Hey there! Right now, we’re speaking all about cocktail strainers: The differing types, what they’re for, and how one can use them. They’re the cocktail shaker’s greatest buddy and are tremendous essential in your mixology journey, so let’s discover this important device.
A cocktail strainer is a will need to have for any dwelling bar or skilled enterprise that mixes and serves drinks. Whether or not you’re a profession bartender or hobbyist, realizing the completely different strainers and how one can use them is essential in creating the smoothest drinks.
There are 3 main sorts of cocktail strainers, every working with the opposite gear in your bar device equipment in particular methods.
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What’s a Hawthorne Strainer?
The commonest kind of strainer is named a Hawthorne. You’ll discover this indispensable device in just about any and all skilled bar settings; for those who use a Boston shaker, mixing glass, or pint glass for mixing up drinks, you’ll completely want one in your house bar as nicely.
A Hawthorne strainer is (usually) chrome steel and has a deal with that leads as much as a flat, spherical plate with a number of holes alongside the highest. Above the holes sits a detachable spherical coil n a semi-circle, which catches shards of ice and chunks of fruit.
The model that we make right here at A Bar Above has an ergonomic deal with for much less hand pressure, is sturdy sufficient to face as much as a busy bar, and options tightly-coiled springs (some are actually unfastened, that means they don’t catch a lot!).
As a result of it’s one piece with out welds, the straightforward design received’t break or rust. Plus, it is available in a number of completely different colours– stunning and sensible!
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Different Advantages of the Hawthorne Strainer
There are loads of causes the Hawthorne is so in style– it’s straightforward to make use of in quite a lot of vessels. Listed below are some causes we actually find it irresistible:
Ergonomic Design
If you happen to undergo from any sort of hand damage or ailment like arthritis, then you know the way painful it may be to make use of poorly-made gear along with your palms all day lengthy. With easy edges and a snug grip, the patented design of this strainer could have you pouring completed cocktails comfortably and with ease.
Versatile
The actually cool factor about this blended drink strainer is that it’s sized to suit over any customary cocktail shaker tin (Boston fashion), pint glass, or mixing glass available on the market. (Extra on straining from mixing glasses in a minute).
Like I discussed earlier than, the coils are tight, which additionally means you possibly can match the strainer snugly into the shaker tin and never fear about spillage. Designed to suit comfortably over a glass or tin and be held in place with one hand, it makes bartending or serving drinks at a celebration additional straightforward.
Excessive-High quality
At A Bar Above, we take loads of satisfaction in our bartending instruments and make them with food-safe, high-quality chrome steel 304.
Different Sorts of Strainers
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Mesh Strainer
A high quality mesh strainer is so useful– each skilled bartender or cocktail fanatic ought to have one for creating silky easy drinks.
So what’s it used for? For cocktails, use such a cocktail strainer in tandem with a Hawthorne strainer to double pressure your cocktail components and take away extra particles out of your completed product– like bits of pulp, fruit seeds, and muddled leaves.
It’s nice within the kitchen, too; it’s the right device for making soup inventory and can be used as a tea strainer or for kombucha or baking components.
Right here’s how you utilize it: Place the mesh strainer in your cocktail glass, and pour the liquid by way of the Hawthorne first and into the mesh. This double-straining ensures the smoothest cocktail with out undesirable chunks of ice, fruit pulp, or herbs.
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Julep Strainer
A julep strainer is called after the drink it was designed for, the Mint Julep. This strainer was initially made for drinkers of the Mint Julep in order that they didn’t get a bunch of ice of their faces when ingesting it. These days, it’s used principally for spirit-forward cocktails which are stirred in mixing glasses; this traditional device removes bigger shards of ice, seeds, bits of fruit pulp, or chunks of herbs from the completed drink whereas nonetheless permitting in some ice shards and muddled components.
When making sure cocktail recipes with muddled components, you really need to incorporate a number of the “particles”– like bits of mint leaves or fruit items, and the holes of the julep strainer permit this greater than the Hawthorne bar strainer does. It additionally allows extra ice chips, which is sweet in an additional chilly Martini.
A Bar Above 4-Piece Bar Set, Copyright A Bar Above
Shakers
One other methodology of straining a drink is by ‘breaking the shaker‘ which is once you pressure by way of the small crack made by a Boston shaker so the ice doesn’t fall into the drink. It’s tough to do however removes the necessity for a strainer– after all, there’s extra risk that issues will go by way of, even bits of ice.
There are additionally shakers which have a built-in strainer, just like the cobbler shaker; however in our opinion, they simply don’t work that nicely as utilizing a separate strainer– They’re laborious to take away & get caught simply. Plus, the strainer design isn’t very massive, so it will get clogged typically.
3-Piece Strainer Set, Copyright A Bar Above
Choose the Good Strainer
If you happen to’re in search of a ravishing, dependable, ergonomic, and high-quality cocktail strainer, positively take a look at ours– bought individually or as a set if you wish to take your mixology expertise to the following degree– in addition to all our complete arsenal of bar instruments in our store.
We take loads of satisfaction in crafting our merchandise; they’re designed by an skilled bartender for bartenders, mixologists, and at-home fans, so you recognize nice care has been taken of their design. Plus, they arrive in a spread of attractive colours: chrome steel, gold, black, and vintage copper.
So once you’re stocking your cocktail bar, be sure to seize our strainers and every little thing you want to go together with them so you may make some scrumptious drinks!
