The Twist Boston shaker in two lines
The Twist Boston shaker is a 28oz and 20oz tin set in stainless steel with a twisted spiral surface on both pieces, a weighted base and a mirror polish. The maker calls it the SL series, Twisted, and the design is registered.
Who it is for
For the bartender who has felt a tin slip in the hand. A Boston full of ice is covered in condensation within seconds, and on a smooth wet surface the fingers have nothing to hold: the grip tightens, the wrist stiffens and you control the tin with force instead of with its shape. The twist of the Twist Boston shaker gives the fingers edges to hold, and under condensation that is a difference you feel from the first drink.
The spiral is not just decoration
The twisted facets run the full length of the body, so the hand finds grip wherever and however it picks the tin up. That is why the twist started on working tins and not on display pieces, although it also works well as theatre: each facet catches the light at a different angle, and as the tin turns, the reflections move instead of staying still.
Specifications
- Large tin: 28oz
- Small tin: 20oz
- Material: stainless steel
- Surface: twisted spiral on both pieces
- Base: weighted on both pieces
- Finish: mirror polish
- Strainer: not built in, a separate strainer is needed
The weighted base, under the spiral
The twist is the surface, the weight is the construction, and they are two different things, both present here. In the Twist Boston shaker the added mass in the base keeps the large tin upright when it is full and gives the movement momentum, so you guide the shake instead of fighting it. On the small tin, the weight at the bottom keeps it still when it is set upside down to drain. It is the same construction as the plain weighted pairs, in a different form.
The Twist Boston shaker seals like a plain Boston
The spiral stops short of the rim, which stays a clean circle: the two pieces pair like any other set, with the small tin going in at an angle and the angle creating the seal. If you worry that a shaped surface makes sealing harder, it does not: the movement does not change at all. Open it with a strike of the palm where the rims are closest, never by pulling.
Cleaning, which is simpler than it looks
The twisted facets are smooth angled surfaces, not grooves: there are no crevices for residue to settle in, and a sponge reaches everywhere without forcing. On the Twist Boston shaker the usual mirror rule applies, dry it by hand straight away, because limescale on a polished surface shows from a distance. On the other hand, light marks from use show less than on a plain tin, because the twist already breaks up the light.
The mistake that sends a tin to the bin
Using it to hit or crack ice. A dented rim stops sealing, and at that point the piece is finished even if it looks intact: a Boston’s seal depends on a perfect circle, and a rim knocked out of round never comes back. That applies to the Twist Boston shaker as to any other pair, and twice over against a glass mixing glass, which chips.
FAQ
Is the twist on both pieces? Yes, on the 28oz tin and on the 20oz small tin.
Does the Twist Boston shaker seal like a normal Boston? Yes, the rim is smooth and the seal comes from the angle, as with any pair.
Is the spiral functional or just for looks? It gives grip when the tin is covered in condensation, and it also catches the light as it turns.
Is the base weighted? Yes, on both pieces.
Is it dishwasher safe? The steel can take it, but the mirror finish needs drying by hand to avoid marks.
Do I need a strainer? Yes, as with every Boston: there is no built-in strainer.
Dispatched from Rome, Italy. The Boston pairs are compared in the cocktail shaker category.
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