Shaking introduces air, creates texture, chills rapidly, and significantly dilutes a drink. I use shaking for ingredients that need aggressive mixing like juices, eggs, cream, or thick syrups. Stirring is gentler, preserves clarity, provides controlled dilution, and creates a silky texture—perfect for spirit-forward cocktails like Manhattans and Martinis. The difference isn't just visual; a shaken Manhattan tastes noticeably different (and traditionally incorrect) compared to a stirred one.

After teaching home bartending classes in Brooklyn for years, I've found you need surprisingly few tools to make great drinks. At minimum, get a jigger (for measuring), a shaker, a long bar spoon, and a Hawthorne strainer. Everything else is nice but not essential. In my early bartending days in Alphabet City, I've made do with a mason jar as a shaker and a tea strainer in a pinch. Proper technique with basic tools beats poor technique with fancy equipment every time.

Proper dilution is achieved when the drink is well-chilled and the flavors have mellowed into balance. For shaken drinks, shake until the shaker becomes frosty cold and uncomfortable to hold (usually 12-15 seconds). For stirred drinks, stir until the mixing glass feels very cold (20-30 seconds). In professional settings, we sometimes weigh drinks before and after mixing to measure exact dilution, but at home, temperature is your best guide. I find most people under-dilute rather than over-dilute, leading to unbalanced, harsh-tasting cocktails

In my experience teaching cocktail classes across New York, the main differences are usually: improper dilution (not enough), poor quality ice (too small/melts too fast), imprecise measurements (eyeballing instead of measuring), and using less-than-fresh ingredients (especially juices and garnishes). Also, many professional bars use specialized ingredients like custom syrups or infusions. Start by measuring carefully, using large ice, and always using freshly squeezed juice—these three changes alone will dramatically improve your results.