After you have finished shaking a cocktail, you will need to strain it into your desired drinking vessel. If you are not using a Cobbler Shaker (which has a Hawthorne strainer built into the top portion of the set), you will need to use a Hawthorne strainer. A Hawthorne strainer has tightly wound coils and perforated holes to keep ice and other large ingredients in the tins. Strain it out!
Shake your cocktail until you have reached your desired dilution ratio.
Then take your Hawthorne Strainer and insert it into your Shaker tins.
Strain your cocktail into your selected glassware by securing the strainer and the tin with one hand, pressing downwards to nudge the strainer into position and gently pour.
That’s it! If your particular cocktail is served with ice, top with fresh cubes and garnish. Cheers.
tips for straining shaken cocktails
Some bartenders think the Julep Strainer is unnecessary and will use their Hawthorne Strainers to strain all types of cocktails, shaken and stirred! If you have a Cobbler Shaker though, you may think the Hawthorne is extraneous and will opt to only have a Julep Strainer on hand.
Did you stir up a drink but don't have a strainer in sight, Julep OR Hawthorne? Do you have a slotted spoon in your kitchen? That will do! Place the spoon over your shaker to hold back the ice and serve your cocktail! We here at Cocktail Courier want you to have the best tools possible, but we also know that drink making can happen anytime and anywhere. We want you to be able to shake/stir your way to success no matter what tools you're using!
