There are different shaking methods for different cocktail styles, including a dry shake without ice, a wet shake with ice that follows a dry shake, a reverse shake that is the opposite of a dry shake, whip shake with only a small amount of ice for full dilution, and a stylized Japanese hard shake. The term hard shake is also sometimes used to refer to a dry shake without ice.
7 Cocktail Shaking Methods
- Standard shake: With a large amount of ice for partial dilution
- Whip shake: With a small amount of ice for full dilution
- Wet shake: Standard shake with ice, preceded by a dry shake without ice
- Dry shake: Without ice, usually followed by a wet shake with ice. First shake without ice (dry), second shake with ice (wet). Also sometimes referred to as a “hard” shake.
- Reverse shake: Inverse of a dry shake. First shake with ice (wet), second without ice (dry).
- Hard shake: Japanese stylised shake with a set of choreographed gentle moves
- Double shake: Shaking two cocktails at once with a shaker in each hand for speed.
Standard Shake
A standard shake means shaking a cocktail in a shaker with ice for the purpose of chilling, diluting and mixing its ingredients, including those of different densities that would separate if they were only stirred in a glass, as well as for aerating the drink to transform its texture.
The standard shake is the classic and most widely used shaking method.
Check out the post that explains the difference between stirring and shaking a cocktail.
Dry Shake
A dry shake means shaking cocktail ingredients in a shaker without ice to avoid dilution and cooling, which is a method that results in better emulsification, incorporation and aeration of ingredients like egg whites and cream for a cocktail with a silky mouthfeel, frothy texture and a foam on top.
A dry shake precedes a wet shake where a cocktail’s ingredients are shaken with ice.
Sometimes, a dry shake is referred to as a “hard” shake.
How to dry shake a cocktail?
A dry shake consists of two steps, where the ingredients of a cocktail are first shaken without any ice, hence the word “dry”, and then a second time with ice before being strained into a serving glass, which is referred to as a “wet” shake.
Tip: Add a spring from a Hawthorne strainer or a protein shaker ball into a cocktail shaker for an even foamier dry shaking result.
Wet Shake
A wet shake means shaking a cocktail in a shaker with ice to incorporate the ingredients, dilute the drink and cool it down before straining into a serving glass. A wet shake is preceded by a dry shake without ice that better emulsifies and aerates ingredients like egg whites and cream.
Wet Shake vs Standard Shake: What’s the difference?
A wet shake is essentially the same as the classic standard shake with ice, but it follows a dry shake without ice.
Wet Shake vs Dry Shake: What’s the difference?
The difference between a wet shake and a dry shake is whether ice is added into a shaker when a cocktail is being shaken. A dry shake means that no ice is added into a shaker when shaking a cocktail, whereas a wet shake refers to shaking a cocktail’s ingredients in a shaker with ice.
Reverse Dry Shake
A reverse dry shake is a cocktail shaking technique used to mix, emulsify and aerate ingredients like egg whites and cream to produce a frothy texture by first shaking a cocktail’s ingredients in a shaker with ice, then straining the ice, and finally shaking again without ice before serving.
Examples of cocktails that are made by the dry shaking and reverse dry shaking methods because they contain egg whites include Clover Club, White Lady, fizzes like Gin Fizz, Ramos Gin Fizz or Sloe Gin Fizz, and sours like Whiskey Sour, Pisco Sour or Amaretto Sour.
How to reverse dry shake a cocktail?
The Reverse Dry Shake cocktail shaking method consists of two steps, where the ingredients of a cocktail are first shaken in a shaker with ice, then strained, and finally shaken for a second time without ice, before being strained again into a serving glass.
Reverse Dry Shake vs Dry Shake: What’s the difference?
A Reverse Dry Shake is the inverse of a Dry Shake cocktail making technique. The Dry Shake first shakes a cocktail in a shaker without ice, followed by a wet shake with ice. The Reverse Dry Shake does the opposite, starting with a wet shake with ice and finishing off with a dry shake without ice.
The reverse dry shake method is the same as the dry shake, but in reverse.
- Dry shake = First shake without ice (dry) + second shake with ice (wet)
- Reverse dry shake = First shake with ice (wet) + second shake without ice (dry)
Benefits of a reverse dry shake
Many bartenders argue that the reverse dry shake method produces more foam from cocktail ingredients like egg whites and aquafaba than the standard shake (ice only) or the dry shake (first without ice, then with ice). However, this has not been proven scientifically or conclusively.
Also, there is the question of quantity versus quality. While the reverse dry shake may create more froth, the bubbles tend to be larger and less dense, which leads to a less creamy, luscious and thick texture of a cocktail.
Is a reverse dry shake better than dry shaking?
There is neither scientific evidence nor a consensus in the bartending community on whether dry shaking or reverse dry shaking is better. Either method is better than the classic wet shake with ice only for cocktails containing egg whites and cream that are easier to emulsify and aerate without ice.
Should you dry shake or wet shake first?
There is a lack of scientific research and consensus in the bartending community on whether to dry shake or wet shake first. When combined, the two methods are better than a standard shake with ice only for drinks containing egg whites and cream, which are better emulsified and aerated without ice.
So, try both methods and see what works best for you!
Whip Shake
A whip shake is a cocktail shaking technique where only a few small pieces of ice are added to the liquid ingredients in a shaker and shaken until the ice fully dissolves, resulting in a controlled dilution and more foam than with a standard shake because there is more air left in the shaker.
A whip shake is used for cocktails that contain egg whites or cream, like a frothy Ramos Gin Fizz, or those served over crushed ice, such as a perfectly diluted Mai Tai or Zombie.
- A whip shake makes shaking cocktails that contain cream or egg whites more efficient because the smaller volume of ice in the shaker allows for greater agitation.
- Also, a whip shake is a good way to add some controlled dilution and chill to cocktails that are poured directly over fast-melting small pieces of ice, like tiki cocktails.
Standard Shake vs. Whip Shake
A whip shake is a cocktail shaking method that shakes a drink with only a limited amount of ice until full dilution, whereas the standard shake uses a lot of ice that gets only partially diluted during the shaking process and the excess is strained out before pouring the drink into a glass.
Reverse Dry Shake vs. Wet Shake vs. Whip Shake
A whip shake is a one-step method that shakes a cocktail with just a few pieces of ice until full dilution, while a reverse dry shake is a two-step technique that starts with a wet shake using a lot of ice that is partially diluted, with the excess strained out before a second dry shake without ice.
Hard Shake
A hard shake is a cocktail shaking technique, invented by a Japanese bartender Kazuo Ueda, with a set of gentle, stylized and precisely choreographed motions that drive the ice all over the entire shaker, usually a three-piece cobbler shaker, rather than only back-and-forth from one end to another.
Thanks to its origin, precision, stylized theatrical form and difficulty to master, the method could be compared to the martial arts of bartending.
Proponents of the hard shake believe that the method produces a better cocktail because:
- A hard shake reduces collisions between the ice and the walls of the shaker, which avoids breaking up the ice and results in controlled dilution and increased aeration.
- A hard shake can create different styles of bubbles that are better suited to certain cocktails (e.g., 2-3 step, 4-8 point, butterfly hard-shaking styles).
The method is said to be particularly suitable for cocktails with egg whites and creams that benefit from enhanced aeration and controlled dilution.
Nevertheless, it is uncertain whether the hard shake actually makes any difference to a cocktail.
For example, an experiment conducted by the French Culinary Institute in New York in 2009 has shown that any shaking technique with any type of ice will produce the same results, as long as a cocktail is shaken vigorously for 12-15 seconds.
Nevertheless, bubbles are also important in human perception of how a drink tastes and unfortunately more difficult to test and measure than temperature and dilution.
In any case, showmanship is an undeniable part of the hard shake and it demonstrates to the customer that the barman is putting a lot of effort, care and skill into crafting a cocktail.
Sometimes, the term hard shake is used to refer to a dry shake without ice.
Double Shake
A double shake is a cocktail shaking technique where a bartender shakes two cocktails at once with a shaker in each hand in order to save time.
The double shake is more complex than it seems because different cocktails may require a different shaking method and duration. Most bartenders use their dominant hand to shake cocktails that need a harder or longer shake.
So, what shaking method is the best? There is no one best shaking technique in bartending. Test out all of the methods and choose the one that is the most suitable for your particular cocktail, bartending style and personal preference.