The Reason You Should Be Using A Cocktail Shaker For Coffee Drinks

We all have a coffee order we can probably say with our eyes while ordering at Starbucks. The more toppings and alterations, the better. Some coffee enthusiasts love their iced drinks so much that they try to replicate them at home. Sounds easy, right? Dropping ice in a glass, grabbing your sweetener of choice, pouring coffee and milk until it reaches the top. Now, it's ready for Instagram!

However, as easy and delicious as a homemade frappé can be, there's always something missing to make it our dream frappé or cortado with that perfectly foamy milk. Sometimes, this is because you are not buying the best-quality coffee or using old coffee, another common mistake when brewing coffee. Or, perhaps you aren't getting the milk texture just right. And when it comes to dairy drinks, there are other ways you can mess up iced coffee, like not dissolving your sugar correctly or letting it sit too long while the ice melts (via The Commons). 

Here's a secret: It's probably time for you to go to your cocktail bar to grab a tool that will upgrade your iced coffee drinks. Yes, it's time to shake some coffee! 

Serious Eats explains that in order for milk to get fluffy, it needs exaggerated movement so that its texture can start growing. A cocktail shaker makes this agitation easier and gives the milk that whipped effect that will upgrade your coffee drink. The outlet even suggests using instant coffee in the recipe if you prefer to skip brewing the coffee, and it all goes in the same shaker. Instant coffee, sugar, milk, ice, and water can, therefore, give you a frothy drink in less than five minutes and a few shakes. 

Why the cocktail shaker? Yes, indeed, there are some luxury tools in the coffee world, but the shaker is faster to use and easier to clean. Plus, it will cost you less than the latest barista-grade coffee maker. Plus, according to The Spruce Eats, the coffee shaker helps to combine the ingredients in a profound way, and the result is a balanced flavor and the perfect level of sweetness.

Very milky beverages — coffee, alcoholic, or otherwise — are harder to use in this scenario but aren't impossible to make. Cooks Illustrated explains that this is because any beverage with dairy is harder to integrate. But, the shaker allows for the milk to have less concentration and lets the coffee be the star of the drink, with a comfortable texture gentle to the palate. As you may see, most of these tips with cocktail shakers are better for drinks with ice, so go for it when looking for a refreshing and caffeinated drink.

With a cocktail shaker, you'll have barista-level drinks for your coffee break at home.