Ice

Ice has long been the unsung hero of cocktail making. While it can account for up to half of a finished drink, it is usually the last thing that mixologists and consumers alike pay attention to. This trend is changing, however, and ice is now being treated as much more than just a way to make drinks cold: it has become a component integral to the overall drinking experience.

One group that is looking to change the way ice is viewed in Australia is Navy Strength Ice Co, Australia’s first bar-focused hand cut ice program. This company creates their ice over a period of 4 days from water filtered 5 times, which they then cut with ice saws and tools to achieve glass-ready blocks. This attention to detail is time consuming and expensive, but results in perfectly transparent, pure and dense blocks of ice that can be cut, engraved and carved to suit client’s exact specifications.

So how do different types and qualities of ice affect the cocktail experience? The first point to note is the ratio between ice and drink in the glass. A higher proportion of ice will slow down its rate of melting because it has a higher thermal mass. This means that it will cool the drink down more and the drink will warm it up less. As the ice melts, the drink’s temperature will stay around 0 degrees until the ice has fully melted. The longer a drink is left, the more diluted it will become. This is important to note, as higher proof cocktails will generally be drunk slower resulting in more dilution, while lower proof cocktails will be drunk faster. Most cocktails rely on some degree of ice-melt for balance: the important point to note is that ice melt should be controlled and in balance with the rest of the drink. Buying perfectly made ice removes any air-bubbles and ensures a consistent density and size: hence mixologists are presented with a greater level of control over how the ice develops in the glass.

Equally important is the shape of the ice. The crushed ice in a Mojito has a much larger surface area than a collins spear in a Gin and Tonic, and will melt a lot faster. Further than that, the perfectly spherical ice used to chill neat whisky has the lowest surface area to volume ratio of all and will be the slowest to melt. The shape of ice also significantly changes the mouthfeel of the cocktail. The texture of crushed ice is vastly different to a solid cube, and the clinking and its size in the glass are both essential elements to the drinking experience.

Ice also plays a major role in a cocktail’s appearance. One way mixologists can individualise their drink is by using custom ice: whether it is infused with an ingredient, carved or engraved. While Navy Strength Ice Co and various other Australian companies offer these services, it is the Japanese that dominate the world of ice-carving, where it is common to see hand-carved ice even in working-class bars.

So how can you go about making cocktail-worthy ice at home? One simple way is to set your freezer’s temperature as close to zero as possible. This will slow the cooling time of the ice, something essential for eliminating all air from the water during this process, removing the bubbles and white streaks. If this isn’t an option, placing ice trays inside an Esky or cooler bag

inside your freezer will achieve similar results. Boiling water prior to freezing it is another way to achieve this, which directly evaporates the air-molecules from the liquid. Also, if you make ice ahead of time or if you have lots of pungent food in your freezer, secure your ice inside a plastic bag, otherwise you might find your Old Fashioned tastes like lasts weeks Butter Chicken. To make your ice restaurant-quality, custom moulds for all common ice shapes can be readily purchased online.

Many cocktails call for crushed ice. This can be made by wrapping ice inside a tea-towel and crushing it with a rolling-pin until a desired texture is achieved. The tea-towel absorbs any water made, meaning only ice is being added to your drink.

With complicated cocktails where ice is added to the shaker, it’s often beneficial to replace this ice with fresh cubes when pouring the final drink. This is because the original ice has warmed up and will now melt at a faster rate. Replacing this with fresh ice will slow down the drink’s dilution.

Ice is best treated as just another ingredient in a cocktail. Instead of following traditions and norms, it’s something that should be experimented with and adjusted to suit personal preference. Have fun and explore how variations in ice can transform common cocktails into something new.