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You’ve shaken your cocktail, opened the shaker, and grabbed that strainer with the curly spring. Now what? Does the spring face up or down? Are you supposed to hold the handle? And how do you keep the whole thing from landing in your drink?
These are the details that tend to get skipped when someone says, “Just strain it into a glass.”
So let’s slow down that part and go over how to position a Hawthorne strainer, hold it comfortably, and pour your cocktail without dumping ice all over the place.
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What Does a Hawthorne Strainer Do?
A Hawthorne strainer is the flat cocktail strainer with a coiled spring underneath. It sits over the opening of a shaker tin, holding back the mixing ice and larger solid ingredients while the liquid pours through it and into your serving glass.
The spring helps it fit snugly inside the opening and catches some smaller pieces, too. It won’t necessarily catch every tiny ice shard, seed, or bit of mint. (That’s where a fine mesh strainer comes in.) But it’s the best starting point for serving a clean drink.
If you’re still figuring out which tool does what, our guide to cocktail strainers explains the differences.
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How to Position and Hold It
Once you’ve finished shaking and opened your Boston shaker, keep the cocktail and ice in one tin.
Place the Hawthorne strainer over that tin with the spring facing down into the opening and the flat plate facing up. The supporting prongs rest against the rim.
Check the fit before you pour. The strainer should sit securely, with its spring tucked inside the tin rather than perched awkwardly on top.
Wrap your hand around the tin near the top, then rest your index finger on the strainer’s plate or finger rest. Apply enough pressure to keep it in place as you tilt.
You don’t need to squeeze for dear life. If the grip feels awkward, set everything down and reposition it before trying again.
And the handle? It helps you pick up and position the strainer. You don’t need to hold it separately throughout the pour.
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How to Use a Hawthorne Strainer in 7 Steps
- Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass with ice and your cocktail ingredients.
- After shaking or stirring your cocktail in its given receptacle, hold the Hawthorne strainer by the handle with one hand, and place it over the opening of the shaker or mixing glass with the coil facing down.
- Use your other hand to hold the shaker or mixing glass securely, and tilt the container to allow the liquid to flow out into your cocktail glass.
- Pour the liquid slowly through the strainer and into your serving glass, using a twisting motion to help catch any ice or solids that may be in the cocktail.
- Continue to pour until all the liquid has been strained, and discard any debris caught in the strainer.
- Once finished, remove the Hawthorne strainer from the shaker or mixing glass, and set it aside to be rinsed.
- Serve and enjoy your perfectly-strained cocktail!
Practice makes perfect when using a Hawthorne strainer, and it may take a few tries to master the technique, but it really is pretty easy. With time, you’ll get the hang of it and become a master at straining cocktails like a pro bartender.
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Preparing for Straining
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Techniques for Perfect Cocktails with a Hawthorne Strainer
- Consider the type of cocktail you are making and choose the appropriate strainer. For example, a mesh cocktail strainer might be needed for a drink that requires extra filtering. This would be used with the Hawthorne strainer in a technique called double-straining. A julep strainer, on the other hand, is typically used with a mixing glass.
- Experiment with different straining techniques, such as pouring the cocktail through the strainer slowly or at an angle, to achieve the desired consistency.
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Recipes That Utilize a Hawthorne Strainer
When making these cocktails, be sure to use the proper straining techniques to ensure that your drink is smooth and debris-free.
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Choosing the Best Hawthorne Strainer
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Yessss. Me too with the “cringe” dance moves with my kiddos (adult kiddos now), love to be in public with them and dance especially in the bars and grocery stores, or anywhere I go with them in public. Lol.
Thx for the article too btw helps to learn bar tools, especially since I’m not a drinker but trying to be a bar tender. Lol.
Glad the article was helpful– We have tons of recipes and articles on non-alcoholic cocktails, too. 🙂 But it’s definitely good to know how to use all your bar tools to make drinks, even if you don’t partake.
And I’m also glad I’m not alone in embarrassing my kid with my dance moves… I mean, isn’t that one of the greatest joys of parenthood?!?