Craft ice?

[WPOZZZ]

I'm flipping the channels this afternoon and a local wine show comes on. They have a segment with a bartender making a mixed drink and she made the drink and got a large craft ice cube and stuck it in a rocks glass, She pours the drink over the ice cube.

So, is craft ice any colder, lasts longer or tastes better than regular ice?

[dad911]

Round shape will tale longer to melt.

[Tobra]

I had a guy tell me it made a significant difference using distilled water for your ice. I told him he needed to get his tap water checked

[masraum]

We went to a nice, trendy restaurant buy a chef that's been on lots of TV shows and is very well known in Houston. Our kids we with us. Our son in law ordered a bourbon on the rocks. They asked if he wanted it with a big ice cube. We figured sure, why not. I'd seen the big round ice cubes, but this one ended up being a big cube (literally, a cube, like a rubiks cube just small enough to fit in the glass) It was an extra $1 for the ice cube. I mentioned it many months later at a bar and the bartender told me that they bought them from an ice company who made them, and the bar cost was probably $.75. I guess it makes sense, it's not like you use a regular ice machine or trays to make these special cubes.

[jrj3rd]

Clear ice is made by freezing the water from one direction pushing out the air as it freezes. Large ice cubes significantly decrease surface area and as a result melt slower and don't dilute the drink.

Clear ice doesn't change the drink quality, large ice does. ones for show and ones for go....

[dad911]

Round ice has less surface area to melt per volume.

I wonder if clear ice will also melt (significantly) slower, as the lack of air bubbles also would mean less surface area (think golf ball)

[masraum]

Originally Posted by jrj3rd

Clear ice is made by freezing the water from one direction pushing out the air as it freezes. Large ice cubes significantly decrease surface area and as a result melt slower and don't dilute the drink.

Clear ice doesn't change the drink quality, large ice does. ones for show and ones for go....

Yep, I just found a site that says the same (RE: directional freezing).

https://www.whiskyadvocate.com/make-crystal-clear-ice-at-home/

[greglepore]

I have a couple large cube silicone trays from Amazon, cheap and all I use for a rocks bourbon.

[ckelly78z]

I really like the idea of using distilled water to make large round cubes...do you need a machine to do this, or are there cube trays that will accomplish this ? I don't need another electrified kitchen appliance taking up counter space.

[jrj3rd]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

I really like the idea of using distilled water to make large round cubes...do you need a machine to do this, or are there cube trays that will accomplish this ? I don't need another electrified kitchen appliance taking up counter space.

Tovolo Sphere molds work great and are cheap

[dafischer]

Craft Ice, for when you've determined that you're not paying enough for your frozen water.

[David]

I have one of these to make clear cubes:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07422QWCP/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It’s more work taking the cubes out especially if they freeze longer than 18 hours.

[red-beard]

If you want clear ice cubes, simply boil the water before freezing.

[Jeff Hail]

Originally Posted by WPOZZZ

I'm flipping the channels this afternoon and a local wine show comes on. They have a segment with a bartender making a mixed drink and she made the drink and got a large craft ice cube and stuck it in a rocks glass, She pours the drink over the ice cube.

So, is craft ice any colder, lasts longer or tastes better than regular ice?

Water is wet. Regardless of shape.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by dafischer

Craft Ice, for when you've determined that you're not paying enough for your disposable frozen water.

fify

[TimT]

Well yes.. ice make a difference ....

A few years ago a wonderful small plate/tasting/tapas craft cocktails place opened within walking distance of my house... an amazing little restaurant..

The S/O and I prefer to sit at the bar, rather than a table...we watch the barkeep...mix, muddle, shake, she makes her own extracts and bitters..

And she spends a lot of time shaping ice..

She explains that the different shapes.. have different surface areas, hence different rates of cooling and dilution..

She usually puts a crystal clear cube or sphere in an Old Fashioned...

Cocktails

If you ever happen to be in my town, run, don't walk to have a meal at this place

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by TimT

Cocktails

If you ever happen to be in my town, run, don't walk to have a meal at this place

oh baby

BURGER... brisket & short rib blend, brioche bun, white cheddar, fries

[MBAtarga]

Last trip to Charleston and at Husk, I splurged and spent a few extra bucks to have this ice sphere for my drink.
Their cocktail glasses are recycled wine bottles, so the kick holds the sphere above the beverage.

[cstreit]

...anyone feel that we’ve taken the whole “craft” and “artisan” thing a little far?

If they hand carved a shape out of a cube, sure that’s a craft. Freezing water in a shape isn’t much of a craft... baking your own loaf of bread doesn’t make it artisanal.

Get off my lawn.

[dafischer]

^^^This.