The ‘dry shake’ is the more traditional technique mixologists use to get egg white cocktails (or vegan alternatives) to froth. It’s very simple – you just shake the egg white with all the other cocktail ingredients without ice to allow the mixture to combine without dilution (hence the phrase ‘dry shake’).

Then, after the ingredients have been agitated and become bubbly from the dry shake (usually about 2 minutes), ice is added to chill the liquid, gain the desired dilution, and further agitate the ingredients. The result? An irresistibly smooth foam that turns this gorgeous cocktail into basically a dessert.

There are those mixologists who claim that the opposite technique works even better – the ‘reverse dry shake’. As the name suggests, this is the inverse of a dry shake, where you begin by shaking the cocktail’s ingredients with ice first. It is then strained and shaken again, this time without ice, before serving.

While both methods work very well, from personal experience we’ve found that a reverse dry shake will usually produce more foam, as the bubbles are larger, but with a less creamy texture. If you’re looking for a Ramos Gin Fizz with more drama, this may be a technique worth trying out.

Others argue that the reverse dry shake method introduces too much water into the drink, so if you’re aiming for more creaminess, stick with the dry shake method. 

Home mixologists may find that the dry shake is much easier for about the same result, as the reserve dry shake can be a bit of a pain. We tend to use the dry shake method most often when making our cocktails.

Either method is bound to produce a cocktail with major foam envy, so give each one a try and then stick to the one that brings you the most success. Still struggling to find the foam height you’re looking for? There are also those who have added a protein shaker ball or Hawthorne spring to the traditional dry shake method to create even more froth!