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Shaker & Spoon Subscription Box Review + Coupon- August 2016

Lindsey Morse
ByLindsey MorseAug 21, 2016 | 1 comment

Shaker-August-2016-Box

Shaker & Spoon
4 overall rating
3 Ratings | 1 Reviews

Shaker & Spoon is a monthly subscription box that sends you everything you need (except the alcohol) to create bar-worthy cocktails at home.

Each box focuses on a particular type of alcohol and includes step-by-step original recipes and specialty ingredients.

Shaker-August-2016-Open

You can skip boxes at any time, so there’s no need to worry if you don’t like a particular spirit. (If you don’t like gin, for example, you can skip boxes that feature it.)

Shaker & Spoon strives to make all of their boxes naturally vegan. If a box is not vegan, it is their policy to explicitly mention it when the box is announced.

Because the boxes contain perishable produce, Shaker & Spoon sends their boxes via USPS 2-day priority.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

Shaker-August-2016-Contents

The Subscription Box: Shaker & Spoon

The Cost: $50 per month + $5 shipping (Discounts are available with longer subscription commitments.)

COUPON: Save 15% off your first box with coupon code MSA15 (1 & 3-month subscriptions)

The Products: All of the ingredients (except the alcohol) to make 12 cocktails from 3 different recipes.

Ships to: US

Check out all of our Shaker & Spoon Reviews and find more cocktail boxes in the Drink Subscription Box Directory!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

Shaker-August-2016-Davis

Several months ago, Shaker & Spoon announced that they would be teaming up with Bar Rescue’s Russell Davis. Davis now oversees Shaker & Spoon’s curation, and seeks out recipes from talented bartenders around the world to feature in every box.

Shaker & Spoon posts instructional videos on their website to assist subscribers with the mixing of their cocktails. I think this is a great supplemental tool, and it really does help to de-mystify some of the techniques they use. If you’d like to check out the videos, they’re all available here.

Shaker-August-2016-Flyer

Each Shaker & Spoon box is created to showcase a different type of liquor.

Shaker-August-2016-Spirit

This is the “Cachaça-ing the Dream” box, and I used Avuá Cachaça.

Cocktail #1- Abacacachaça

Shaker-August-2016-Abaca

Ingredients: cachaça, spiced pineapple syrup, lemon juice, Angostura bitters, and a cinnamon stick

Shaker-August-2016-AbacaMade

In honor of the olympics, this month’s box takes inspiration from Brazil and showcases cachaça, a traditional Brazilian spirit!

The first recipe in this box, the Abacacachaça, pairs cachaça with the flavors of pineapple and lemon. Instead of the bright fruitiness found in pineapple juice, the spiced pineapple syrup has a deep, caramel flavor that reminds me of grilled pineapple. I really like this cocktail, and I appreciate that it incorporates tropical fruit flavors in an unexpected way.

Cocktail #2- Hemingway in Rio

Shaker-August-2016-Rio

Ingredients: cachaça, lime juice, lemongrass syrup, aromatic citrus bitters, and a lime wheel

Shaker-August-2016-RioMade

This citrusy cocktail is an absolute winner. It’s a play on the Hemingway Daiquiri and reminds me a little of a margarita. (Shaker & Spoon recommends serving it in a coupe glass, but I don’t have coupe glasses so I used a flute instead.) The cachaça adds a complex, almost floral quality to the drink that I really love. This cocktail is both interesting and refreshing.

Cocktail #3- Tijuca Tonic

Shaker-August-2016-Spirit

Ingredients: cachaça, lemon juice, Cocktail & Sons Switchel Syrup, The Bitter Truth Cucumber Bitters, and lemon zest

Shaker-August-2016-PathMade

Shaker & Spoon typically includes their own homemade syrups in the recipes they send, so it’s interesting that this drink utilizes products from both Cocktail & Sons and The Bitter Truth! I’ve never used switchel before, and I had to google it to see what it’s all about. Turns out it’s an old-fashioned syrup that’s used primarily in bucks and highballs. Traditionally, it’s made with citrus, ginger, vinegar, and maple syrup. (Cocktail & Sons version swaps maple syrup for honey.) It gives the Tijuca Tonic a nice honeyed ginger flavor that’s really interesting. Honestly, this was my least favorite of the three cocktails this month, but it was still exceedingly drinkable.

Shaker-August-2016-Store

This month, Shaker & Spoon reached out with some exciting news: they’ve launched an online store where you can purchase more of their homemade syrups! I think this is great, and I love that subscribers now have the option to re-create their favorite cocktails!

Verdict: Before this box, I didn’t have a lot of experience with cachaça, and I now have a much better understanding of how the spirit can work in various different types of cocktails. I had a lot of fun sampling the cocktails themselves, and I loved the Hemingway in Rio and the Abacacachaça. At $55 per month, I think Shaker & Spoon needs to really dazzle, and I’m pleased to say that this box definitely dazzled me. The theme for next month’s box is “Campari Hard,” and all of the cocktails will be built around Campari. I LOVE Campari cocktails (I’m looking at you, Negroni!), so I can’t wait!

Do you subscribe to Shaker & Spoon? What did you think of this month’s cocktails?

Starting at $59.00
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Every month you'll get a box with 3 unique, original recipes by top bartenders for 12 drinks (4 from each recipe) and everything you need to make them—syrups, bitters, garnishes, aromatics, and more—besides the alcohol. You'll be exposed to new flavors and combinations, inspiring you to see your ... read more.

Lindsey Morse
Lindsey Morse

Lindsey is a professional baker, cold brew coffee addict, and rosé aficionado who loves writing about food and wine. When she’s not sharing her love of subscription boxes with the world, you’ll find her in the podcasting studio, perfecting her cake decorating techniques, or cursing her way through the New York Times daily crossword puzzle. 


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1 comment

Alane Miles

I loved this review. “My least favorite of the three… but still exceedingly drinkable.” I laughed imagining our intrepid reviewer looking at the third cocktail, sighing, and saying, “Oh, if I must.” Then she lets out a maniacal giggle as she tosses it back. I love the reviews of Shaker and Spoon. It’s on my wish list.

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