Disclaimer: The reviewer has received the product/service at a reduced price or for free. All opinions contained in this post are my own and are my honest thoughts based on my own experience with this product.
I wanted this to make non-alcoholic drinks. I attended an event in Chicago and saw one in use. I asked the bartender if he could make me a non-alcoholic version of the drink he was mixing. He complied and I was very impressed with how good it tasted, how much I could taste the herbs and how cold the drink was. Using crushed ice to bruise fresh herbs allows all the goodness and taste of those herbs to mix into the beverage - both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. After the cocktail shaker arrived, I unpacked it and noticed the high quality of this cocktail shaker set from Barware Styles. The stainless steel shaker is very high quality unlike some of the thinner ones I've seen. When you add in your ice, herbs and liquids, it is easy to shake and does not leak. I really appreciated this feature as I hate having drops of liquid all over my countertop.
My first drink was a non-alcoholic Martini. When my husband poured the shaken drink out of the cocktail shaker it was easy to tell how cold the beverage was - and it tasted great. The various components of the martini we made were well mixed and remained that way until we were finished with our drinks. We did not completely fill the cocktail shaker up but it easily was large enough to make two martinis. The cocktail shaker set was easy to clean, the lid did not stick and for those who prefer using a dishwasher, it is safe to wash it in one.
The overall design is simple and clean. The one drawback is the outside of the shaker gets quite cold so using a towel or other item to hold the shaker with is a good idea from my perspective. It is also a good idea to wipe the condensation off the outside of the cocktail shaker before pouring drinks so the water droplets don't end up in the drink. The other really nice thing about this cocktail shaker was the built-in strainer did not fall off into the glass when the drink was being poured.
This is a very nice item that would make a great gift for someone - but be sure to pick one up for yourself too - especially if you enjoy mixed drinks. I know I will use this quite frequently to make herbal drinks this summer. This is absolutely the best cocktail shaker I have come across to date for making herbal drinks.
Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.