Forum
Measures and measuring
Measuring each ingredient accurately is essential to making consistently tasty cocktails so we present our recipes in ml, cl, and ounces. We've even developed...
Henry
6th January at 19:40
Dear Simon: I wonder how many millilitres would you advise for a "dash" of absinthe? I have an easy jigger, but I would struggle to measure out 0.3125ml for a dash (using your 4 dashes = 1.25ml ratio)! In your 'buy the ingredients' panel on cocktail recipe pages, it looks as though you use a formula of one dash = 2ml to calculate the 'cost' of a cocktail: is this just indicative to give a cost? (I can see that formula is also used for bitters dashes too).
12th January at 17:01
Hi Henry. I recommend you use a Cocktail Kingdom Dashdart Dasher Top. Even then, the volume of each dash will vary very slightly.
1st June 2024 at 18:04
I highly appreciate all the useful information. I wonder about one issue: if it says “top up with”, how much should I top up.
2nd June 2024 at 10:48
The amount to "top up with" varies by cocktail and is usually to fill to just under the brim of the glass. Since 2019, I have been stating volumes for all ingredients and I'm gradually updating all previously added cocktails. Is there a cocktail in particular you are referring to?
31st March 2024 at 00:13
I set up a notification for when the jigger came back in stock and snapped it up recently. A question re: your definition of a "4 dashes" as 1.25 ml. When you throw the question "how much is a dash" at the internet, most of the responses come back that a dash is about 1 ml. That's very different to your estimate so I'm wondering whether your measure reflects your preference or if there is more background to it.
21st November 2024 at 02:58
The definition of 4 dashes = 1.25 ml has the advantage of making the common "2 dashes" specification equal to 1/8 tsp, which is a common measuring spoon found in most people's kitchens. And b.t.w., the Easy Jigger (mine came courtesy of Santa) is now my favorite cocktail jigger (despite its industrial appearance) since it has a 2 oz capacity and many, many increments, down to very small amounts, in both ml and oz. I always wash it by hand and the markings are holding up well.
31st March 2024 at 09:07
I measured the volume of 4 dashes to arrive at my dash equivalent. Many thanks for buying a jogger. Rine between uses and put in your dishwasher every week or other week, depending on the frequency of use.
17th July 2023 at 11:27
Quick question regarding ice measurement. Is 6 ounces by volume or weight? We have tried a few blended cocktails and found that they were to watery or not cold enough. We are using a Lewis Bag to crush. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Great site BTW!
18th July 2023 at 08:50
I've added notes above on how big a "6oz" scoop actually is. The trick for making great cold crushed ice is to start with very cold cubed ice and work quickly using a dry Lewis bag. Take your cubed ice directly from a freezer (at least -18 °C) and then immediately after crushing, scoop into your blender or cocktail glass.
5th March 2023 at 00:47
After using a digital scale for coffee and baking, I've also moved to using it for cocktails. It's especially handy for sticky ingredients and means not having to wash jiggers. I use 1g=1ml and 1oz=1floz
10th June 2023 at 13:35
This is a terrible idea. When measuring ingredients for cocktails you're going to be dealing with fluids of vastly different densities. A sugar syrup will be 30% more dense than water if not more, whereas alcohol is only 80% as dense as water. Using an estimate of 1 g = 1 mL across the board will result in badly mis-measured cocktails.
This idea would be fine if the recipes you are using were written for weights, but you can't assume that weight and volume are the same thing and expect good results.
This idea would be fine if the recipes you are using were written for weights, but you can't assume that weight and volume are the same thing and expect good results.
4th June 2022 at 19:28
How much is a 'scoop' crushed ice approximately?
6th June 2022 at 13:49
I've added a note with the size of the scoop I use above. I hope helpful.
13th October 2021 at 07:44
What measurement is a shot?
13th October 2021 at 08:47
That's a good question Steve. I've added a brief explanation at the bottom of the page above.
8th August 2021 at 18:11
I love the Easy Jigger. It makes cocktail making so much easier! However, I have one issue. The red markings wear off really easily. I generally rinse and let dry naturally. But overzealous friends and partner have given it a proper wash and rub dry and letters are getting very feint and hard to read. Is there any way the red markings could be coated in some way to prevent wear?
8th August 2021 at 19:37
Thanks for being an early adopter! The numbers are raised on the surface to ensure longevity and accuracy. The red markings are applied to the raised surface so exposing the ink to wear from being rubbed dry or scrubbed clean. Not an issue with machine washing. After discovering this on the first batch, we had a protective coating applied over the ink on the second and subsequent batches.