Strainers are vital in creating the presentation of the finished product.  This includes affecting a proper mouth feel of the cocktail and minimizing small parts of ingredient (i.e. herbs, fruit, ice chips) from slipping into the drink and diminishing the presentation in the glass.  If used correctly, the hero will purposefully design what is–and, more importantly, what is not– in the finished product.  A properly applied mesh strainer can make the head on a frothy concoction finer and more uniform.

There are many variations on strainers, but the more common types are Hawthorne strainers, Julep strainers, and fine mesh strainers, each with definitive purposes.

Hawthorne strainers are in common supply in the marketplace, and generally run a few dollars each.  Hawthorne strainers get their name from the Hawthorne Cafe in Boston, Massachusetts, where the patent for the tool originated.  While being the most preferred strainer of the bunch, Hawthorne strainers are known for their spring coil, and they are especially preferred when using a tin-on-tin shaker, since the spring coil fits so nicely within the lip of the strainer.  While certainly the most popular, it is the hardest to clean, since the coil must be removed to truly clean the strainer.

The Julep strainer is a concave strainer, and likely the original cocktail strainer.  Getting its name from its heavy use with mint juleps, the design is noticeably absent a spring coil, and the tools resembles a small colander.  The Julep strainer is generally preferred for use with a mixing glass, since it fits better within the mixing glass than the spring on the Hawthorne strainer.  Of the two, because of its simple concave construction, the Julep strainer is much easier to clean.

Fine mesh strainers are available in most grocery stores, kitchen stores, and online, and they are inexpensive.  The fine mesh is much more refined in its use of collecting ice chips and small bits of debris than the Hawthorne or the Julep strainers.

Of note, in the absence of a bona fide strainer, the act can also be done using cheesecloth and coffee filters to achieve a similar result.