Interview with Tomek Roehr Part 1

Personal information:

My name is Tomek Roehr and I’m based in Warszawa, Poland. I got interested in all things cocktail related a few years ago while organizing an event with Dre Masso and Henry Besant of The Worldwide Cocktail Club. Over the last few years it has developed into a real passion. Last year I started a blog called Alkoteka. (www.alkoteka.pl) to promote cocktail culture and responsible consumption of alcohol here. I’m particularly fond of old siphons and all kinds of barware.

How did you get started collecting?
It seems to have evolved together with my fascination for all things cocktail related – books, glasses, siphons and shakers. The more I immersed myself in this area the more fascinated I became with the history and tools used to create cocktails.
The first shaker I ever got was a pre WWII shaker which belonged to my grandfather which is a family heirloom. Walking along a street in Warsaw about 3 years ago, I noticed an old shaker which I had seen in various books.


It was this one. The price was very attractive so I bought it. I started surfing the internet and realized that you can find some interesting old shakers in Poland. The availability of shakers here is very limited compared to other countries but it’s still possible to find some interesting pieces every now and again. I buy things mostly for their design and appearance more than historic value.

How many shakers do you have and how do you store them?
I have about 20 shakers at the moment. They have all just been polished and hidden away in bubble wrap after a small showing for World Cocktail Day in a bar in Warsaw. If my wife and I had more room in our flat I would definitely show them off more but that will have to wait.

Which is the oldest and which did you buy last?
The oldest is this one which is from the beginning of the 20th century and has a very interesting “metal branch” inside which is apparently meant to help emulsify eggs. It needs a bit of refitting of the corks to bring it to a useable state.

The last ones I bought are two WMF shakers. I call them big brother and small brother. Identical shakers except one is 0,5L and the other 0,7L. They should be arriving any day now.