A jigger or bartender’s measurer is an hourglass-shaped measuring tool used by bartenders to ensure accurate and consistent pours. Jiggers come in different sizes, but a standard 2 sided jigger has a 1.5 oz (44 ml) capacity on one end and a 1 oz (30 ml) capacity on the other. This allows a bartender to precisely measure out liquor for cocktails and other drinks. Understanding jigger sizes and how many ounces they hold is an important skill for bartenders and home mixologists alike. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what a 2 sided jigger is, the standard ounces capacities, how to properly use a jigger, and some tips for getting the right pour every time.
What is a 2 Sided Jigger?
A 2 sided jigger, also sometimes called a double jigger, is a small metal hourglass-shaped measuring tool used for accurately pouring alcohol. It typically has two different sized pouring spouts on either end for measuring out two different volumes. The most common jigger size has a 1.5 oz (44 ml) jigger on one end and a 1 oz (30 ml) jigger on the opposite end. This allows the bartender to precisely control pours for 1 ounce or 1.5 ounce liquor portions.
The jigger is made of stainless steel or aluminum and has an hourglass shape with two opposing cones or buckets to hold liquid. The mid-section is narrow to clearly separate the two sides. Jiggers often have measurement markings etched into the buckets to indicate fluid ounces and milliliters. High quality jiggers have very smooth interiors to allow for easy pouring.
The two standard sides allow a bartender to quickly and accurately measure out the different amounts of base spirits and modifiers that are commonly called for in cocktail recipes. A 1.5 oz jigger is useful for measuring liquors and spirits in many classic cocktails, while the 1 oz side can measure syrups, juices or liqueurs.
Standard Ounces Capacities
As mentioned above, a standard 2 sided stainless steel jigger has the following capacities:
– 1.5 oz (44 ml) on one larger end
– 1 oz (30 ml) on the smaller end
This allows the bartender to accurately measure out the most common amounts needed for cocktail recipes which generally call for liquors in 1, 1.5 or 2 ounce portions.
Some other common jigger sizes include:
– 0.75 oz / 1.5 oz double jigger
– 1 oz / 2 oz double jigger
– 0.5 oz / 1 oz double jigger
So in summary, the standard jigger with a 1.5 oz and 1 oz capacity is designed to fulfill most measuring needs behind the bar. The larger 1.5 oz pour is good for spirit pours while the smaller 1 oz works well for modifiers.
How to Use a Jigger
Using a jigger correctly is important for accuracy. Here are some tips:
– Select the proper size – Choose the larger or smaller jigger end based on the recipe. Most often the larger 1.5 oz will be used for liquors and base spirits while the smaller 1 oz is good for syrups, juices and liqueurs.
– Hold vertically – Grip the jigger by the narrow waist in the center and hold it perfectly vertical. The jigger should be perpendicular to the ground during pouring.
– Inspect for debris – Check that the interior of the jigger is empty before measuring. Leftover debris or liquid can affect the pour accuracy.
– Fill to the brim – Pour the liquid to be measured into the selected jigger cone until it is completely full and reaches the very top. The liquid should dome slightly over the rim.
– Pour out completely – Invert the jigger directly over the cocktail glass so all liquid empties out smoothly. aims for an even, steady stream.
– Rinse after each use – Rinse out jigger with water or bartender’s spray after each type of ingredient to keep flavors separate.
Tips for Proper Pouring
Here are some additional tips to get the most accurate pours with a jigger:
– Use a mini funnel – Place a small funnel in the cocktail glass to make pouring from the jigger clean and easy. This prevents spilling.
– Use a pouring spout – Attach a liquor pour spout to bottles for quicker, smoother pouring into the jigger. This gives you better control.
– Work on an angle – Tilt both the jigger and receiving glass at a slight downward angle while pouring to prevent spilling.
– Perfect your motion – Work on a smooth, steady pouring motion that cleanly transfers all liquid from the jigger to the glass. Don’t pause mid-pour or shake.
– Double check the fill line – Verify the liquid reaches the fill line inside the jigger before pouring. This ensures you have the full correct volume.
– Level off the surface – Use your finger to gently wipe off any excess liquid domed over the jigger rim to level and standardize the fills.
Why Accuracy Matters
Precision and accuracy when using a jigger is very important for several reasons:
Consistent Drinks
Properly measured pours ensure each cocktail or mixed drink has the same proportions and balance of flavors. This consistency is key for a good guest experience.
Cost Control
Spilling liquor or overpouring cuts into profits over time. Precise 1.5 oz and 1 oz jigger pours help control liquor costs.
Standardization & Quality
Measuring with jiggers guarantees each cocktail meets the recipe standards across different bartenders and shifts.
Responsible Serving
Legal alcohol serving limits can require measured pours. Jiggers provide accountability and help prevent overserving issues.
Recipes & Balance
Cocktails depend on the right proportions of spirits, mixers and garnishes to taste their best. Accurate jigger pours maintain these ideal balances.
So using a jigger properly is clearly vital for bartenders who care about the quality, taste and costs of their cocktail program. The precision of jiggers helps achieve better drinks.
Alternatives to Jiggers
While jiggers are the go-to tool for most bartenders, there are some alternatives for measuring liquor volumes:
– Plastic shot glasses – Can substitute for jiggers in a pinch but less accurate. Should have 1.5 oz and 1 oz capacity options.
– Measuring cups – These work for batch cocktail prep but lack the precision needed for individual drinks.
– Measuring spoons – Useful for very small amounts of liqueurs or syrups. Use .25 oz, .5 oz, and 1 oz sizes.
– Electronic scales – Measures liquor weight (in grams) rather than volume (in ounces) but useful for some purposes.
– Cocktail shakers – A built-in measuring line on a shaker can substitute for a jigger but hard to precisely measure smaller 1 oz amounts.
– Liquor bottles – A reference line can be drawn at 1.5 oz on liquor bottles for basic measurement in absence of a jigger.
While these alternatives can work, the best practice is to always use a proper stainless steel jigger and perfect your pour technique. This produces the most professional, accurate cocktail and drink results.
Common Mistakes Using Jiggers
Even experienced bartenders sometimes make small mistakes in their jigger technique:
– Not filling to the very top – Leaves you short of the full volume.
– Sloshing liquid out – Needs a gentle, smooth pouring motion.
– Pouring at an angle – Causes spills and inconsistencies. Keep jigger vertical.
– Rushing the pour – Move slowly and deliberately between the jigger and glass.
– Sliding thumb over rim – Can inadvertently cause slight spills.
– Failing to level off – Excess surface dome on the liquid gives an overpour when not leveled.
– Using a sticky jigger – Clean thoroughly and polish inside surface regularly.
– Ignoring debris – Check for old lemon seeds, mint leaves etc. stuck inside.
– Not rinsing between uses – Flavors can linger and cross-contaminate if not rinsed.
With practice, these common mistakes can be eliminated from your jigger technique. Remember to go slowly, focus on the exact fill line, keep the jigger vertical, and pour with precision. This guarantees you deliver accurate measurement and serve a perfect cocktail every time.
How Many Drinks from 750ml Bottle?
A common question bartenders have to calculate is how many drinks they can expect to get out of a standard 750ml liquor bottle using jiggers.
Here are some examples assuming:
– 1.5oz / 45ml pour per drink
– No spillage or loss
| Jigger Size | Drinks Per 750ml Bottle |
| 1.5oz | Approximately 16 |
| 1oz | Approximately 24 |
Of course, factors like overpouring, spillage, and recipe variation will change these numbers. But it provides a ballpark estimate that about 16 to 24 single drinks can be expected from a typical 750ml liquor bottle.
Being aware of this helps inform inventory management and ordering. It helps you calculate how many bottles you might need for event setups based on expected guests and servings.
Jigger Sizes For Different Liquors
Bartenders will use the two different sides of a jigger in different scenarios based on the type of liquor or ingredient:
1.5oz Side
The 1.5oz size is most commonly used for:
– Base spirits – vodka, whiskey, rum, tequila, gin, etc.
– Straight pours – Serving a spirit on the rocks or neat
– Primary alcohol – The main liquor in cocktails
– Highball builds – Liquor for long drinks like gin & tonic or rum and coke
1oz Side
The 1oz size is most often used for:
– Secondary alcohols – Liqueurs, vermouth, Campari, etc.
– Sweet modifiers – Simple syrups, honey syrup, maple syrup, etc.
– Sour modifiers – Lemon juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, etc.
– Bitters and extracts – Angostura, Peychaud’s, vanilla extract
– Layering liquids – Floating cream or cordials on top
– Rinsing glasses – Quick rinse of a cocktail glass with liqueur
Jigger History & Origins
The origins of the jigger date back to the 19th century Victorian era. Before its invention, bartenders had difficulty uniformly measuring out pours leading to quality and profit issues.
Legend has it that the jigger was created by an American traveling salesman named Jerry Thomas. He reportedly came up with the idea while staying in a hotel in Salem, Massachusetts after using the thimble-shaped candle snuffers.
He customized the idea into an hourglass shape with two opposing chambers and standard ounce measurements. This allowed bartenders to quickly and accurately measure two different amounts.
The tool was allegedly named a “jigger” as a nod to Thomas’ background as an itinerant salesman or “jigger.” This improvised bottle measure helped revolutionize cocktail making.
By the early 20th century, the iconic jigger shape and ounce standards we know today became commonplace behind bars and in cocktail shakers. With the repealing of Prohibition in 1933, jiggers became a core tool for measuring alcohol again.
Modern jiggers remain largely unchanged in design from these early versions created by Jerry Thomas. The two opposing chambers and hourglass form stand the test of time as the optimal way to deliver two pre-measured liquor pours.
Cocktail Jigger vs. Bar Jigger
There are two similar sounding but different bar tools called jiggers – the cocktail jigger and the bar jigger. They serve different functions:
Cocktail Jigger
– Hourglass shaped stainless steel tool
– Two measuring chambers for different liquid volumes
– Used for precisely measuring liquor and ingredients
– Aid in preparing cocktails to recipe specs
Bar Jigger
– Stainless steel tool with a measuring chamber at one end
– Opposite end has a bowl shape with perforations or strainer
– Used for measuring and pouring several drinks at once
– Enables quick batch pouring rather than individual measuring
So in summary, the cocktail jigger is for accuracy in individual drink making, while the bar jigger aids in high volume multi-drink pouring. Both are useful bartender’s tools but serve different niche purposes.
Jigger vs. Shot Glass
Jiggers and shot glasses can sometimes cause confusion, so here are the key differences:
Jigger
– Designed specifically for measuring liquor volumes
– Typically has two measuring sizes – 1.5oz & 1oz
– More precise than a shot glass with exact fill lines
– Used by bartenders to prepare cocktails & mixed drinks
Shot Glass
– Made primarily for drinking straight liquor
– Not as precise for measurement
– Usually 1.5oz but can vary in size
– Used by patrons taking a quick shot of liquor
While shot glasses may state a 1.5oz capacity, the markings and accuracy are not as precise as an actual jigger. Jiggers remain the bartender’s measuring tool of choice for accuracy. However, some bars allow patrons to self-measure their own “shot” drinks via communal shot glasses.
Spilled Too Much? How To Remove Excess Liquor From a Drink
Even experienced bartenders overpour or spill occasionally. Here are some tips if you’ve added too much liquor to a cocktail:
– Add more mixer – If slightly overpoured on liquor, top up the glass with extra mixer like juice, soda or water to even out.
– Add ice – Extra ice can help water down an overly boozy drink.
– Use an eyedropper – Use an eyedropper to carefully remove drops of excess liquor floating on top.
– Stir down the head – For beer or cocktail foam, gently stir down the head to remove it.
– Drain out carefully – Hold back ice cubes and gently pour some liquid out into a spill container.
– Repour into a new glass – Transferring the drink to a new glass can leave excess liquor behind.
– Drink from a straw – Strategic sipping from a straw can reduce overly alcoholic sips.
– Offer a replacement – For big mistakes, offer to replace the drink at no charge due to the error.
The best solution is to use jiggers properly to avoid overpouring in the first place. But these tips can help correct the occasional slip up.
How Much is Too Much When Measuring with a Jigger?
Using a jigger properly means filling right up precisely to the fill line – no more, no less. But slight overpouring does occur. Here are guidelines on acceptable margins of error:
– Within 1/8 oz – Negligible impact, not noticeable
– Within 1/4 oz – Acceptable range, will not alter drink drastically
– Within 1/2 oz – Significantly impacts drink taste and strength
– Within 3/4 oz+ – Unacceptable, very noticeable to guests
Professional bartenders work within a tolerance of +/- 1/4 ounce. Anything beyond 1/2 oz variance from the jigger lines starts to compromise quality. Sticking as close as possible to exact jigger measurements is ideal.
How a Jigger Ensures Correct Volume
Jiggers allow very precise measurement via several key features:
– Clear fill lines – Etched markings at 1, 1.5oz etc. for visual accuracy
– Narrow shape – Hourglass form lets you see liquid level clearly
– Standard sizing – Accuracy validated through testing and calibration
– Smooth rims – Clean pouring with no drips or droplets sticking
– Steep angle – Aides complete pouring out with no residue remaining
– Premium materials – High quality steel has durable markings
– Gravity – Liquid fills to the precise volume automatically based simply on gravity
– Consistency – Equal fills give consistent results every time
With practice and proficiency, a bartender can deliver the exact same 1 oz or 1.5 oz pour every time for uniformity and taste. Jiggers are specially engineered for this liquid measurement accuracy.
Conclusion
To conclude, a standard 2 sided stainless steel jigger has a 1.5 ounce (44ml) capacity on one side and a 1 ounce (30ml) capacity on the other. This allows bartenders to accurately measure out ingredients for cocktails based on recipes. Understanding proper jigger use and how many ounces it contains is vital knowledge for both professional and home bartenders. With the right techniques, a two-sided jigger ensures quality, consistency and cost control behind the bar. So equip yourself with this essential cocktail-making tool and perfect your pour!
