Often overlooked, ice is one of the most important ingredients in your cocktails. Whether it’s a slushy margarita or a smooth Manhattan, ice is one of the keys to making a perfect drink. There are two things ice does for your drinks, it cools them down and it dilutes them. The taste and burn of alcohol can take over the whole drink masking all the other great flavours in your glass. When you are enjoying a great cocktail you want to know you’re drinking an alcoholic beverage but you don’t want to feel like you just took a shot of hooch from somebody’s backyard still. This is where ice steps in.
Ice cools down your drink and adds water to take some of the bite out of the alcohol. What kind of ice to use and how much dilution to allow is part of the art of making a great drink. Most drinks have guidelines for the kinds and amounts of ice to be used but it’s all open to personal taste. Here’s a quick primer on the types of ice you can use and how they affect your drinks.
Types of ice for drinks
Block
As the name suggests this is one big block of ice. Historically this is how ice was sold and used. The skilled bartender would attack the block with a set of medieval looking tools and carve off the piece or pieces he wanted for a given drink. Not commonly seen today it is still the mark of the true craftsman to cut the ice for his drinks from a solid block.
Cubes
This is the standard form of ice seen today but not all cubes are created equal. From the tiny hollow centered cubes you get in your soda at a family restaurant to the big, beautifully clear cubes of a classic cocktail room, ice cubes come in many shapes and sizes. Generally speaking bigger cubes melt more slowly providing longer cooling and slower dilution. Cubes that are regular in size stack better in a glass chilling through the whole volume of the drink and not just floating on top. Large regular cubes are the best choice when you want good cooling but little dilution.
Cracked
Cracked ice comes from delivering one solid blow to a large cube. The irregular shaped and sized pieces and shards that result vastly increase the surface area available to your drinks. Cracked ice chills a drink quickly and immediately starts adding water to the drink. Cracked ice has the clarity and characteristics we associate with cubes, it can still be stirred and it clinks pleasantly in a glass but it melts more quickly and adds more water than cubes.
Crushed
Making crushed ice is one of the most therapeutic things you can do, just put cubes in a bag and beat the daylights out of them. Crushed ice changes the consistency of your drinks making them ‘slushy’. Crushed ice is usually used in large quantities as it melts fast. Best used in drinks you want super cold and where you are after a good bit of dilution to allow the drink to be sipped for a long time.
Shaved
Shaved ice the finest type of ice. It is made by using a blade to scrape ice from a block. It has more in common with snow than any of the other types of ice. Generally shaved ice is used as medium that can be flavoured with the drink of your choice. Not uncommonly served with a spoon a shaved ice drink is cold and will melt quickly with lots of dilution.
Tools for ice
Electric ice appliances
There are many electric ice appliances on the market but they tend to be a classic case of getting what you pay for. Ice is a hard material; to work it effectively an appliance has to be sturdy and powerful. Many domestic ice appliances don’t meet those criteria and their performances demonstrate that. Commercial ice appliances tend to be excellent but their prices reflect their value. For most home use I recommend staying with basic manual tools unless you want to splurge and get a commercial grade appliance. With a bit of effort the manual tools will deliver excellent results at a fraction of the cost of a commercial appliance.
Ice picks and forks
To work block ice you need only a basic ice pick and some elbow grease. There are also multipronged ice forks that allow you to make more aggressive cuts. A small hammer is also a nice tool to have in your arsenal as it allows more powerful blows with greater precision when you’re making those special shapes.
Trays
Trays are your most important tool when it comes to making ice. The plastic tray that comes with your fridge generally doesn’t make the nicest cubes. Instead look for trays that are perfectly regular and allow you to make large cubes (1 or more inches cubed). Silicone trays are great because they allow you to easily get the cubes out without breaking them.
Spoon
Your bar spoon is your best weapon when it comes to making cracked ice. Hold the cube firmly with a towel and one face exposed then deliver one good solid blow. The spoon is heavy enough to break the cube but not so heavy as to pulverize it.
Bags and bats
When crushed ice is what you are after the bag and bat should be your number one choice. Look for stiff canvas or linen bags and a bat with a bit of weight and a comfortable handle. It’s easier to crush when there is more ice in the bag so make big batches and keep your ice bucket full. The key to making good crushed ice is to ensure you have a nice solid surface to crush on and don’t be shy about working the whole bag over a few times.
Shavers
Aluminum housing is great if you can find it because it doesn’t rust. Steel is more common and you’ll find many more tool options (try the plane section of a wood working catalogue) but remember to keep it clean and dry or you’ll get rust in your shaved ice.
Towels
A bunch of linen towels are a great thing to have around when you are working with ice. They help keep the heat of your hands away from the ice and they absorb any melt. Always use the best quality lint free linen you can find or you’ll end up with lint in your drinks…yuck!
Ice buckets
Look for an ice bucket that is double walled and has a lid. A tray in the bottom that keeps your ice out of the melt water is another nice feature. Ice buckets work best when they are full so as ice gets used up keep topping up the bucket.
Making great ice
There are a few secrets to making really good ice, but first we have to say what really good ice is. The best ice is cold, clear and doesn’t have any off tastes or odours. The cold part is easy, find a freezer that maintains its temperature in the -15 to -20 degree Celsius range and give your ice the time it needs to completely harden. Making clear ice takes a bit more know how. The key is to use the best water you possible by filtering it and boiling it to help get any dissolved air out before you freeze it. Another trick, if you’re ready to take some time, is to freeze your ice in thin layers. You can add small amounts of water in to your container as the previous water freezes. Layers of clean water will help things to freeze evenly so you won’t wind up with that white centre that is so common. Lastly use fresh ice, the stuff that’s been in your freezer with the fish sticks for two months isn’t the best choice. A little experiment you can do is to take that old ice in your freezer, melt it and see if you want to drink the resulting water. The smell alone will probably put you off. If you have the space use a sealed container to make and store your ice.
So, the next time you set out to make a great drink give some thought to the ice, it will help make your drink that much better.
This blog post brought to you by:
Nautical Décor. With three different venues on the property; 52 seat dining room, 40 seat lounge, an our newly built Waterfront Patio with seating for 60+ guests overlooking the Mooring Field of South Shore Marine, I feel the Galley offers a space to fit all of our guests needs. Our Menu is a unique take on Classic Nova Scotia and Maritime dishes, using familiar local product and adding a twist. Always Respecting the past while still offering something new to the area and to our guests, we will regularly be offering both Local and International features along with quality pasta dishes.
