What makes a great cocktail? Fresh ingredients, balanced flavors, beautiful presentation, and a knowledgeable bartender probably come to mind. However, have you ever considered the ice used to chill your drink?
Certain cocktails are best served with specific types of ice and many bars recognize this and are implementing ice programs. Dilution rates play a big part in determining the best type of ice to use. Large, dense ice cubes melt slowly and keep drinks lightly chilled without watering them down, ideal when drinking a premium spirit. However, other drinks need to be quickly chilled and benefit from the dilution provided by small ice nuggets.
Of course, appearance also plays a role in the ice used in drinks. Ordinary ice is often cloudy due to water impurities and air bubbles formed in the quick freezing process. Specialty ice is slowly frozen from pristine water and produces crystal clear ice that looks best in a cocktail. This attention to detail produces a beautiful drink that wows guests with its presentation.
At Milk & Honey (NYC and London), drinks are served with jagged ice cubes that bartenders hand cut from large blocks of ice. Their ice is twice frozen from mineral water to provide cubes that are incredibly dense, cold, and clear. Red Feather (Boise) has seven different types of ice behind the bar to provide perfectly chilled cocktails. Sushi Roku (Scottsdale) is serving sake snow cones made from hand-shaved ice. In Washington D.C., two former bartenders have launched Favourite Ice Company to provide bars and restaurants with hand-cut, artisan ice.
If you’re interested in implementing an ice program in your restaurant or bar, please contact Synergy Restaurant Consultants for more details.