To shake a cocktail or other mixed drink means to vigorously rock it back in forth in a shaker to blend the ingredients, before straining it into a glass. Together with stirring, it is one of the two primary methods of mixing cocktails. One of the most significant reasons to shake a cocktail is to get the benefits of the ice churning back and forth, which affects a drink in a multitude of ways.
First off, shaking chills and dilutes a cocktail much faster than stirring does because more contact is generated between the liquid and the ice. For this reason, one needs to spend less time shaking—typically 8–12 seconds.
Shaking also alters a cocktail’s texture. The ice aerates the cocktail, giving it a lighter and livelier consistency. This is visually evident in a layer of bubbly froth on the cocktail’s surface. Finally, perhaps the most significant, if less obvious, impact shaking has on a cocktail is that it emulsifies ingredients into a unified whole, so separate flavors cannot be parsed out as easily. This results in a markedly different texture and mouthfeel than stirring gives.
There are some ingredients that are so resistant to mixing that in practice they can only be blended through the force of shaking, such as eggs, cream, and fruit purees.
History of Shaking
Shaking was developed in the United States and became an established a technique for mixing cocktails by the 1840s, once iced drinks had become commonplace. By the 1850s it was widespread. It evolved from a technique known today as rolling or throwing wherein bartenders would mix a cocktail by pouring it back and forth between two vessels. See rolling. Eventually these vessels were wedged together to form what we know today as the shaker. See cocktail shaker. A shaker allows cocktails to be mixed more vigorously without the threat of spilling, and this is due to the seal formed between the two parts—when the ice chills the air and liquid within the shaker, they contract, forming a vacuum and further preventing any leakage. (If the shaker is poorly designed, this vacuum, slight as it may be, can make the parts extremely difficult to separate.)
Which Drinks Are Best Shaken
It is generally agreed upon that a cocktail should be shaken if it contains any fresh, nonalcoholic ingredients. Citrus juice is the most frequent example, along with dairy products, fruits, and herbs. Another way to look at it is if it’s cloudy, it should be shaken. Drinks with these types of ingredients benefit from the light, aerated texture that shaking provides because they tend to be in the bright, citrusy, and refreshing vein. They are also usually consumed more quickly, so the added chill and dilution is helpful. The Daiquiri, Whisky Sour, and Margarita are all prime examples of classic shaken drinks. See Daiquiri; Whisky Sour; and Margarita.
How to Shake
Regardless of the type of shaker being used, it is best to shake it horizontally: vertically will not get the ice moving properly. It is also advisable to keep a hand, or at least a finger or two, on each end for added support and to prevent it from flying apart should the vacuum fail. With a two-piece shaker, the mouth of the larger tin should be facing the bartender, just in case the seal does come undone, as its contents will end up on them and not the guests.
Craddock, Harry Lawson.See also stir.
Arnold, David. Liquid Intelligence. New York: W. W. Norton, 2015.
Craddock, Harry. The Savoy Cocktail Book. London: Constable, 1930.
Embury, David A. The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks. New York: Mud Puddle, 2008.
Uyeda, Kazuo. Cocktail Techniques. New York: Mud Puddle, 2010.
Wondrich, David. Imbibe!, 2nd ed. New York: Penguin, 2015.
By: Tom Macy