Shaking & Mixing

Parisian Shaker

A Parisian shaker, also sold as a French shaker, is a two-piece cocktail shaker made entirely of metal: a base tin and a cap that seats on top, with no strainer built in. The ones we use hold around 500 to 600ml, room for one or two drinks and their ice. It shakes anything with citrus, egg white or cream, from a sour to a Daiquiri, and pours through a separate Hawthorne strainer.

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The tool

About the Parisian Shaker

Two Metal Pieces and No Strainer

The base is a tall tin, often curved in at the waist, and the cap is a shorter metal piece that seats on top of it. With the cap on, the drink is sealed in metal.

Because the cap is solid, the drink leaves through a separate Hawthorne strainer, as it leaves a Boston tin. That puts the Parisian between the other two common shakers: two pieces like a Boston, all metal like a cobbler.

Parisian, Boston and cobbler shakers compared

Parisian

Pieces: Two, both metal
Typical size: Around 500 to 600ml (our guidance)
Strainer: Separate Hawthorne
Opens by: Twisting the cap

Boston

Pieces: Two: a large tin with a small tin or a glass
Typical size: Large tin 70 to 85cl (Urban Bar)
Strainer: Separate Hawthorne
Opens by: A sharp tap at the seal

Cobbler

Pieces: Three: base, strainer top and cap
Typical size: 550ml (our shop); 50cl (Urban Bar)
Strainer: Built into the top
Opens by: Lifting off the cap and top

Shaker	Pieces	Typical size	Strainer	Opens by
Parisian	Two, both metal	Around 500 to 600ml (our guidance)	Separate Hawthorne	Twisting the cap
Boston	Two: a large tin with a small tin or a glass	Large tin 70 to 85cl (Urban Bar)	Separate Hawthorne	A sharp tap at the seal
Cobbler	Three: base, strainer top and cap	550ml (our shop); 50cl (Urban Bar)	Built into the top	Lifting off the cap and top

Shake Hard for 10 to 12 Seconds

Pour in the liquid, fill the base with cubed ice to just short of the joint, and seat the cap with a square push. Hold one hand on the cap and one on the base, and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.

For a drink with egg white, dry shake for 10 to 15 seconds without ice first. Then add the ice and shake again.

Pour through a Hawthorne held over the base. Our Yellow Jacket and Amaretto Sour go through a fine strainer as well, which catches the ice chips and any pulp.

Twist the Cap to Open It

Metal on metal grips harder as it chills, so the seal tightens during the shake. Hold the base, turn the cap, and it lifts away.

If it holds, warm water over the joint usually frees it. A knife or bar blade pushed into the gap bends the rim, and from then on it leaks.

Built for a Drink or Two

A Parisian holds enough for a pair of drinks and takes little room on a shelf. For a round of four, a Boston tin is quicker, because its large tin holds more and it opens with a single tap.

Using it

Using the Parisian Shaker

Usage

Shaking drinks with citrus, egg white or cream, hard for 10 to 12 seconds, then pouring through a Hawthorne strainer. Where a recipe says double strain, hold a fine strainer over the glass as well. It suits a home bar making a drink or two.

Pro Tip

If the cap will not shift, run warm water over the outside of the joint for a few seconds and twist again. The warmth loosens the grip that the cold put there.

Professional Tips

Pour in the liquid first, then fill with cubed ice to just short of the joint.
Seat the cap with a firm, square push. Pushed on at an angle, it jams.
Hold the cap and the base together, one hand on each, through the whole shake.
Open it with a twist of the cap, never by levering it sideways.

Alternatives

Budget Alternative

A plain stainless Parisian with no plating. A good seal is what you are paying for, and plating does nothing for it.

Premium Option

A heavier shaker with thicker walls and a closely matched cap. It seals more predictably and stays cold longer in the hand; what you pour is no different.

Specifications

Material
Stainless steel, sometimes plated in copper or gold
Capacity
Base around 500 to 600ml in the ones we use
Details
Two metal pieces: a base tin, often curved at the waist, and a cap that seats on it; no built-in strainer

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is a Parisian shaker?

A two-piece cocktail shaker made entirely of metal: a base tin and a cap that seats on top of it. The cap has no holes, so you pour through a Hawthorne strainer, as you would from a Boston tin. It is also sold as a French shaker.

Parisian shaker or Boston shaker?

A Boston pairs a large tin with a smaller tin or a mixing glass. It holds more and opens with a sharp tap, which is why busy bars use it. A Parisian is smaller and neater on a home shelf, and opens with a twist. Both need a separate strainer.

Parisian shaker or cobbler shaker?

A cobbler has three pieces and a strainer built into its top, so it pours with no extra kit. A Parisian has two pieces and no strainer. Choose the cobbler for simplicity, and the Parisian if you already own a Hawthorne strainer and like to double strain.

Does a Parisian shaker need a strainer?

Yes. Hold a Hawthorne strainer over the base as you pour. Where our recipes say double strain, as for drinks with egg white, fresh fruit or herbs, hold a fine strainer over the glass as well, to catch ice chips and pulp.

How do you open a stuck Parisian shaker?

Hold the base in one hand and twist the cap with the other. If it will not move, run warm water over the joint for a few seconds and twist again. Never lever it with a knife or a bar blade: that bends the rim, and a bent rim never seals properly.

How long should you shake a cocktail?

Hard for 10 to 12 seconds, with the shaker well filled with cubed ice, until the metal frosts. A drink with egg white gets a dry shake first, 10 to 15 seconds with no ice, then the same hard shake with ice in.

Can a Parisian shaker go in the dishwasher?

Plain stainless steel can, though washing by hand keeps the rims from being knocked about. Wash copper or gold finishes by hand. Rinse the shaker as soon as you have poured, so egg white or cream does not dry in the joint.