermouth, and olives for garnish. Moreover, most prefer to stir their Martinis rather than shaking it, to avoid watering of the drink. However, some like their Martinis to be shaken and this they do for no more than ten seconds to impart a different texture.

What you need:

Before getting into the details, you will need serving glasses, your Martini ingredients, ice, a Cobbler or Boston Martini shaker, and a Hawthorn strainer (if you are using a two-piece Boston shaker).

The Mechanics:

A martini shaker, similar to any cocktail shaker, contains at least two or more parts to prepare the drink. Based on the number of components used, you can make your Martini either using a Cobbler shaker or a Boston shaker with a strainer.

Using a Cobbler Shaker:

• Pour the gin and the vermouth into the mixing jar of the shaker.
• Fill it up with ice up to two-thirds full.
• Place the lid that comes with the inbuilt strainer on top of the mixing jar.
• Next, seal the shaker over the filter.
• Position the shaker between your dominant hands and start shaking in the shape of an eight over your dominant shoulder. The reason why it is advisable to shake it over your shoulder is that you do not spill the liquids over your guests.
• Shake until the outsides of the shaker start to condense. Based on the chillness of the frost formed, you will have an idea of how much the drink inside it is chilled.
• Carefully remove the upper lid by tapping it on its sweet spot.
• Pour the drink immediately into the chilled serving glass through the built-in strainer.
• Garnish with a juicy olive and serve.

Using a Boston Shaker: 

• Similar to the initial steps followed in a Cobbler shaker, you will first need to pour in all the ingredients necessary to make Martini and then top it with ice up to two-thirds full.
• Then, place the tumbler over the mouth of the mixing glass in an inverted position and seal the tumbler tightly to avoid leaks.
• Further, the ice inside the shaker will create a kind of vacuum that will further hold the tumbler against the glass firmly.
• Next, shake the cocktail, as per the standard procedure, over your shoulders using both your hands and the thumb over the top of the tumbler.
• While serving, remember to hold the mixing glass in your other hand (the non-dominant one) and remove the tumbler using your dominant hand.
• Gently strike the portion where the metal touches the mixing glass to break the vacuum and thus the seal.
• Using a strainer, pour the contents from the mixing glass into the serving glass and garnish it with a bright green olive.

Other Useful Tips: 

• Always ask your guest if they prefer their Martinis to be stirred or shaken.
• While using a shaker, fill the mixer only up to two-thirds of its volume to avoid leaks while shaking.
• Always remember to buy a strainer, if you are buying a Boston shaker, as it does not come with a built-in strainer like the Cobbler shaker.
• Always double-check if the seal is tight.
• After shaking the drink, pour it into the serving glass using a strainer.
• Always clean the shaker well before the next use to avoid the flavors from your previous cocktail to pass on to the next one.
• Use whole ice cubes instead of crushed ones, as these tend to clog the strainer.
• As a serving practice, chill your serving glass by placing it in the freezer for no longer than 5 minutes or chill it by filling it with ice and then discarding the ice before serving the final drink.

With a standard 28–oz shaker, you can easily prepare two full glasses of cocktails or a few shot-drinks. Enjoy your cocktail now. Cheers!