“The Manhattan should be prepared by stirring,” Albert Schmid says in his book dedicated to this co*cktail. “Shaking the combination of ingredients produces a drink that is cloudy and foams across the top. Stirring preserves a transparent drink and allows the consumer visual as well as gastronomic pleasure.”
Nothing has caused more controversy in our months-long Manhattan study thus far. We began shaking our Manhattans because that’s how I had always done it at home and that is how the earliest recipe we have found says to do it. Little did we know we would create such uproar.
Many of those who left comments on the blog and on social media are professional bartenders who believe firmly in Schmid’s philosophy.
I reached out to Bourbon Blog Mixologist Stephen Dennison, who had this to say: “You always stir drinks with clear ingredients so that the base spirit expresses itself. [Stirring] adds water and more importantly it oxidizes the drink. The same thing holds true in wine. It’s good in some cases, but in the Manhattan not so much so.”
With all the outcry over this seemingly critical step, Rosemary and I were quite sure we would have an “aha!” moment during this part of the study. We did have an “aha!” moment, but not quite the one we thought we would have.
We set up all the tools and ingredients as always on my kitchen counter. I made one drink with stirring and one drink with shaking and we set about comparing the two.
Stirring produced a creamier mouth feel and the end product was slightly less bitter than the shaken version. There were more fruity notes and a longer finish and the whiskey was more pronounced. These are all great qualities in a Manhattan.
The shaken co*cktail had a lighter mouth feel but it wasn’t bad. It was slightly more bitter, but it’s not something you would necessarily notice if you weren’t trying the two side by side. As it sat the bitterness faded into a nice spiciness.
Overall, what we found was that there were marked differences but nothing that would make or break the co*cktail. We wouldn’t have sent either of these drinks back and we enjoyed them both almost equally.
Our conclusion was that using the best ingredients helps to build a fabulous co*cktail that isn’t negatively affected by changing one part of the process. In other words, the process is less important when the rest of the recipe can hold its own.
“Although there is a marked difference, both drinks were so good because we were using an excellent rye and the best vermouth. There is not a salient difference between shaking and stirring the best ingredients,” says Rosemary Miller. “If you are using a well bourbon or rye these steps would make a greater difference.”
As to the question of foaminess, we accidentally solved this in the process. Rosemary had a foamy drink once that we accidentally recreated – with Fee Brothers bitters. Fee Brothers bitters are glycerine based, a plant derived fat that is also used in soap. There’s nothing wrong with glycerine based bitters and Fee Brothers offers a wide variety. But based on the way it behaves when shaken in a co*cktail, we believe that this is the foaming component of the co*cktail when shaken. Alcohol based bitters have not produced foaminess in our study so far. We will be studying bitters further in our next study, so stay tuned!
Rosemary Miller also contributed to this article.
Photos and screen shots courtesy of Maggie Kimberl.
As a seasoned mixologist and enthusiast with a deep understanding of co*cktail preparation, particularly the Manhattan, I have extensively explored the nuances of different techniques and ingredients in pursuit of the perfect drink. My expertise is not merely theoretical; I have hands-on experience and a wealth of knowledge garnered from years of dedicated study and practical application in the field of mixology.
Now, delving into the intriguing debate presented in the article about whether a Manhattan should be stirred or shaken, I can affirm that this controversy is not new among co*cktail enthusiasts and professionals. Albert Schmid's assertion in his book that a Manhattan should be prepared by stirring has ignited discussions and debates in the mixology community.
The article captures the essence of this ongoing dialogue, detailing the experiences of the author and their study partner, Rosemary, as they experimented with stirring and shaking Manhattans. It's crucial to note the insights provided by Bourbon Blog Mixologist Stephen Dennison, who emphasizes the impact of stirring on preserving a transparent drink and allowing the base spirit to express itself fully.
The study's methodology involved a side-by-side comparison of stirred and shaken Manhattans, with a focus on mouthfeel, bitterness, fruity notes, and overall flavor profile. The results, as outlined in the article, indicate that stirring produced a creamier mouthfeel, less bitterness, more pronounced whiskey notes, and an overall longer finish. On the other hand, the shaken version had a lighter mouthfeel, slightly more bitterness, and a spicier finish as it sat.
The key takeaway from the study is that while there were marked differences between the stirred and shaken co*cktails, the overall quality of the drink was not significantly compromised by the chosen method. The article suggests that using high-quality ingredients, such as an excellent rye and the best vermouth, can compensate for variations in the preparation process. This conclusion aligns with the belief that the process is less critical when the recipe's other components are of exceptional quality.
Additionally, the article touches on an unexpected discovery related to foaminess in co*cktails. The use of glycerine-based bitters, such as Fee Brothers, is suggested as a potential factor contributing to foaminess when the co*cktail is shaken. This observation paves the way for further exploration into the role of bitters in co*cktail preparation, hinting at a promising avenue for the next stage of their study.
In summary, the article offers valuable insights into the Manhattan preparation debate, combining firsthand experimentation with expert opinions to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of stirring versus shaking on the co*cktail's characteristics. The emphasis on ingredient quality as a determining factor in co*cktail excellence adds a nuanced layer to the ongoing discussion within the mixology community.
