The Last Thing Most Home Bars Get Wrong: Ice

There has been a cocktail renaissance in America. And throughout the globe, really. It all began in the late 90s and went well into the early aughts, rippling to this day. This new wave of cocktail culture brought a return to classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Boulevardier, and Negroni, countless talented bartenders and cocktail bars from coast to coast, and a renewed interest in home mixology.

If you’re joining the home cocktail trend, you’re going to need to purchase a few things. And this goes well beyond simply buying a few bottles of alcohol, some glassware, and a few tools. Sure, you can have all of that, but you still might not be aware of the most essential, most overlooked home bar flex. Ice.

Why is ice an essential ingredient? Because it affects two very important things in a cocktail. The taste and the temp. The latter is obvious. Ice controls the temperature of a cocktail (especially useful this time of year). Whether you’re shaking, stirring, or simply pouring over, knowing what kind of rocks to use and how many can make or break a cocktail. 

Ice also helps dilute a cocktail when the proof is high in the spirits you’re using. Sometimes a whiskey tastes too harsh. Sometimes the proof is higher than you want it to be. Using the right kind of ice can give you that perfectly palatable taste.

I’d never judge a man for opening his freezer, cracking the ice tray, plunking a few cubes into a glass, and calling it a day. But if you want to get the most out of your ice, learn the different types of ice and how to use them.

Classic cubes straight from your ice tray have their use. They’re a great choice for Whiskey Highballs and for shakers, but they’re not the best choice for most cocktails or for drinking whiskey on the rocks. A better choice is single, large cubes because they take longer to melt and have a much higher surface area than small ice cubes, meaning they will chill without water-downing or diluting the alcohol in your drink too fast/too much.

There’s also a time and place for crushed ice. You wouldn’t want to make a Mint Julep or many Tiki-style drinks with anything other than crushed ice. That’s because, since you pack your glass tight with ice, it will lower the temperature exceedingly quickly. The only downfall is that crushed ice dilutes your drink quicker, so your best bet is to use it when your drink is higher in alcohol content. For instance, if you’re using crushed ice in a Tiki cocktail, trying using a higher-proof rum. 

Another important thing to think about with your ice is the quality. You might think you can just put your ice cube tray under the kitchen faucet, fill it up, freeze it, and you’re good to go. But purity is extremely important when making ice for cocktails and chilling whiskey. Your kitchen sink water might contain things that will make your ice cloudy or taste “off.” Your best bet is to use filtered water instead. You can purchase filtered water or use a filter on your sink water to remove impurities that would otherwise affect the flavor and clarity.  

But it’s not just the water itself that affects the overall appearance and flavor. Even if you aren’t using tap water, putting your ice cubes in the freezer uncovered is a bad idea. Think about what happens when you put leftovers uncovered in your fridge alongside something with a bold or strong aroma or flavor. That food is going to take on some of the other food’s characteristics whether you want it to or not. The same goes for your ice. Avoid smells from the freezer being added to your ice by storing it in a sealed container or covered in a freezer bag.

If simply adding tap water to an ice cube tray and throwing it into your freezer won’t get you the best results, what’s a guy to do? Invest in an ice maker. Not only are ice makers convenient, but they can make more ice than your trays can handle, can create specific ice textures and clarity, and free up space in your freezer for more burritos. A great choice is the Sub-Zero Designer Undercounter 15″ Ice Maker.

It was created to be surprisingly quiet, easy to maintain, and to make consistent, high-quality ice for use in cocktails and to chill your favorite bourbon, single malt Scotch, and other whiskeys. Why waste your time with traditional ice cube trays when this will make crystal-clear, 1.25″ ice cubes and fits perfectly on your home bar or in your kitchen?