Shaking all over
Shaker is one of the best kept secrets in Jyväskylä, a town of just 85,000 people about 270km north of Helsinki. The focus here is cocktail culture with mixology and flair-bartending (”flairtending”) to the fore.
This was actually the first flairtending venue in Finland, launched in spring 2004, and so successful that it spawned a sister branch in the capital. The interior here was designed by Jouni Leino; the square space is dark and stark, with the exception of the brightly-lit bar backed by a wall of bottles. The bare, austere décor works well in this single-theme establishment.
Restaurateur Kalle Lojander is one of the celebrated flairtenders and for years the Shaker team has cleaned up at flairtending competitions. The bar’s signature drinks (Paranoid and Holy Diver) have even brought Lojander the Finnish championship. Bartender Joonas Pikkarainen won’t share the stories behind the cocktails though as “they’re unfit for publication”. If you want to try one at home though, here’s a recipe…
Holy Diver
2 canned pear halves
3 cl Modo apple syrup
2 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cl Finlandia Cranberry vodka
2 cl Xante liqueur
A blender, crushed ice, a Palladio glass, and a slice of cantaloupe for garnish
Weeknights see just one person behind the bar; on busier weekend evenings there are three. Staff takes pride not only in their technical cocktail-mixing skills but also in polite, casual customer service. Exotic drinks are not necessarily the sole topic of conversation.
In addition to juggled bottles, entertainment here is limited
to mainstream, youth-oriented music – from hard rock to house – as anything else would be pretty pointless. The age limit at Shaker is 18 and most of the clientele are 20somethings. More mature people are discovering the place however and stopping for an evening cocktail. The list of regulars is growing.
Shaker
Address Yliopistonkatu 38, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 621691
Website www.shaker.fi
Seats 45 (no outdoor seating)
Open Daily 19:00-02:00
Signature drinks Paranoid and Holy Diver
Restaurateur Kalle Lojander
Restaurantmanager Kalle Lojander
Bartenders Kalle Lojander, Mika Kinnunen, Joonas Pikkarainen
Location In the heart of Jyväskylä, by the marketplace.
“When visiting Jyväskylä, one has to stop at Shaker to wonder at the pros of flairtending.” / “The most victorious bartenders in Jyväskylä and probably all of Finland.” / “Wide selection of cocktails with a few unduly forgotten classics revamped.”
