Straining
BeginnerSeparating liquid from ice and solids using a Hawthorne or julep strainer after shaking or stirring.
Tools Required
How To
1. After shaking or stirring, hold a Hawthorne strainer firmly over the mouth of the shaker, with the coiled spring facing down. 2. Hold the serving glass in your other hand at a slight angle. 3. Pour the liquid through the strainer in a steady, controlled stream. 4. Let the ice and any solids remain in the shaker. Tip: Keep the strainer pressed firmly to avoid ice chips slipping through. For crushed-ice drinks, a julep strainer works better to hold back smaller fragments. Common mistake: pouring too fast, which can overwhelm the strainer and send ice chips into the glass.
Pro Tips
Position the Hawthorne strainer with the spring facing into the tin, applying gentle finger pressure to control the gap and flow rate. For stirred drinks in a mixing glass, use a julep strainer with its convex side facing down to hold back ice cleanly. Strain in one confident, continuous pour rather than stopping and starting, which can drip and create a mess. Tilt the shaker or mixing glass at a steady angle and let gravity do the work while maintaining consistent pressure on the strainer.
Common Mistakes
Using a strainer that does not fit snugly allows ice chips and debris to slip into the glass, creating a gritty texture. Not pressing the Hawthorne spring tight leaves gaps that let large ice shards through, causing rapid over-dilution as the drink sits. Pouring too fast overwhelms the strainer, causing liquid to splash over the sides and bypass the filter entirely.
