How to up your ice game
Often overlooked by novice bartenders, ice cubes have the capability of making or breaking a drink just as much as the other ingredients that go into it. While the half-moon ice cubes that come out most refrigerators will work just fine, having drink appropriate ice will give your drinks a visual flair. Here are the four types of ice every pro bartender and home bar should be familiar with:
1×1 cubes
This is the standard type of ice cubes used by most bars. The surface area for the cubes is small enough that they won't melt and dilute your drink too quickly but isn't so low that they leave your cocktails lukewarm and tepid. They also work great for drinks that need to be shaken or stirred. If you choose to have only one type of ice in your bar, this should be it.
Large cubes/ spheres
This is the classy ice blocks you see in an old fashioned. Measuring 2×2 inch, you use a single cube for minimal dilution in spirit forward and neat drinks that you sip slowly, like Negroni and Manhattan. However, avoid using these to shake and stir as the big blocks will not melt quick enough to give you desired results. Ice spheres work in a similar fashion but are aesthetically more pleasing and give an even slower dilution because of the smaller surface area.
Collins Spears
Collins Spears are 1×5 inch rectangular ice blocks that are used for Collins and Highball glasses. Primarily used to up the pizzazz of the drink, these types of ice work well in long sippers, providing even dilution for the long-shaped glasses. However, since most such drinks have carbonation, this type of ice loses out on its functional side and can make the drink flat. The larger volume also means more dilution and in an already mixer heavy drink can drown out the spirit if left too long. Nevertheless, the shape of the ice, when used in just the right drink like Tom Collins, Gin and Tonic or Mojito, can make for a dramatic look.
Crushed/pebble ice
A favourite for summer drinks, crushed/ pebble ice is used to quickly chill your drinks. Since pebble ice require special equipment, crushed ice is the commonly used variant. The crushed kind gives a slushie texture to the drinks and is used in drinks like Mint Juleps, Moscow Mules and Frozen Daiquiri. Never use this type of ice for shaking and stirring unless you want a watery drink. Use the refrigerators crushed ice option or whack your regular ice by hand or in the blender to create the crushed variety.
Though most of these can be made using moulds, you can up your game by creating clear ice in the above shapes if you are up for some elbow grease. All you need are coolers, filtered water, a freezer and some time. Fill a cooler with filtered water and stick it in the freezer without lid. The three insulated sides ensure that the water freezes top-down and this directional cooling forces the air bubbles trapped in the water to move to one side. Once the last bits are semi frozen, simply chip away the cloudy end and cut the remaining clear ice block into desired size cubes. Another method is to turn your freezer setting to the lowest temperature and set your ice. A third method is to double boil the water you use. While not perfect, they give a cleaner clearer ice with minimal cloudiness.
