Frequently Asked Questions

To amend or cancel an order, you should email support@rustybarrel.co.uk as soon as possible.

We’re very proud that many of our products are made in the UK. Others are also sourced from around the world, including Europe, China and the USA.

• 25ml = 0.85 fl oz
• 50ml = 1.70 fl oz
• Dash = a shaker from a bitters bottle = 1/3 bar spoon = 1/8 teaspoon = 0.6 ml
• Bar spoon = 1/2 teaspoon = 2.5 ml
• 1 teaspoon = 5 ml
• 1 tablespoon = 15 ml
• 1/4 cup = 2 fl oz = 60 ml
• 1/2 cup = 4 fl oz = 120 ml
• 3/4 cup = 6 fl oz = 180 ml
• 1 cup = 1/2 pint = 8 fl oz = 250 ml

Klarna is an app you can use to makes purchases without payment online at selected stores – you then pay for the goods later.

Your item will ship to you straight away, and an email will be sent to you indicating when the payment is due.

You’ll have 30 days before being required to pay.

There is also the option to spread payments over several months.

When payment is due, you log in to your account and use a debit card to settle your balance. Alternatively, you can link to your bank account for automatic payments.

Unlike some credit cards, Klarna doesn’t charge interest or fees on the period between purchasing your goods and paying.

The Klarna payment option can be selected on the checkout page.

Normally we offer services to:

• Austria
• Belgium
• Denmark
• Finland
• France
• Germany
• Ireland
• Italy
• Luxembourg
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Portugal
• Spain
• Sweden

However, at the moment we’ve suspended all non-UK shipments.

The reason is we’ve had multiple issues with import duty and VAT due to Brexit.

Alternatively, many of our items are available on Amazon which may offer a solution.

Our current shipping options are shown on the checkout page.

UK Mainland:

Economy - Royal Mail - up to 4 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 12:00. £3.00

Standard - Royal Mail - up to 3 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 12:00. £4.00

Free Standard - For an order value of £60.00 or more, we offer a free service - Royal Mail - up to 3 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 12:00. Free

Priority - Royal Mail - up to 2 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 12:00. Between £3.00 & £5.00 depending on order value

Express - DHL - up to 2 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 11:00. Between £3.00 & £6.00 depending on order value

Free Priority/Express - For an order value of £100.00 or more, we offer a free service - DHL - up to 2 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 11:00. Free or Royal Mail - up to 2 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 12:00. Free

There are a few minor exceptions for remote locations, such as the Scottish Highlands, where delivery times may be increased.

Northern Ireland:

NI Standard - Royal Mail - 5 working days (excludes weekends): Order by 11:00. £5.00

Please note that we reserve the right to select an alternative courier where appropriate, for example, during times of industrial action or peak season. It is our aim to deliver your parcel as efficiently as possible.

Rusty Barrel cocktail shaker sets are made of stainless steel due to its corrosion-resistant, durable and long-lasting properties. When cared for correctly it is less likely to rust over time. Stainless steel is also temperature-resistant ensuring that your cocktail remains chilled for longer. Not to mention its stylish appearance: there’s no denying it looks good propped up on any bar

To put it simply, cocktail shaker sets are used to mix and chill your favourite cocktails and mocktails. Using a cocktail shaker set will ensure the perfect blend of flavours when using the staple ingredients of any signature cocktail. While using a cocktail shaker can create quite the impressive spectacle, there is also a bit of science behind why we use a shaker set to create the perfect cocktail:

To mix – the tin shaker is the ideal way for all the ingredients to efficiently and quickly fuse together.

To chill – adding ice to your cocktail when mixing will ensure it is at the optimum temperature when served.

To dilute – all the ingredients will be distributed evenly throughout your cocktail leading to a perfectly-balanced finish.

To aerate – shaking your cocktail allows oxygen to circulate through the drink enhancing the overall flavour. 

Unfortunately, at present, we are unable to customise cocktail sets with personalised engravings such as messages or logos etc.

Our Silver Manhattan Shaker can be purchased separately; unfortunately, this is not currently possible for our other shakers.

Absolutely not! All our products are made of high-quality stainless steel, which ensures they will never rust.

However, as with most stainless steel products, depending on the cleaning products used, mild staining or surface ‘bloom’ can occur.

If you experience this, mild-non scratching domestic cleaning creams or polishes can be used.

These usually contain calcium carbonate, with surfactant additions. ‘Cif’ kitchen cream cleaner is an example of such a product.

Ensure your products are thoroughly washed with soap and water prior to use.

As always, if you face any problems, we are always here to help.

The Hawthorne Strainer is made from two parts, and the spring-element can be removed to help with cleaning.

The cocktail shaker can sometimes get stuck if the shaker hasn’t been opened immediately after use as the sugars from the drink can harden. Also, if you have ‘overshaken’ your cocktail then this can cause the metal to cool too much, which can form a tight bond between the top and the bottom of the shaker. 

If this happens try placing the shaker under a warm tap for a few minutes – upside down. This should make it easier to loosen the lid. Also, try to twist the lid as you pull.

If this doesn’t work, gently tap the lid of the shaker against a cloth on a hard surface. This will solve the issue in the majority of cases. 

To prevent the shaker lid from getting stuck we recommend that the cocktail shaker is washed with a soft cloth immediately after use. 

Taking good care of your cocktail-making tool kit and following the care instructions will drastically prolong the life of your cocktail shaker sets. We recommend that all items are washed with a soft cloth and not placed into a dishwasher.

This is especially important with our copper, rose gold and gun-metal black items as testing has shown they can fade after multiple cycles in a dishwasher. We also advise that the wooden muddler is not placed in the dishwasher.

The silver sets can go in the dishwasher, but to reiterate, it is always best to wash them with a soft cloth.

However, as with most stainless steel products, depending on the cleaning products used, mild staining or surface ‘bloom’ can occur.

If you experience this, mild-non scratching domestic cleaning creams or polishes can be used.

These usually contain calcium carbonate, with surfactant additions. ‘Cif’ kitchen cream cleaner is an example of such a product.

Ensure your products are thoroughly washed with soap and water prior to use.

As always, if you face any problems, we are always here to help.

The set includes a shaker, pourer, wooden or metal muddler, strainer, double spirit measure, spoon, pouch and a recipe booklet.

Our Mayfair, Park Lane, and Chelsea sets include a storage pouch, as do our Belgravia and Bloomsbury sets.

Additional information can be found on the individual product pages.

There are twelve classic cocktail recipes in the booklet including Cosmopolitan, Mai Tai, Mojito plus other favourites. For more inspiration, see the recipes section of our website.

The measurer included in our sets has two sides. The top is calibrated to a standard 25ml single shot. The bottom measures 50ml.

The shaker is undoubtedly the most iconic and recognisable piece of the cocktail-making tool kit. It’s worth taking a moment to get to grips with the main differences between the two-piece and the three-piece cocktail shaker sets. This will hopefully make it a little easier when choosing yours…

The two-piece shaker 

Also known as a Boston shaker, it consists of two different sized ‘tins’ which are essentially wedged into one another.  The Boston shaker is typically the professional mixologist’s go-to because of its two important features. Firstly, there’s a greater amount of space inside the shaker for the ice to move around when shaking. This also allows more oxygen to flow inside. Increased aeration creates the ideal environment for ingredients to really blend together and helps to achieve the optimum chilled temperature. Secondly, once cocktail shaking has been mastered (it will take a bit of practice), then using a two-piece shaker is definitely quicker and more streamlined. Hence why the Boston Shaker is most bartenders’ preferred choice for those busy Saturday nights!

The three-piece shaker

Often called a Manhattan shaker, it has an in-built strainer on top which immediately distinguishes it from the Boston shaker.  The removable cap piece covering the strainer being the third component in the three-piece set. The Manhattan shaker also has two key benefits: the removable cap piece means there is no need for a separate strainer. Great if you’re tight on space (and less washing up!) Also, with the Manhattan there is no need for you to master the forming and breaking of a seal – it basically does all the hard work for you!  This definitely makes it the more popular choice for any home bar and mixologist-in-the-making.

Whatever stage you’re at in your cocktail-making journey, rest assured we have the perfect shaker for you!