Bartending/Techniques/Stirred cocktails

Stirred cocktails are drinks such as Martinis, Manhattans, and Gimlets. They are stronger than highballs and typically are 4 oz. (120 mL) of liquid.

Stirred cocktails can be served straight up, without ice; or on the rocks, with ice. In either case, the drink is mixed with ice and then strained; drinks on the rocks are strained into a glass with fresh ice. Stirred cocktails should be strained into a glass with a stem so that they keep cold longer, especially when served straight-up; a cocktail glass is exactly this.

Making a stirred cocktail

To prepare a stirred, follow the below directions.

• Fill a 12 oz. (350 mL) shaker glass two-thirds full with ice.
• Add ingredients from smallest to largest amount, so that if you pour in too much you don't have to discard a whole drink.
• Stir very well.
• Strain the drink into a serving glass. For drinks on the rocks, strain into a glass with fresh ice; for drinks straight up, strain into an empty glass.
• Garnish as necessary.

You can add the smallest ingredient before the ice; this is recommended for drinks such as Martinis, where you have to add a very small amount of dry vermouth.

Stirred cocktails can also be prepared as shaken cocktails in many cases; this may mix the drink better, but it may also make it cloudy. Shaking can also chip or break up the ice, increasing the water content of a drink. Stirred drinks should be stirred unless the patron requests it be shaken. As a rule of thumb, drinks made entirely of clear ingredients should be stirred, while drinks containing other ingredients such as fruit juice or egg white should be shaken.

Stirred cocktails

Martinis

• Martini
• Dry Martini
• Extra Dry Martini
• Gibson
• Vodka Martini
• Tequini Martini
• Black Martini
• Chocolate Martini
• Cosmopolitan
• French Martini
• Saketini