Whisky & Ember tools
Jigger
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A small measuring cup that turns the numbers in a recipe into the drink in your glass.
What it does
A jigger is a small metal measure for pouring spirits, liqueurs and juice. Every recipe on Whisky & Ember gives measures in millilitres first, with ounces alongside, and the jigger is how you pour them.
Equal-parts drinks reward careful measuring. A Paper Plane is four ingredients at the same measure, so a small slip in one shows up in the glass as a drink that leans too bitter, too sweet or too sour. A jigger is not a training wheel you graduate from. It is the simple tool that lets you make the recipe the way it was written, every time.
Free-pouring is a real skill, built on thousands of repetitions behind a bar, and bartenders who have it still check themselves against a jigger. At home there is nothing to check against.
How to use it
Pour a measure
- Hold the jigger level over the shaker tin or mixing glass, or stand it on the counter.
- Pour until the liquid reaches the line you need.
- Check the level at eye height before you tip it in.
- Tip it into the tin in one smooth movement.
- Small amounts such as a dash or a bar spoon have their own measure: use the dash bottle or the bar spoon.
What to look for
- Markings you can read easily, such as steps or lines inside the cup, so you have more than the two rim measures of a basic double jigger
- Both millilitre and ounce markings, so you can follow any recipe here
- A shape you can fill to the line and read at eye level
- Enough weight that it does not slide on a wet bar mat
More in the bar
Five Classics, Rebuilt
Free guide. A free 14-page guide to five classic cocktails: the correct spec, the story, two food pairings each, and honest notes on what you can change.
Cocktails & Crime
Podcast. A true crime podcast from Whisky & Ember. Each episode pairs a well-made cocktail with a carefully researched story of crime and scandal.
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This page includes an Amazon.ca affiliate link. See our affiliate disclosure. Please drink responsibly.