Cocktail Strainers, A Quick Guide

A cocktail strainer is a must for any home bar or professional business that mixes and serves drinks. Whether you are an avid mixologist by hobby or career, knowing the different strainers and how to use them is essential in creating the best and smoothest drinks.

There are several different types of strainers and various ways they work with the other equipment in your bar. The most commonly-used strainer is called a Hawthorne strainer. You will find this strainer in most professional bar settings, and you might even decide to outfit your home bar with it. It is a versatile and great-looking strainer.

A Hawthorne strainer has a handle that leads up to a flat round plate with several holes along the top sizes for straining. Usually, it is a stainless steel strainer with a round coil that sits on the plate in a semi-circle.

This strainer has an ergonomic handle for less hand strain while using it and is durable enough to stand up to a busy bar where hundreds of drinks are poured or in your home bar when you entertain guests.

The Hawthorne strainer from A Bar Above comes in several different colors, and it is as beautiful as it is practical. It is available in steel, and gold with a matching coil and elegant design. This cocktail strainer will not break because it is not welded together, so there are no weak parts to bend; it is also rust-proof.

If you are a bartender and suffer from any kind of hand injury or ailment like arthritis, then you know how painful it can be to use poorly-made equipment with your hands all day long. With smooth edges and a comfortable grip, the patented design of this strainer will have you mixing drinks all night comfortably and with ease.

This drink strainer is sized to fit over any standard mixing glass or shaker tin on the market. The coils are tight so you can fit the strainer in snugly and not worry about spillage. Designed to fit comfortably over the mixing glass and be held in place with one hand, you will look like a bartending superstar when you strain or double-strain the perfect cocktail with the Hawthorne strainer.

This strainer will work with a fine strainer or on its own with little-to-no spillage. The coils are tight and well-made so they provide a good seal and won’t let any large chunks of ice or pulp into your cocktail. These strainers are made with high-quality stainless steel 304, which is food grade.

When you use this Hawthorne strainer, you show people that you are serious about the quality of their drink, and they will appreciate the effort and admire the elegance of the tools you are using.

A fine mesh strainer can be used in tandem with a Hawthorne strainer by placing the mesh strainer in the serving glass and pouring the liquid through the Hawthorne into the mesh. This double-straining ensures the smoothest cocktail with no little, unwanted chunks of ice, fruit pulp, or herbs.

A julep strainer is named after the drink it was designed for, the Mint Julep. This strainer was originally made for drinkers of the Mint Julep so they didn’t get a bunch of ice in their faces when drinking it. Nowadays, it is used mostly for drinks that are stirred in mixing glasses to remove larger chunks of ice or seeds from the cocktail.

Another method of straining a drink is by ‘breaking the shaker‘ which is when you strain through the small crack made by a Boston shaker so the ice doesn’t fall into the drink. It is tricky to do but removes the need for a strainer. There are also shakers that have built-in strainers, like the cobbler shaker.

When you are looking for a beautiful and reliable strainer that is well-made and comfortable to hold, try the Hawthorne strainer by A Bar Above for your home bar or your business.

The colors available are striking, and the design is made with great care so it fits perfectly over your mixing glass or shaker tin with little problem and no leaks. These strainers are designed by a bartender for bartenders and mixologists, so you know great care has been taken in their design. When you are looking to stock your bar for business or home, this is one tool you will definitely use.