In my (this) website I emphasize the importance of quality, cold, ice.
One thing I must stress is that when learning recipes AS WRITTEN by the original drink creators, “ice” isn’t just frozen cubes of water in any size, shape, or form. Some recipes call for one large cube, some for cubed ice, some for cracked ice, some for crushed ice, and some for frappe’d ice.
Ice is to us what stoves, ovens, microwaves, grills, and deep fryers are to chefs. There are many ways to work properly with ice.
Dave Arnold in his book “Liquid Intelligence” (and the same teaching with less granular emphasis is taught in the BarSmarts course certification) go into some detail regarding ice and proper dilution levels during chilling.
So too, to some degree, does Robert Hess of the Small Screen Network (he worked a lot with Jamie Boudreau) video shown above… even though the huge elephant in the room with Robert Hess’ video is that HE’S NOT USING SHAVED ICE as specified by Vic Bergeron (Trader Vic)! (Ugh!) the documented and legally accredited (having won a lawsuit supporting his claim) creator of the Mai Tai.
Dilution rates differ with each type. MOST drinks (shaken or stirred) are counting on 20-25% of the recipe to be water which is from melted ice to dilute the hot taste of strong liquor and cloying over-sweetness of liqueurs. Mouthfeel and texture change.
And to make a drink as intended, AND to be taken seriously as professional tradespersons, bartenders must insist their drinks are being properly made using the appropriate forms of ice. If they don’t, then the bars they’re employed in will remain at a lower level and will never be elevated to a higher quality standard.
Crushed and frappe’d ice are easy to implement anywhere. Whole cube not so easy; large cube, sphere, and clear ice often the trickiest to maneuver for in a lot of bars. Pay attention to your recipes’ descriptions of specific ice being called for.
If all of the recipes from your reading source simply say “ice” (particularly where classic old cocktails are listed) find a few better recipe sources, and add those to your reading. Jerry Thomas’ “How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon-vivant’s Companion” is a great start. Tiki Drinks often call for specific ice. There you’d do well to read anything written by Don Beach or Trader Vic.
It does not mean you should throw away everything anyone else has to offer, add grenadine, and make your Mai Tais pink — or start spelling them Mai Thai. 🙂
That’s all I can tell you.
Site Author, David Jonathan Curtis: David Jonathan Curtis, a seasoned professional in his fifth decade of bartending and bar management, began his career in Midtown Manhattan, NY, tending and managing bars before diving into Manhattan’s bustling nightlife scene. Over the years, he has mastered high-volume, high-pressure bartending as the lead bartender in both iconic Midtown clubs and Wall Street bars, generating over $1,350,000.00 annually in personal drink sales. He has since extended his expertise to establishments in Georgia and now Tampa, Florida. David’s roles as a Bartending Instructor at the American Bartending School in Tampa, while maintaining a second job bartending, and his years experience of managing bars, and working as a Brand Ambassador along with his extensive professional library of over 1,000 bartending books, highlight his dedication to continually refining his craft. He holds a diploma in Bar Management and is BarSmarts certified by Pernod Ricard.
