“Somewhat a Mixologist’s Secret Weapon”
We know, boring old Ice,
Who really thinks of the quality of Ice used to bash around in a shaker with your favourite tipple. Well, when it comes to frozen water, there’s a number of ways it can be made and served. Mixologist’s use ice to open up the flavour of alcohol, and this process happens when a small amount of water saturates the spirit from a melting point
So, next time you drink, think about Ice ?
Ice, and why it should be your most important ingredient… Whether it’s shaved, infused or crushed, we all know that ice is bound to melt once it leaves the freezer. When plain/regular ice is used, melting occurs far too quickly, leading to a heavily watered down version of what you really wanted. Did you know that ice typically adds at least 30ml of water to a cocktail? To be honest, neither did we…
When it comes to ice for Cocktails,
Ice is best when its clarity and density are controlled by slowing down the freezing time. The result of this process is crystal clear ice that takes longer to melt. With something as simple as a Scotch you’d want to add a dense ice cube or sphere to be sure that the melting ice does not escape too quickly into your fine dram. When thinking Tiki and/or Tropical drinks (Mojito etc) you should use a shaved ice to soak up all of the syrups and sweetness. When it comes to your stirred “over ice” beverages, Artisanal Carved Ice (video here) is becoming more prevalent in fancy establishments by the day. Think and Ice Diamond with your Negroni…
Now, not to be painfully obvious, but, it starts with the Water ?
The best type to yield Crystal Clear Ice cubes are usually made using water that’s been purified through reverse osmosis or distillation. But you can make it from tap water, too. It just has to be boiled.
If you are thinking of trying yourself, there are a few handy methods to point yourself in the right direction. See below;
- Boiled Water Method (As Mentioned Above)
- Top Down Freezing Method
- High Temp Freezing Method
- Bottom Freezing Method
See instructions for these here.
So next time you are thinking of dropping some cold hard cash (Ice Pun ??♂️) on a tasty libation. Take some time to ask your Mixologist about the Ice used. Or better yet, challenge them to better their Ice game also!
See Ice Carving Master Hidetsugu Ueno ?here
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