Boston shaker

Tool

A Boston shaker is a two-part cocktail shaker: a large metal tin that seals over a smaller tin or glass, with no strainer built in.

Also called: tin-on-tin shaker

Large tin: 28 oz (830 ml)
Small tin: 18 oz (530 ml)
Glass half, when used: 16 oz (470 ml)
Shake time: 10 to 15 seconds
Ice: Fill about two-thirds full
Why bartenders pick it: more volume, stackable, durable, and two can be shaken at once

What Boston shaker means

The Boston is the set-up behind a recipe that says to shake with ice. You build the drink in the smaller half and seal the large tin over it, so the two pieces form one shaker. Once the drink is chilled, it pours out through a strainer into a glass.

Sizes matter when you pick one up. The large tin holds 28 oz (830 ml) and the small tin holds 18 oz (530 ml). When you use a glass in place of the small tin, it holds 16 oz (470 ml). The glass version is the classic pair, and the tin version is the lighter option. Tristan Willey, quoted in PUNCH, prefers two tins for their volume, durability and stackability. They also let you shake two drinks at once, which a cobbler does not.

The seal is the part to check before you shake. You set the large tin on the small one at a slight angle and tap it, so the two pieces lock together. A loose seal can pop open mid-shake, so tap it firmly before you start.

How to use a Boston shaker

Shake with two halves that seal, plus ice and a strainer to hold the ice back when you pour.

1.Build the drink in the smaller half, with the ingredients the recipe lists.
2.Add ice last, filling the shaker about two-thirds full.
3.Set the large tin on top at a slight angle, then tap it to seal.
4.Shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, holding both halves firmly.
5.Strike the large tin near the seam with the heel of your hand to open it.
6.Pour through a Hawthorne strainer set in the large tin, since a Boston has no strainer built in.

No boston shaker? Without a Boston shaker, a cobbler shaker works, and its built-in strainer means you can skip the Hawthorne.

Boston shaker compared

Cobbler shakerA cobbler shaker has three pieces with the strainer in the top. A Boston has two pieces and needs a separate strainer.
Glass and tin vs tin on tinThe classic setup pairs a tin with a glass. Tin-on-tin uses two metal tins, so there is no glass to break.
Hawthorne strainerThe Hawthorne is the separate strainer that fits the large tin and holds back ice when you pour.

Related terms

Put it to use in your next drink

Garçon explains every step as you make the drink.