Mixing Glass Mechanics Part 1 – Stirring

Successful mixology is as much art as it is science, but regardless of skill, no artist can accomplish their work, without the proper tools. And the cornerstone of every mixologist’s tool set is the Boston shaker glass, useful for stirring, shaking, blending and measuring all kinds of cocktails.

When using thicker syrups, you want to stir without ice in order to properly mix the syrup and spirit together. You also don’t want to use the stir technique for any drinks that include egg whites or lemon/lime juices as it won’t properly mix the flavors. Stirring should only be used for drinks that contain spirits, syrups, and bitters (like Manhattans, Old Fashioneds etc.). Once stirred properly without ice to create the perfect mix, you can add ice for additional stirring to reach the optimal dilution based on the bartender’s discretion.

In this video, Dean shows you how to properly stir a cocktail, while making one of his personal favorites, a Chocolate Old Fashioned, a sweet, fresh take on the classic bourbon drink.

Chocolate Old Fashioned

• 1 oz agave nectar
• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
• 2 oz (ish) of top shelf bourbon
• Orange Zest

Combine agave nectar, chocolate bitters, and bourbon into a mixing glass. Stir in the bourbon without ice in order to properly dilute the syrup and bitters. Add ice and stir. Add some more ice, stir again. Strain with a julep strainer over a large ball or square ice cube into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange zest, serve, drink and enjoy this unique twist on a classic cocktail!