DIY Drink Shaker

It may not look as sleek, but a DIY shaker gets the job done.

Though sleek, bullet like shakers certainly scream modernism, drink shakers have been around since about 7,000 BC, when ancient South Americans used gourds to mix drinks. You can employ the same sort of ingenuity at home with a do it yourself drink shaker. Many solutions get the job done; as long as your drink is shaken and your shirt remains dry, your shaker qualifies as a success. Does this Spark an idea?

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2 cups or glasses
Travel coffee mug
Thermos

Instructions

- 1
  
  Find two cups, one with a slightly smaller mouth than the other. Add your drink ingredients to the bigger cup, firmly fit the smaller cup upside down into the larger cup's mouth, hold each end tight and shake. Simply create a small opening between the two cups to strain the drink out. This design actually reflects the origin of the modern cocktail shaker, which was created by an innkeeper in the late 1800s using two cups.
- 2
  
  Reverse the two cup DIY drink shaker method when making drinks with lots of ice. Put your ice and drink ingredients in the larger cup and place a smaller cup, right side up this time, into the mouth of the big cup. Keep the cups upright, shake with a circular motion and strain into a glass. This method gives you a little more leeway with cup sizes. Use glasses rather than plastic cups for better cooling capabilities.
- 3
  
  Use a travel coffee mug in a pinch. Add your cubes and drink ingredients, put the lid on securely, place your thumb over the lid's opening, shake and pour. Use a metal mug if possible, as metal cools iced cocktails better than plastic. You can also use a thermos, as long as it has an opening big enough to fit ice cubes for chilled drinks.

Tips & Warnings

When using a DIY shaker, shake your drinks for about 10 to 15 seconds for the maximum chill.
You can use your homemade shaker for more than just cocktails. Try shaking salad dressings and sauces as well.