One easy way to up your home bar game? Invest in a cocktail shaker, and a whole new world of impressive drink-making opens up. Susan Choi, the mixologist behind Berlin’s globally recognized Mr. Susan cocktail bar, breaks down why Cocktail Kingdom’s $27 Koriko Weighted Shaker set is her favorite — both behind the bar and back at home.
For Susan Choi, the owner of Berlin’s globally recognized Mr. Susan cocktail bar, there’s just one cocktail shaker she swears by — both when she’s deep into it behind the bar and when she’s making a nightcap at home.
“You can't really do anything without a shaker, and the best brand is a very industry brand called Koriko,” she says. The Japanese-made steel shaker is insulated as well as ergonomic, with a weighted bottom.
“It's really easy to work quickly and have a very stable working area — and, they're beautiful,” she adds.
Although anyone can pick one up, Koriko’s durable, elegant, and dishwasher-safe barware was developed with professionals in mind. That means the shaker is a touch pricier than more basic options, “but you only need one,” Choi points out.
It also does double-duty as a stirring glass, but better “because it stays cold. You can use the shorter part: I stir all my drinks in there, like negronis,” she says.
Not only does the shaker work for cocktails of all kinds, its ergonomic design makes it suitable for hands of all sizes. “I love that it's weighted and somehow it's quite light, too, because, you know, everything is built for a man. I feel like I can handle it really well without it slipping out of my hand and giving someone a concussion,” she says.
And, it feels good to work with, too. “The thing about other shakers [is] they can be very clunky,” she says.
It looks good, feels good, and makes drinks taste good, too, making it her No. 1 go-to behind the bar at work and home.
“I think ultimately, when it comes down to serving a good cocktail, it's about keeping the integrity of the drink. Koriko is great: The way their steel is, it provides great insulation. Your ice shakes and dilutes like it needs to for a cocktail,” Choi says. “Technically speaking, it works really, really well.”
