One of my visitors, called Ouroboros just posted the question, if I can explain the hard shaking method.
Well... as I am not yet a master in this technique, I can just recommend to see the video of Eben Freeman. This guy (you could easily call him more wired than me - and this is an achievement, really is!) studied this method and would like to share his knowledge with others.

Is it his achievement or of the nymag/Grubstreet?

Anyway... so please take a deep breath and watch Eben Freeman’s Japanese Hard Shaking...

Any further questions?

ADRIAN CRESPO

I've been interested in the "hard shake" since I first heard about it (on the German Bitters Blog) and honestly...I think it's all lore. I have great respect for Mr. Ueda but I'm not sure about the hard-shake...just take a look at Ueda's homepage...well it's a bucketful of poetry of very dubious scientific solidity. He doesn't explain how it goes nor does he give a plausible explanation about how it should be different.

A couple of days ago I stumbled across this video (and watched it without taking a deep breath beforehand :D) it looks quite goofy and not very convincing.

When I first heard about "hard shake" I thought it was about...well...shaking hard. When I shake I do raise my hands to elbow level and rock the ice back & forth with my forearms (maximum force I can provide), adding some extra twist with the hands, so the ice keeps continuosly banging onto the front and back of the shaker.

Within very few seconds I can reduce regular ice cubes to ice "marbles", I get an incredible cooling effect and lots of chips and even pulvericed ice.

It's not goofying around with the shaker it's just...hard shaking :D

I give him the benefit of the doubt though! Wish I could go to Japan.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2008 - 09:02 PM

DOMINIK MJ - THE OPINIONATED ALCHEMIST

Adrian, I understand what you mean!

However I’ve to admit that the video widened my horizon! Normally I shook always straight - as I thought this is the way - the ice would take the longest way in the shaker!

When I tried the Japanese hard shaking the drink didn't became much colder - however you get a sooner extra cold result and you got more aeration! This is very surprising for me, as normally I am more pragmatic and don’t follow every trend! But it really seems to make a difference [may be not only in this complex ritual]!

Is this now the way to be? Definitely not - but for some cocktails - especially those which consisting cream or eggs etc. it is a better method - or maybe my normal shake is already too strong??

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2008 - 07:15 AM