I wasn't really been much of a cocktail person but I was asked to try out this Premium Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker Set by Mixologist World, which comes with a double jigger and a cocktail booklet. My tastes were pretty simple when it came to liquor. I enjoy good whiskey, neat, and gin and tonic, so to open my mind to a world of mixed drinks was a fun challenge.
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| Only the hardware is being reviewed. Everything else is for decoration |
The shaker holds 24 oz of liquid and comes complete with a built in strainer in the lid and a cap to keep it water tight, since nobody wants to shake a drink and get covered in it. The kit also contains a 1 oz/½ oz jigger for measuring and a booklet full of cocktail ideas, including non-alcoholic cocktails for the non-drinkers. They also offer a couple of free e-books on their website.
The shaker and jigger were polished to a mirrored shine upon arrival and I almost didn't want to put my fingerprints on it, but I forced myself and made myself a couple of cocktails (over the course of the evening). The parts fit together snuggly and are easily separated to empty the ice and clean them. Mixologist World stand by their Cocktail Shaker and guarantee no rusting or leaking and so far I have seen no signs of either.
The shaker performed admirably with all the cocktails I mixed with it. It is simple to clean between drinks and with a microfiber cloth, the high sheen finish comes back every time. My only complaint is that I can't make ice fast enough to keep my friends glasses full. The cocktail booklet gave us enough ideas to cover everyone's tastes and thankfully I had most of the alcoholic ingredients already stocked in my pantry bar.
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| Oooh Shiny |
When you think of mixed drinks, the word Martini comes to mind, and since I am a huge gin fan, what better drink to start my evaluation with. A true Martini is made with gin and not vodka, but times have changed and many 'tini' drinks are vodka based and flavored with sweet stuff.
Tina's Martini aka The MarTina
6 parts Gin (3 large jiggers full)
1 part Dry Vermouth (1 small jigger full)
1 olive (optional)
Add wet ingredients to a shaker half filled with ice and shake.
Strain into a cocktail glass, serve with an olive (optional) and enjoy.
Technically a shaken Martini is called a Bradford, but I don't want to confuse people too much, and besides if I stirred it, then I wouldn't be able to test out the shaker. There are also many variations on this mix including the Perfect Martini (equal parts Dry and Sweet Vermouth), the Dirty Martini (made dirty by the addition of olive juice), and the Dry Martini (add 6 parts of gin to a glass and wave it in the general direction of Italy).
Some say that the Manhatten should be stirred instead of shaken, but I have a brand new cocktail shaker to try out and so I shook mine.
Tina's Manhattan aka The ManhatTina
6 parts (good) bourbon
2 parts Sweet Vermouth
½ part Cherry Juice (optional and not traditional)
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 cherry
Add wet ingredients to a cocktail shaker half filled with ice and shake gently.
Strain into a lowball glass, serve with a cherry and enjoy.
Gentle shaking is required to avoid a foam forming on the surface of the drink when poured. A true Manhattan omits the cherry juice, but I add that for fun. Traditionally a Manhattan is made with Rye Whiskey or Canadian Whisky, but I am more of a Bourbon gal so that's what I use.
Overall I am a huge fan of this Shaker Set and I recommend it to anybody who wants to add an extra dimension to their entertaining. You will need to invest in some other things if you get one of these shakers. An ice machine would be useful, as well as some cocktail straws, olive picks and other basic bar supplies. Some fancy cocktail glasses and coasters are not a necessity, but would make you look more professional. Not to mention you will need to stock up on cherries, lemons, limes, olives, bitters plus a variety of juices (orange, grapefruit, pineapple) to cover all possible drink requests.
Disclaimer: I received this product at a strongly discounted price for evaluation purposes. The review above is my own honest and unbiased opinion.
Premium Stainless Steel Cocktail Shaker Set
Penguin Rating
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