Jiggling

Got a question from another gentleman on a cocktail quest of his own, over at Cocktail Virgin Slut.

It covered a couple things I originally meant to say in the “Frappe” post, so I will split it off as a post on its own.

Frederic:

I had completely blanked on the term ‘jiggling’ when it came up in conversation. Someone mentioned that a bartender had done it and it looked funny for stirring, and I explained the technique minus the name. I have read it several times but only saw it once before this — John Gertsen made a Spanish anise spirit laden drink like that (but not as vigorous as you did it). Is the technique specific to the absinthe/anisette/pastis-heavy drink family?

Thanks for the comment, Frederic!

To me, “jiggling” and “swizzling” are pretty much the same, one term
from the soda fountain culture and another from the Carribean, just
using different tools.

Interestingly, the quote describing jiggling in the post comes from
Clisby Arthur’s writeup of the Julep.

In bartending, it seems like jiggling and swizzling are techniques
which are used almost exclusively with crushed ice drinks.

Though I think in soda fountains the technique is also used for things
like Egg Creams, where the jerk is trying to create a head on a fizzy
drink.

Regarding the vigor and length of my “jiggling” technique, heh, it’s
mostly because my ice is completely dry and coming pretty much
directly from a freezer at -5 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, the ambient
temperature of houses in San Francisco tends to be on the chilly side,
so it doesn’t aid much in melting.

If I don’t give things a pretty long mix, I get almost no dilution.

If I were using melty crushed ice in a warm bar, it would be a mistake
to “jiggle” for that long.

All the best,

Erik E.

2 thoughts on “Jiggling

  1. Pingback: Drinking New Orleans, Part 4: Absinthe! « Tempered Spirits

Comments are closed.