When it comes to ice size, it really matters. The size, density and clarity of the ice are the intangible part of any good cocktail recipe. Shape and size can impart the proper dilution and chill that make a cocktail taste better than one made from the same recipe but with inferior ice. Large cubes, especially ice spheres, the fruit of the revival of classic cocktails, are all the rage in high-end cocktail bars. So the simple question is why not take your home cocktail experience to the next level.
Large cubes or spheres of ice will melt slower than traditional ice. This is great news for cocktail enthusiasts who not only want to showcase the perfect combination of flavors, but also want to present their creation elegantly. If you’re a scotch drinker and enjoy your scotch on the rocks, the last thing you want to do is use small ice that will turn 20+ years of barrel aging into a watered down icy slush.
So how can the home cocktail enthusiast duplicate the experience of high-end cocktail establishments? So unless he can afford an $8,000 ice machine that pumps chilled water through the entire freezing process creating gorgeous 300-pound slabs of crystal-clear ice, his options may be limited. Once he harvests his 300-pound block, he can carve and shape it for its intended use and application.
Another option is to use an ice press that ranges in price from $400 to $2000 that presses square blocks of ice ranging in size from 1 inch to 2.75 inches into perfect spheres. These presses come with silicone trays that transform the large square blocks of ice that you will place in the press into beautiful spheres. Watching a skilled bartender turn a large block into a sphere and seeing a press in action will definitely earn you some serious style points. The only caveat about the silicone tray used with the press is that unlike the ice maker, the raw ice you start with will never be crystal clear.
The reason why is physical, ice formed in a tray will always freeze from the outside thus trapping any impurities in the water and air in the center of the cube, this is why cubes always have cloudy centers with ridges and cracks. . Now, there are some tricks that can be used to control the direction of the freeze that will get you started with crystal clear ice, but we’ll get to that another time. You will also hear people talk about double boiling or using distilled water to get clear ice, trust me don’t waste your time. Why? Because unless you can control the direction of the freeze, it won’t matter physics is physics. But the purer the water, the better your final product will taste.
If you are on a budget, there are different ice molds that can be used to give your home bar a bit of class and style. These molds are made of plastic or silicone or a combination of both. I think we all have experience with the plastic tray type and we all know how difficult it can be to get the ice out. Silicone, on the other hand, remains malleable even once frozen, so releasing the ice from the mold is much simpler. There are several brands that make large square cubes or spheres. Tovolo’s tray makes 2-inch cubes, Rox makes four 2-inch balls, and the Whiskey Rounders silicone ice mold makes six 2 1/2-inch spheres at a time.
Although silicone molds are not quite the same style as an ice maker or press, they do offer versatility and ease of use. Since they’re made from silicone and are typically dishwasher safe, you can do more than ice in them. Many people freeze juice, coffee, tea, wine, or create fruit garnishes that infuse their favorite beverages with flavor. There is no limit to what you can create with these fantastic silicone molds. The only problem you will find is making enough to entertain your friends. So for what it would cost a couple of rounds of drinks at your favorite bar, you can bring a new level of sophistication and class to your home bar with these versatile yet inexpensive ice molds.
