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Mixing Glass vs Shaker Tin for Stirring
Whether a stirred drink needs a mixing glass, or the shaker you already own will do.
Which should you use?
Stir in the shaker tin if that is what you have. Metal chills fast, cannot break and holds plenty of ice; many busy bars stir in tins for exactly those reasons. A mixing glass is heavier and better to look at: you can watch the drink and it pours cleanly from a spout. Chill a glass first, because thick glass starts warm and takes cold from the first part of the stir.
| Dimension | Mixing glass | Shaker tin |
|---|---|---|
| Chilling | Slower at first unless pre-chilled | Fast |
| Seeing the drink | Yes | No |
| Pouring | Clean, from a spout, with a julep or Hawthorne strainer | Fine with a Hawthorne strainer |
| Breakage | Can crack from thermal shock or a knock | None |
| Cost | A separate purchase | Already in the kit |
Using one in place of the other
The drink is the same. In a tin, stir until the outside frosts; in a glass, until it is very cold to the touch, which takes a little longer.
In the recipes on this site
Every stirred recipe on the site — Martini, Manhattan, Negroni and the rest — can be stirred in either.