Stir vs Shake vs Throw vs Roll
Technique is texture. The same ingredients mixed by different methods become different drinks. Here's the decision tree.
Stir — for all-spirit drinks
Use when every ingredient is clear (spirit, vermouth, bitters, liqueur). Stirring chills and dilutes without aerating. Target: 20–25% dilution, ice-cold, silky texture.
Examples: Martini, Manhattan, Negroni, Boulevardier, Old Fashioned (built in glass), Vesper.
Shake — for anything with citrus, egg, cream, or non-spirit volume
Use when the drink has citrus, egg white, cream, or a sizable non-spirit component (simple syrup, juice). Shaking chills, dilutes faster, and aerates — the drink gets cloudy and foamy.
Examples: Daiquiri, Margarita, Whiskey Sour, Gimlet, Clover Club, Pisco Sour.
Throw — for aromatic drinks that need aeration without harsh shaking
Pour the drink between two tins from a height. Aerates gently, chills and dilutes. Used for bitter / amaro forward drinks where shaking would bruise the flavor.
Examples: Corpse Reviver, Blood & Sand (some schools), amaro-forward drinks at Death & Co.
Roll — for heavy-bodied drinks
Pour between tins slowly (like the throw) but without the dramatic height. Used for Bloody Marys and clam-based drinks — enough to chill and combine without aerating or beating up the tomato juice.
Examples: Bloody Mary, Bull Shot, Red Snapper.
The shortcut
All clear = stir. Anything cloudy or including citrus/egg/dairy = shake. Big aromatic amaro = throw. Thick red = roll.
Every cocktail in BarCheat lists its technique in the method panel — stir, shake, throw, or roll — with count and dilution targets.
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