Cocktail Jigger Japanese Style, Tiffany, 15/30, 30/45 or 30/60ml

For anyone who measures every drink and wants to read the measure without doubt. The Japanese style has taller, narrower cones than the classic bell jigger: for the same volume the surface of the liquid at the top is smaller, so a millimetre too much is worth fewer millilitres. For anyone watching GP, that is the difference between the right measure and a generous one repeated all through service.

At home the reason is different. A drink comes out as it does at the bar only if the measures are those of the recipe, and with a jigger tonight’s Negroni is the same as last week’s.

15/30ml (J010TY): for the small measures, syrups, citrus juice, bitters and modifying liqueurs. 30/45ml (J011TY): for the base spirit in many recipes and for specs written in quarter ounces. 30/60ml (J012TY): for doubles and long drinks. Anyone working from recipes in ounces keeps the 30/60 within reach; anyone working in millilitres often uses the 30/45.

On the internal markings the manufacturer’s price list is partial. For the 30/45ml it gives “15/30ml and 45ml”; for the 30/60ml it gives 15, 22.5, 30 and 37.5ml, and the list breaks off. We write only what the manufacturer declares.

A note for UK venues: this is a jigger for cocktail specs, sized in 15ml steps. It is not a stamped measure for single spirits, which in Great Britain are served in 25ml or 35ml.

Specifications

• Type: double cone jigger, Japanese style
• Material: stainless steel
• Finish: Tiffany
• Sizes: 15/30ml (J010TY), 30/45ml (J011TY), 30/60ml (J012TY)
• Brand: The Bars
• Weight and height: not declared by the manufacturer

Choose the Tiffany Japanese jigger if

Your station is Tiffany, or is going to be. If you measure with a single jigger and find yourself filling the small cone twice, add the size you are missing. To keep it off the wet bar top there is the round jigger tray in the same finish. If you want all three sizes with shakers, strainer and bar spoon to match, there is the 12 piece Tiffany bartender set.

The cocktail jigger behind the bar

The jigger is held between index and middle finger, at the joint, and poured with a turn of the wrist over the tin. The cone filled to the brim is the measure; the meniscus that spills over is spirit given away. Over a hundred drinks, 3ml extra per measure is 300ml, almost half a 700ml bottle. The narrow cone is there to show that meniscus.

Pouring by eye is faster, but it depends on the hand and on tiredness: by the end of the shift the measure changes. The jigger does not tire, which is why many drinks lists ask for it even from experienced bartenders.

More jiggers, one per station

Every station wants its own jigger, often in two sizes. The more you buy, the less you pay: 4 pieces -5%, 6 -7%, 8 -10%, on the same item.

Care

The manufacturer does not declare whether it is dishwasher safe: to be careful, wash it by hand with hot water and mild detergent, with no abrasive sponge on the coloured finish. During service a rinse between drinks is enough when you move from a dense ingredient, such as syrup, to a spirit. Dry it before putting it away.

FAQ on the Japanese style jigger

How is it different from a bell jigger? The Japanese style has taller, narrower cones: the measure reads more precisely. The bell jigger has a wider mouth and pours faster.

What markings does it have inside? The manufacturer’s price list gives them only in part: 15ml for the 30/45, and 15, 22.5, 30 and 37.5ml for the 30/60.

Which size should I buy first? The 30/60ml if you work in ounces, the 30/45ml if you work in millilitres.

Is it the same jigger as in the Tiffany set? Yes, the set holds all three sizes.

Dispatched from Rome, Italy.

All the jiggers, Japanese style and bell, are in the jiggers category.