How to Mix a Drink - are you doing it wrong?
Anders Erickson・13 minutes read
Shaking and stirring are essential cocktail-making techniques for different types of ingredients, with specific methods to ensure proper mixing. Efficiencies in multitasking can be achieved by focusing on practicality and technique, especially when preparing multiple drinks simultaneously.
Insights
- Shaking cocktails is crucial for ingredients like citrus, dairy, and eggs to improve texture and reduce alcohol burn, with techniques like the Japanese hard shake and American style being effective if done correctly.
- Stirring, on the other hand, is preferred for spirit-heavy cocktails to maintain weight and clarity, with techniques involving a mixing glass and controlled dilution, showcasing the importance of technique and precision in cocktail making.
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Recent questions
What are the main techniques in cocktail making?
Shaking and stirring are essential techniques in cocktail making. Shaking is ideal for ingredients like citrus, dairy, and eggs, adding air bubbles to improve texture. Stirring is preferred for cocktails with predominantly spirits to maintain weight, aromatics, and clarity without adding air bubbles.
How long should cocktails be shaken for?
Cocktails should be shaken for 10-15 seconds with enough ice. This duration ensures proper chilling, dilution, and incorporation of air into the drink, enhancing the overall flavor and texture.
What are common mistakes to avoid when shaking cocktails?
Common mistakes in shaking cocktails include not shaking properly, holding only one side of the shaker, and overexerting the body. These errors can affect the drink's consistency, temperature, and overall quality.
What is the Anders method of shaking cocktails?
The Anders method of shaking cocktails involves building the drink in the larger tin, adding ice, shaking with a specific pattern, and double straining. This technique helps achieve a well-mixed, properly chilled cocktail with a smooth texture.
How can one efficiently multitask in cocktail making?
Efficient multitasking in cocktail making involves preparing multiple drinks simultaneously, focusing on practicality and speed rather than showmanship. Bartenders or hosts can save time by mastering the art of making several cocktails at once, ensuring each drink is well-crafted and consistent.
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Summary
00:00
Essential Techniques: Shaking, Stirring, Multitasking
- Shaking and stirring are essential techniques in cocktail making to chill, dilute, and incorporate air into the drink.
- Shaking is particularly useful for ingredients like citrus, dairy, and eggs, adding air bubbles to dampen alcohol burn and improve texture.
- Two main shaking techniques are the Japanese hard shake and the American style, both effective if done for 10-15 seconds with enough ice.
- Common mistakes in shaking include not shaking properly, holding only one side of the shaker, and overexerting the body.
- The Anders method of shaking involves building the cocktail in the larger tin, adding ice, shaking with a specific pattern, and double straining.
- Stirring is preferred for cocktails with predominantly spirits to maintain weight, aromatics, and clarity without adding air bubbles.
- Stirring technique involves using a vessel like a mixing glass, adding ice last for control of dilution, and stirring for 30-45 seconds until ice edges round off.
- A julep strainer is recommended for straining stirred cocktails, while beginners can use a chopstick as a tool to practice stirring.
- Multitasking in cocktail making involves efficiently making multiple drinks simultaneously, useful for bartenders or home gatherings.
- The focus is on efficiency and practicality rather than showmanship when multitasking in cocktail making.
10:13
Mastering Dual Cocktail Techniques: Shake and Stir
- Shaking two cocktails simultaneously is achievable by ensuring the shaking tin's seal remains intact to prevent spillage, allowing both drinks to chill and dilute evenly. Stirring two cocktails simultaneously is more challenging, requiring practice, especially if one hand is less dexterous than the other.
- To expertly stir and shake a cocktail simultaneously, use the non-dominant hand for shaking and the dominant hand for stirring, preparing both drinks before adding ice, stirring first, then incorporating the shaking motion gradually until the desired consistency is achieved.
