Martinis: Shaken or Stirred?

This past weekend I attended a liquor seminar on mixing cocktails. The individual conducting the tasting has taught many students on the art of bartending and has appeared on TV.

During the question and answer period the question came up about should cocktails be shaken or stirred. The answer given was interesting. First, he said that gin doesn't get bruised when you shake it, that there is no such thing as bruising a liquor. However, he said all drinks that only contain liquor such as a Martini or Manhattan should be stirred. He said that shaking a martini makes the drink cloudy looking instead of crystal clear. Then he said any drinks containing a fruit juice should be shaken so that the bubbles from shaking match up better with the liquor.

So, what do you guys think?

I used to shake my Manhattans but then heard pretty much the same thing you did. Since then I have been stirring My Manhattans. It does make a "better looking" drink in that it stays very clear. As for the taste I haven't noticed any difference. I still shake drinks that have juice in them.

Stirring is supposed to incorporate the least amount of dilution, while still chilling the drink.

Me, I don't worry about it. Shake my martinis all day long.

Depends. There is no denying a stirred drink stays clear and makes a better presentation. OTOH I think a shaken drink gets colder faster. So, am I entertaining and want to make an impression or just want a good cold drink for myself? Bottom line, I do both. It just depends on the situation.

I generally shake martinis and manhattans. Then I pour them.
Then by the time I carry the drink to where I'm going to drink it -- it's clear again.

Chris Mc Millian from the Ritz Carlton in New Orleans talks about the differences between shaking and stiring Martinis. He stirs Gin and shakes Vodka and explains why for each. I am definitely a Gin Martini drinker and I like them the way he makes them in this video, though I prefer olives to a twist. Anyway, it is a fun video that addresses the "bruising" question. Cheers!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-RgWbdHI3A

Stirred. I can't stand the little chips of ice that end up on a top of a shaken drink diluting the first sip.

ciderguy said:

Stirred. I can't stand the little chips of ice that end up on a top of a shaken drink diluting the first sip.

Click to expand...

Good point.

The answer is WWJBD - What would James Bond Do?

Shaken, not stirred.

IMHO, stirring is the to go. Shaking will chip the ice and water down the beverage.

BSAGuy said:

The answer is WWJBD - What would James Bond Do?

Shaken, not stirred.

Click to expand...

I'd never trust a man who refers to tea as "a cup of mud" to tell me how to mix a cocktail. Our taste buds would just be too different.

I have always shaken. I always will. Just looks and feels cool.

I stir tea and coffee.

I shake Martinis

Mick-tini

Pour vermouth into shaker.
Swirl it around to coat the sides
Pour the vermouth back out
Add ice
Add Tanqueray
Cover
Shake for 30 seconds
Strain into glass

Consume
Repeat

.

Shake. I like the effervescence of that first sip. And it is absolutely flawlessly cold, assuming a properly chilled glass to pour into. Shaking actually makes the first sip of a Martini (as opposed to a vodka martini) taste better, as long as you hit it while it is still cloudy.

YMMV of course.

I like how cold the shaken martini is. I let is sit a minute or so, and it seems to clear up.

It depends. I tend to go by the rule mentioned where one stirs a drink with only liquor and shakes one that has juice. So, yes, I stir a martini or Manhattan, but I'll shake a margarita or daiquiri.

Like some others, I do not care for the ice chips on top of my martini. Nope, nope, nope. I'll just stir it until I can barely hold the "shaker" and the aromatics bloom. I have a beautiful cocktail that's crystal clear, ice cold, and delicious.

If you want to stir, then stir. I shake the hell out of my martinis because it takes less time and I want it in me. Who cares if it doesn't look as pretty? I'm drinking it, not putting it up for auction. That, and booze don't bruise. What nonsense.

Bottoms up, gentlemen.

Well, tonight my wife and I met some friends at a local restaurant. As usual, we arrived early and we went to the bar for a drink and to wait for our friends. We were the only people at the bar. My wife ordered a Merlot and I ordered a Bombay Sapphire martini. The bartender said he had a special martini and asked if I wanted to try it. Of course, I said yes.

First, the gin and vermouth were on ice: buried in the ice bin. He took out the Bombay and poured what he said was "about three ounces" into a mixer. Next, he added a splash of vermouth. He used a vermouth I had never tried before: Dolin. He said his ratio is about 7 to 1. He asked me what garnish I wanted and I said an olive. He then took one small olive and put it in the mixture. A few swirls - with no ice - and he then put it into a cocktail glass. Without a doubt it was one of the best - and most potent - Martinis I have ever had.

Our friends arrived and we had dinner. However, the Martini was the best part of the evening. Now I have to find a place that sells Dolin Dry Vermouth.

I think if you want your drink to be "clear" you stir and if you want your drink opaque you shake. Here is an excellent video on the matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKnlrzbIQ3s&index=39&list=PLy-gmg_NQgmanGJDmw572d0-Qc3i5TDFI

I use Alton Brown's recipe. The only thing I changed is to yse cubes instead of crushed ice, I hate shavings in a drink. Taken from The Food Network website:

Place some crushed ice into the martini glass you will be serving in, and set aside.
Place 1 cup of crushed ice into a cocktail shaker. Pour in the vermouth and swirl it around, making as much contact as possible with the ice. Using a strainer, pour the vermouth out. Add the gin and stir well to combine.
Remove the ice from your serving glass and add the olive. Using the strainer, pour the gin into the serving glass.
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown, 2005

We had martinis tonight. The LOTH just got her boot off today, 12 weeks after a broken leg/ankle. She had a Ketel One with dry vermouth swirled in a chilled glass, shaken, not stirred. I had a Bombay Sapphire martini, stirred, not shaken, with 1/2 oz. dry vermouth. Three oiives each. Perfect!