Hawthorne Strainers | How to use and why you should have it.

If you're a bartender or you're one of the folks learning to mix cocktails, then a strainer is a tool you must have handy. An excellent cocktail should be smooth and glides down the throat with its perfect. Without this tool, guests may find themselves swallowing small pieces of fruit or ice shards.

A strainer is a metal bar tool used to strain ice from a mixed drink squeezed into a serving container. 

Mixologists use it to pour a perfect cocktail, just as chefs use a food sieve to ensure the shape and consistency are just right.

WHAT KIND OF STRAINER SHOULD I GET?

Bartenders typically have many on hand. Consider how well it suits their hand and how convenient it is to use and clean since each one is designed to appeal to a specific feature of making drinks.

There are three types of strainers found in the spirit world, each with its purpose. 

• The Hawthorne Strainer

• The Julep Strainer

• The Fine Mesh Strainer

Alright, let's talk about those choices

• THE HAWTHORNE STRAINER

It is ideal for scraping all of the ice chips from your cocktail. The spring is attached to the back of the disk aids in the successful filtering of ice, ensuring that your drink is free of cold shocks and tastes smooth. 

You can use it with a cocktail shaker or tins because of its shape and scale. The Hawthorne strainer can be adjusted to various sizes and is relatively inexpensive. 

It is, though, difficult to clean and delicate. Since it adapts to a range of sizes, the Hawthorne is a popular choice among professionals. It also operates quickly, which is a crucial factor when dealing with consumers.

• THE JULEP STRAINER

As the name implies, this one is perfect for removing icky fruit pieces from mint juleps and other fruit-based cocktails. It is made to fit comfortably over glasses. When drinking the drink from the bottle, the strainer is kept in place by the long handle. It is more stable and easier to clean than others, despite working a little slower. A Julep is a decent option if you're a novice because its design allows for more flexibility when keeping it over the bottle and moving the drink over.

• THE FINE MESH STRAINER

You should be purchasing this in addition to your main strainer. You can use a fine mesh beneath it to ensure that all unwanted material is drained twice. 

FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN PURCHASING A STRAINER

It is essential to purchase a strainer made of high-quality materials.

When buying a strainer, the things you should look out for in the strainer are performance, durability, ease of cleaning, and appearance. 

• It must be long-lasting and capable of enduring daily use for long periods.
• If you're a competent bartender, you can also understand the strainer's look. Copper-plate, gold-plate, and black-plate highlights are among the options for them. Choose the one that best complements the bar's atmosphere and decor.
• It's also essential to think about how the tool configuration facilitates cleaning. 

DO YOU NEED A COCKTAIL STRAINER?

A well-made cocktail can look not only impressive but also taste great, and the cocktail strainer is an important part of that. 

Yes, it is important because it is a vital method to guarantee that the outcome is as planned, whether you're following a formula or assembling your favorite drink on the fly. 

HOW DOES A COCKTAIL STRAINER WORK?

A cocktail strainer is a bar accessory used to strain ice and chunky ingredients from the mixed drink poured into the glass.

Bartenders commonly use a cocktail strainer to remove the ice and the lumps of ingredients from the mix. 

HOW TO STRAIN

To strain a cocktail, you can use a cocktail shaker or a Boston shaker. The easiest way to strain is using a cocktail shaker.

Have a firm grip on your mixing tin with your forefinger and middle finger, place on the strainer lid to secure it. Place your cocktail shaker on the serving tin while shaking slightly to let the ice move around the drink.

WHY DO WE STRAIN?

Bartenders use different staining techniques, but the most common and easiest are outlined below.

There are several reasons why a bartender strains cocktails. The most apparent reason for straining cocktails is to remove ice from the drink. Again, we strain cocktails to pour out old ice to pour the drink over fresh ice. Another reason why bartenders strain martinis and similar cocktails is to extract chunky ingredients like a piece of fruit.  

They've completed their task of flavoring the beverage and are no longer needed. Although solid ingredients are used in cocktails like the mojito and the old-fashioned, they aren't the right choice for every drink. 

Additionally, some drinkers like the stretched variety because it stops the mint leaf from being lodged in their teeth.

WHAT ARE THE TECHNIQUES USE TO STRAIN A COCKTAIL?

As a bartender, or even if you're learning to be one, straining techniques are very important. 

• With a cocktail shaker
• Double or fine straining

With a Cocktail Shaker

The three-part cocktail shaker is the most convenient for straining cocktails. Since the strainer is built into one of the lids, there is no need for a separate strainer. 

Hold the lid, place your forefinger and middle finger on top of it (the strainer lid will come off if you don't). 

Allow the drink to spill out by slowly tipping the cocktail shaker upside down over the serving glass. Since the hole is narrower, shake it a bit to pass the ice around to ensure you have enough of the liquid. 

Double or Fine Straining

Double straining is recommended in some cocktail recipes, such as the watermelon cucumber cooler and the French Quarter smash when a cocktail is made with torn herbs and other thin, strong ingredients not wanted in the drink. 

The drink will go into two strainers when double straining: one above and a fine mesh strainer. Place your standard strainer in or on the cocktail shaker, and place a fine-mesh by its handle over the glass to double strain. 

Pour through the glass through both strainers; something that gets past the first strainer should (ideally) be trapped in the net. Pour steadily if the mesh strainer is greater than the diameter of the bottle to avoid liquids splashing over the surface.

WHAT ARE THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO MIX?

Starting with the right equipment will help you make better cocktails. A good bartender should ensure that he has the right tools to use.

There is a lot of equipment needed as a bartender for mixing a cocktail. 

• Mixing Glass
• Jigger
• Shaker

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs)

1. What Techniques Can Be Used To Strain A Cocktail?

There are different techniques a bartender uses when straining drinks like cocktails, but the most common of them are making use of a cocktail shaker or the fine straining techniques. 

1. What Is The Main Reason For Straining Drinks?

It won't be nice if your guest found peels of fruits on their drinks. Bartenders strain drinks like cocktails to remove chuck of ice and fruits from drinks. 

CONCLUSION

Making cocktails is delicate work that necessitates high-quality, long-lasting materials, as any good bartender knows. 

A good cocktail strainer goes a long way in making a drink smooth, tasty, and reliable, even though making a good cocktail is fairly easy. Before you start trembling, make sure you have one – or many – on your counter.