Whisky & Ember tools
Hawthorne strainer
A flat strainer with a spring, for holding back ice as you pour.
What it does
A Hawthorne holds back ice and lets the drink through quickly, and speed is the point. A slow pour keeps the finished drink in contact with melting ice.
The spring seals against the inside of the tin and lets you control the gap with a finger: open for a fast pour, closed down when you want to hold back more. It is the first half of a double strain.
Every recipe here uses one: from the shaker tin for the five shaken drinks, and from the mixing glass for the Boulevardier.
How to use it
Strain a drink
- Open the shaker, or finish the stir in the mixing glass.
- Set the strainer on top, spring side down, inside the rim.
- Hold it in place with one finger on the tab.
- Pour in one steady movement. Slide the strainer forward to close the gap if you want to hold back more.
- For a double strain, pour through a fine strainer held over the glass.
What to look for
- A tight spring that sits flush inside the tin
- A gate or tab you can push closed one-handed
- Fits both your shaker tin and your mixing glass
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