Screen your pleasure

Double Straining

We all have been told at one time or another that we need to filter our thoughts or screen our responses, but now we have truly found a use of strainers for something other than restricting ourselves! Recently The Hedonistic Bar was asked, “What’s this double straining thing you are talking about?” In this post we are going to talk about the different tools used for straining cocktails, as well as how to properly double strain a cocktail.

There are three basic types of strainers,

Hawthorn Strainer, this is the quintessential cocktail strainer with the metal spring around the outside. This strainer is most often used to remove ice from a cocktail as it is poured into the serving glass. To use a hawthorn strainer, simply place the strainer on top of your mixing tin or glass. The metal spring should fit inside of the rim of the mixing vessel.

Julep Strainer, a lesser known tool, but still important.  A julep strainer is a saucer shaped piece of metal punched full of holes and a small handle attached giving it the profile of an oddly shaped serving spoon.  The julep strainer is used in much the same way as a hawthorn strainer. Julep strainers are typically used in place of a hawthorn strainer, or when you are straining ingredients that would get stuck in the spring of a hawthorn strainer, such as the mint leaves in a Mint Julep.

Tea Strainer, This fine mesh sieve or strainer is used when double straining cocktails. Double straining is a technique that is used in cocktails that include fresh juices, muddled fruit or herbs, eggs, or small ice shards that you don’t wish to have in the finished cocktail.  Straining a cocktail twice filters out any pulp, seeds, egg shell, or other impurities leaving a cocktail that is crisp and clean in appearance and texture.

To double strain, place a hawthorn or julep strainer on top of your shaker tin, pour the contents from the shaker tin through the hawthorn or julep strainer and into a fine mesh or tea strainer that you are holding above the glass in which you are serving the cocktail, straining the cocktail twice.

Cheers!