A Whipped Cream Charger Is A Game-Changer For Laborious Shaken Cocktails

If the function of ice in a cocktail is chilling and dilution, shaking accomplishes these with express-lane efficiency. But there's one arena that largely belongs to shaking alone: texture. The Ramos Gin Fizz, for example, infamously requires entire minutes of vigorous shaking to create the drink's signature frothy texture. Some bartenders employ special techniques like the whip shake to streamline the arduous process. But believe it or not, the best way to long-shake a cocktail is to skip the shaker altogether. Particularly in the industry, the law of the land is "if you know, you know" — so allow us to make your 12:30 a.m. rush a whole lot easier: Whip out the whipped cream canister.

To be clear, we aren't talking about empty Reddi-wip cans or tiny silver whippet balloons here. We mean the professional-grade, refillable whipped cream canisters you might spot in bakeries, kitchens, or coffee shops, like this model by SimCoker. It has a wide enough mouth to allow bartenders to easily add all the ingredients — plus ice cubes — into the can.

The way it works is the whipped cream canister pressure-forces nitrous oxide into the cocktail, compressing the flavors together and instantly creating the same effects as vigorous shaking. You can mix all the ingredients right in the charger — and the result is a frothy cocktail with a pleasant cap of spume.

If your drink contains eggs (or aquafaba), juice, or dairy, you can be nearly certain that it'll require a good shake. Reach for the whipped cream charger any time you're craving a daiquiri, Bee's Knees, espresso martini, margarita, Blue Hawaiian, Trinidad Sour, Tom Collins, cosmopolitan, and more. Pro tip: To nail this technique, be sure to charge your cocktail with the canister upside-down so that the gas travels through the entire drink as it rises.

The only caveat is that this method makes straining a little trickier. Whereas your old reliable Hawthorne strainer effortlessly spans the mouth of a standard shaker, if you need to strain your cocktail post whipped cream-charger shake, reach for a julep strainer. Its tiny holes and delicate, spoon-like shape will easily catch any leftover ice or fruit pulp chunks as you pour. FYI, this method works both ways: You can also make homemade whipped cream in a cocktail shaker and knock out all your dinner party friends with your MacGyver-esque gastronomic know-how.