SHAKE

Shaking a drink adds dilution, drops the drink temperature a bit below stirring, and creates an aerated texture. A general rule of thumb if unsure: drinks containing citrus, cream, or egg get shaken. These instructions assume you’re using a two-piece mixing tin set — if not, just follow along and add ice to your shaker last.

1 Prepare the garnish and set it aside.

2 Measure all ingredients into the smaller “cheater” tin. If the recipe calls for egg, crack the egg into a separate container first to inspect for any bits of eggshell.

3 Add ice cubes to the Boston tin, about half full. Secure the two tins together snugly (the cheater tin will fit inside the Boston tin at a slight angle) and raise them to shoulder level, oriented horizontally, with the base of the cheater tin pointed behind you.

4 Shake briskly for 10 seconds, then separate the tins by squeezing or smacking the Boston tin at the point where the two meet. The mixed drink and ice should all be in the Boston tin side of things.

5 Add any lengtheners called for to the tin (like seltzer or soda), then strain into your glass, using a Hawthorne strainer (or double strain by pairing with a fine-mesh strainer, if the drink contains anything chunky).

6 Garnish as specified.

SHAKE

COUPE

The elegant five-and-a-half ounce coupe has made a welcome return as the standard for craft drinks served up, replacing the V-shaped, so-called “Martini” glasses of the ’90s that grew to ridiculous proportions, slopping their drinks over the side the whole time.

Libbey 3777

COUPE

NO ICE

This drink is served without ice in the glass; use ice if directed in the technique.

NO ICE

BOSTON SOUR

Unknown origin | 1880s

Briefly dry shake, then shake again with ice:
1 egg white
3/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz lemon juice
2 oz bourbon whiskey
Express lemon oil over
Garnish: Angostura bitters décor & cherry
Variation: Float 1/4 oz red wine and skip the Angostura bitters for a New York Sour.

Jerry Thomas first covered Whiskey Sours in his 1862 book "The Gentleman's Companion" and just about every cocktail book since then has featured a version of the classic spirit/lemon/sugar combo. I've read a baffling array of recipes called "Whiskey Sour" - tall with soda in a Collins glass, frappe-style with blended crushed ice and Angostura bitters in a fizz glass, whiskey-forward on the rocks or up in a cocktail glass, and more. During the cocktail renaissance of the early 2000s, craft bartenders rediscovered the Boston Sour, an up variation shaken with egg white to create a silky, thick foam on the top. Many called it the "Traditional Whiskey Sour," but its "Boston" moniker has a long legacy in print, in spite of its hazy origin.

Egg whites in a cocktail might sound a little freaky at first, but it won’t take more than a sip to change minds. They become a finger-dipping dessert at the end... but be aware of the faint “wet dog smell.” A quick spritz of citrus oil and a touch of bitters will handle that.

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