How Much Ice Should You Be Putting In Your Cocktail Shaker?

How much ice do you need in a cocktail shaker? We asked cocktail maverick Sean Satterlee for advice. Satterlee works as Beverage Director for The Betty & St. Julep, the twin concept bars inside Atlanta's Kimpton Sylvan Hotel, so he's very familiar with shaken drinks. 

As it turns out, you need a lot of ice. "​​Fill a shaker about two-thirds full of 1-inch by 1-inch ice," explained Satterlee. "A quick and easy way to get the right amount of ice is to fill the top of a shaker tin if using a shaker tin set." 

It's important to use fresh ice after every shake, too. While dilution — the water added from the ice — is key to a well-balanced drink (it's also how you avoid the burn when drinking whiskey), you'll overdo it if you use old ice.

However, you should hold off on adding ice if you're making a drink that calls for egg white or another foaming agent, like aquafaba. "The amount of ice or the presence of ice can be impacted by the presence of egg whites or a foaming agent," says Satterlee. Ice keeps the drink from reaching its maximum foam potential, so foamy drinks call for a dry shake. 

For a dry shake, shake the ingredients without ice, then add ice and shake again. A reverse dry shake — where you shake with ice, then strain out the ice and shake again — is more labor-intensive, but gives you an extra foamy result.

Does the size of the ice matter? According to Satterlee, absolutely yes. "The most versatile size is the 1-inch by 1-inch cube," Satterlee says. "It is large enough not to dilute quickly and small enough that you can get a good amount of ice in the tin, whereas with larger ice formats, there are a lot of gaps between ice." 

Some bartenders argue that large ice cubes produce a better texture. But you probably won't get as much dilution as you need. An even bigger cocktail crime? Using crushed ice in your shaker. It's a fast track to an over-diluted drink. 

That doesn't mean you need to bust out the ruler every time you make a drink. When it comes to choosing the right type of ice for your cocktail, a standard-size ice cube tray should work fine. But it does mean that you need to be careful when you're stocking up. The bagged ice sold in stores is typically too small, so you might want to make your own in advance.