Retro Cocktail Shaker

The Retro Cocktail Shaker is Esplanda-branded barware. It is a shaker, not a spirit, so what matters is which drinks it suits and how to use it well. The listing doesn't give a capacity or material, so check the product specifications for those before you plan batch sizes. A shaker is for drinks that need chilling, dilution and aeration together. That means anything with citrus juice, egg white, cream, syrups or fruit purée. A Daiquiri, Whiskey Sour, Margarita, Sidecar, Cosmopolitan or Gimlet all depend on hard shaking to blend sour and sweet elements and to bring the drink to temperature. Drinks made only from spirits, such as a Martini, Manhattan or Negroni, are traditionally stirred over ice. Shaking them adds more water and a cloudy appearance, though some people choose that for a Martini. For a typical sour, add the liquid ingredients first and ice last. Use plenty of cold, solid cubes, since small or wet ice melts quickly and over-dilutes the drink. Shake hard for roughly 10 to 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker is cold and frosted. For egg white drinks like a Pisco Sour or Clover Club, shake once without ice to build foam, add ice, then shake again. Strain right away so the drink doesn't keep diluting. Match the glass to the drink. Serve up cocktails in a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, ideally kept in the freezer for a few minutes beforehand. Serve long or tall drinks over fresh ice in a rocks or highball glass. Don't reuse the ice from the shaker, because it will already be partly melted. After use, rinse the shaker promptly and dry it, especially after sugary or citrus-heavy mixes. Wash by hand unless the product details say it is dishwasher safe.