When pouring a cocktail into its glass, most require an extra fine strain to achieve the right appearance and consistency.

While a typical strainer (such as the Hawthorne strainer or a shaker’s pre-built strainer) allows you to filter out any ice and big pieces of fruit when pouring the cocktail, it won’t stop smaller fragments of fruit or pieces of ice from falling in the drink.

Fine straining (or ‘double straining’) also helps avoid any unpleasant taste (such as bitterness) involved in having to chew on bits of fruit or herbs when drinking the cocktail.

How to fine strain a cocktail:

1Place a fine sieve above the glass;

2Pour the contents of the shaker through the sieve (rather than directly in the glass itself). A tea strainer can be used for this purpose.