Contour Shaker

This Contour shaker is bar equipment, not a spirit, so what follows is about how a shaker like this is used. The listing gives no capacity, material or lid design, so check those on the product page. Most cocktail shakers come in one of two layouts. A three-piece cobbler has a body, a built-in strainer and a cap. A two-piece Boston pairs a metal tin with a second tin or a glass. Either way, the job is the same: chill a drink quickly and dilute it to the right strength. Shake any cocktail that contains citrus juice, egg white, cream, or a syrup that needs to be blended in. A daiquiri, whiskey sour, margarita, Clover Club or Cosmopolitan all belong in a shaker. Fill it about two-thirds with fresh, dry ice, add the ingredients, seal it, and shake hard for roughly 10 to 15 seconds. The outside should frost over. Drinks made only from spirits, such as a martini, Manhattan or Negroni, are better stirred in a mixing glass, because shaking clouds them and adds more water than they need. Egg-white drinks like a pisco sour are best shaken twice. Do a dry shake first, without ice, to build foam. Then add ice and shake again to chill. Strain into a glass chosen for the drink. Use a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora for drinks served up, such as a daiquiri or Cosmopolitan. Use a rocks glass over fresh ice for a whiskey sour or margarita. A built-in strainer holds back ice but lets small citrus pulp through. For a smoother pour, add a fine-mesh strainer over the glass. Care affects how the shaker works. Rinse it right after use, since sugar and citrus dry into a film that sticks the lid and can leave the metal dull. Hand-wash it and dry it before storing. Don't leave it sealed while wet, as that can trap odors. If the lid seats tightly after a cold shake, a quick tap on the side of the shaker usually breaks the seal.