Hand-crank Shakers
In the heart of Curfew lies a remarkable piece of cocktail history — the hand-crank shaker.
Dating back to the late nineteenth century, these mechanical shaking machines were originally used in apothecaries and soda fountains before later finding their way into American bars and saloons. They became especially popular for preparing drinks containing eggs, cream, milk, and citrus, where vigorous and prolonged shaking was essential to achieve the desired texture and consistency.
Their mechanical operation produced a powerful and remarkably consistent shaking motion, helping bartenders achieve results that were difficult to replicate by hand. At the same time, the machines transformed drink preparation into a form of theatre, captivating guests as gears, cranks, and shaker tins moved rhythmically behind the bar.
Today, Curfew is home to three original hand-crank cocktail shaker machines. Two original countertop Coles Shakers stand proudly behind the bar, while an original floor-standing Imperial Shaker will join the collection in Autumn 2026.
These are not reproductions or decorative replicas. All three machines are authentic historical pieces that have been carefully restored and returned to working condition, allowing guests to experience genuine cocktail equipment from a bygone era still performing the task for which it was originally designed more than a century ago.
Very few bars anywhere in the world can claim to operate original restored mechanical cocktail shakers as part of their daily service.
No cocktail is more closely associated with this style of shaking than the legendary Ramos Gin Fizz.
Created in 1888 by Henry C. Ramos in New Orleans, the Ramos Gin Fizz became famous not only for its delicate balance of gin, citrus, sugar, cream, egg white, orange flower water, and soda, but also for the extraordinary effort required to prepare it. During its heyday, Ramos employed teams of dedicated “shaker men” whose sole responsibility was to shake the cocktail continuously for up to twelve to fifteen minutes. During busy periods, dozens of shaker men worked simultaneously to keep up with demand.
The result was unlike anything else of its era: a cocktail with an exceptionally light texture, dense creamy foam, and remarkable smoothness that helped establish the Ramos Gin Fizz as one of the most celebrated drinks in American cocktail history.
The Coles Shaker offered an ingenious mechanical solution to the challenge of producing this style of drink consistently and efficiently. Machines such as the Coles became particularly valued for cocktails requiring prolonged and vigorous shaking, especially those containing eggs and cream.
Today, the Coles Shaker remains one of the closest surviving links to the Golden Age of American bartending. Watching the machine in motion offers a glimpse into a time when cocktail preparation was as much performance as craftsmanship.
The arrival of Curfew’s restored floor-standing Imperial Shaker in Autumn 2026 will take this experience one step further. Unlike the countertop Coles Shakers, the Imperial Shaker will allow guests ordering a Ramos Gin Fizz to actively participate in the preparation of their own cocktail by operating the hand-crank mechanism themselves under the guidance of our bartenders.
This rare interactive experience offers guests the opportunity to become part of the ritual, recreating the theatre, craftsmanship, and mechanical ingenuity that once captivated visitors in America’s grand hotels and saloons more than a century ago.
At Curfew, ordering a Ramos Gin Fizz is more than ordering a cocktail. It is an opportunity to experience one of the great traditions of classic American bartending, prepared using original restored mechanical shakers from the Golden Age of cocktails.
Every turn of the crank is a reminder that great cocktails were already being perfected long before the modern cocktail renaissance began.