On the downside, we've not seen a strainer in a cobbler that strains quite as well as we'd like, so ice chips and fruit pulp can sometimes pass through to the glass.
They tend to be passed over in professional settings, but this has more to do with the practicalities of the working environment than it does the quality of the finished cocktail. Cobblers are lighter and smaller than Boston-style shakers, which is of benefit to those with smaller hands, or who don’t need the making of a daiquiri to be a workout. It’s hard to make a mess with it – simply add the ingredients, affix the top and the cap and get to shaking.
On the cobbler's plus side, there's the not inconsiderable benefit of it being self-contained. A product of the late Victorian era, the cobbler – with its tapered tin, lid with integrated strainer, and small cap to cover the strainer – is the quintessential silhouette of a cocktail shaker. Also due to a tight seal, they can be difficult to open.Also known as a Manhattan or three-piece shaker, the cobbler is the simplest style of cocktail shaker to get to grips with, and probably the most familiar to home cocktail makers. The downside is they are relatively small, making it harder to make multiple drinks at the same time. This design makes it very user friendly for novice bartenders. The Cobbler Shaker consists of 3 parts: 2 stainless steel tins and a built-in strainer. Also, some level of experience is needed to open the shaker. The downside is the glass part breaks often, making it not as cost-effective behind a busy bar. Also, the glass part of the shaker enables the guest (and bartender) to see what goes into the cocktail. On the plus side, this type of shaker enables you to shake several drinks at once. The Boston shaker consists of 2 parts: 1 stainless steel tin and 1 glass cup. The downside can be that they are quite difficult to open due to a very snug fit of the 2 parts. The French shaker is a lightweight, 2 part stainless steel shaker which chills your liquids fast and efficiently, is durable and sounds great when you shake with ice. Pros and cons for each cocktail shaker type The third type is the three-part or Cobbler shaker, which involved an integrated strainer. The version that was most popular in Britain was called the French shaker (later the Parisian shaker). As the concept of the shaker developed in the United States, what was later known as the Boston shaker dominated American bars. Many new cocktail shakers, new versions, and improvements were invented by bartenders and three cocktail shaker types have stood the test of time: the French, the Boston and the Cobbler shaker. Stainless steel cocktail shakers were standard bar equipment by the mid-1850's.īy the time Jerry Thomas wrote the first-ever cocktail book ('How to mix drinks') in 1862 he was already instructing his readers to shake their drinks stating: 'every well-ordered bar has a tin egg nogg shaker, which is a great aid in mixing'. Before these shakers were around, drinks were simply tossed back and forth between two glasses to mix the ingredients. The cocktail shaker we think of today became part of the general cocktail making gear around the mid-19th century. According to Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez 'golden cylinder-shaped containers' were used to prepare frothy cacao mixtures. The first evidence of a cocktail shaker was found in South America as early as 7000 BC! Fragments of bottles with traces of alcohol in them have been identified as being for the purpose of mixing drinks. Let's dive into the world of cocktail shakers so you can start to assemble your perfect cocktail shaker set! The Boston shaker, the Cobbler shaker, the French shaker all have their own distinct history and have been around for a very long time. The most characteristic bartending tool, available in many shapes and sizes, it's essential behind any bar.