The hard shake is a style of shaking a cocktail or other drink. It does not simply mean to shake hard, but rather is an elaborate style of shaking developed by the Japanese bartender Kazuo Uyeda (1944–) whereby the ice in the shaker travels in a triangle rather than the usual back-and-forth oscillation. See Uyeda, Kazuo. This is achieved by fluctuating the vertical level of the shaker, typically in descending steps, followed by a twisting motion, all with quick snaps of the wrists.
Though its alluring visual flair is admired, many believe that the hard shake does not actually deliver any meaningful benefits in cocktails. Notably, Dave Arnold, who has conducted extensive experiments on shaking styles, concluded that “from a technical standpoint, your shaking technique doesn’t matter at all. As long as you shake for between 8 and 12 seconds, your cocktails will be the same no matter what you do.” On the subject of aeration he adds that he was “not able to detect any appreciable difference in the texture of drinks shaking with different styles.”
On the other hand, Japanese American bartender Kenta Goto (owner of Bar Goto in New York) posits that the hard shake may be advantageous in Japan because most bartenders there use the smaller cobbler shakers and block ice, which is very hard. He says this “may contribute finer aeration when using … an airtight container like a cobbler shaker.” See cocktail shaker. It should be noted the hard shake is not the status quo in Japan and is practiced habitually by only a handful of bartenders.
When it comes to shaking with the spacious two-piece Boston shaker, the choice of most cocktail bartenders around the world, and large ice cubes from a machine such as a Kold Draft, there appears to be a consensus that the hard shake will not have any impact on the cocktail, save for a presentational one.
Arnold, David. Liquid Intelligence. New York: Norton, 2015.
Cisneros, Frank (former bartender at the Mandarin Oriental in Tokyo), in discussion with the author, August 2018.
Goto, Kenta (owner of Bar Goto), in discussion.
Uyeda, Kazuo. Cocktail Techniques. New York: Mud Puddle, 2010.
By: Tom Macy