How is ice for cocktails made? Such familiar cocktail ice.

“Ice is the soul of a cocktail,” say experienced bartenders. Any alcoholic drink With large piece clear ice it will seem tastier, and it will be aesthetically more pleasant to drink it. After all, alcohol is not only and not so much an “effect”, but a process, atmosphere and communication.

In contact with

Odnoklassniki

transparent ice

Have you ever noticed that the ice served in restaurants is transparent, and the cubes that you take out of your refrigerator molds are cloudy and white?

How to do clear ice at home? Do not believe if you are told that it is enough to boil or filter the water. Even using distilled water will not help.

The fact is that no matter how hard you try to purify water from impurities, it will still contain one component other than H2O. This is air.

By its very nature, freezing water tends to form a distinct crystalline structure. At the same time, it pushes the trapped air and impurities away from the freezing zone.

In the ice tray, this process occurs on all sides of the cube. The last part that freezes is the center, and it is this that turns out to be cloudy and filled with air bubbles.

Do we need absolutely transparent ice? What is its advantage over ordinary cloudy ice from silicone molds?

First, due to the absence of air bubbles, clear ice melts more slowly than usual, which means your drinks will stay cold longer.

Secondly, since clear ice melts more slowly, this means that your drink will be more slowly diluted with water and retain its flavor longer. rich taste.

Well big piece pure ice in itself is a cocktail decoration. A huge transparent cube of ice, squeezed into the "old fashion", literally squeezing out a portion of whiskey or rum - it's cool.

How to make crystal clear ice at home

You can, of course, buy it, which produces very clean and transparent ice, but it takes up decent space in the bar and costs from 15 thousand rubles.

The best way get crystal clear ice cubes - the so-called directional freezing.

YOU WILL NEED

• small portable food cooler
• a water tank that will freely enter the car refrigerator
• filtered water
• long serrated knife

INSTRUCTIONS

Interesting fact: Spheres have the smallest surface area to volume ratio, which makes ice cubes rather than cubes ideal candidates for cooling drinks.

At first glance, freezing ice is not difficult, but in the end, the ice cubes turn out to be cloudy and with bubbles. And in cocktails served in cafes and restaurants, ice is always transparent and very attractive. Let's try to make transparent ice yourself at home.

This fact has scientific rationale. As you know, water contains microscopic air bubbles and various impurities. Freezing of ice cubes occurs gradually, starting from the mold walls. Frozen water pushes air towards the center, and then, as it freezes, air bubbles give the ice cube a cloudy color.

How to freeze clear ice: proven methods

Method number 1: Freeze boiled water

For this method, water must be passed through a filter, then boiled for several minutes. During bubbling, excess air will be released from the water. After that, you need to wait for the water to cool down. natural way. If you boil water in a pan, then during the cooling period, the pan must be covered with a lid or cloth to prevent dust from settling into the water.

Now the water can be poured into molds for freezing and sent to the freezer. After 24 hours, you will be able to extract completely transparent ice from the molds.

Watch the video: The Chips for Life channel will talk about two guaranteed ways to make (freeze) transparent ice

Method #2: How to Freeze Ice in a Plastic Container

Here we need a plastic container-refrigerator that can hold the temperature. It will help the ice freeze slowly. The main thing is that the box fits into the compartment in size freezer.

Place ice cube trays in a container and pour into them. clean water. Normal will do too tap water, but it needs to be filtered first.

We fill the bottom of the container with water so that the water is poured according to the water level in the molds. This water will allow the ice to freeze in the molds from top to bottom.

We put the box in the freezer, without covering the lid tightly. The temperature in the freezer should not be very low, approximately -8 ºС.

After 24 hours, take out the frozen bottom of the box along with the molds. We beat off excess ice around the mold, and take out transparent cubes from the molds.

Method #3: Slow Freeze Method

This method involves the use of maximum high temperature your freezer. The desired value is -1ºС. Forms with filtered water are placed on the top shelf of the freezer. It is advisable to wrap the forms cling film. In a day, clear ice will be ready.

Method #4: How to make clear ice with salt

To do this, put salt in a bowl. The amount of salt should be sufficient so that the water does not freeze in the freezer at a temperature not lower than -2ºС. As you know, salt water freezes at a lower temperature than fresh water.

To start, we put salt water into the freezer and let it cool down as much as possible. We place molds with water in cold salty water. It remains to send this design to the freezer for a day. Clear ice prepared in this way is provided to you.

Ideal transparent ice is obtained using special ice makers, but you are unlikely to want to install such a unit in your home.

Watch the video on the channel "Svoimi rukami" - How to make ice from distilled water

Mixing at home various drinks, it is necessary to use special ice for cocktails. Many people think that just freezing water in the refrigerator is enough. This is a very common misconception. After buying expensive liqueurs or other spirits, it is easy to spoil the taste of cocktails with such ice.

Not the best solution would be an ice machine. Its disadvantage is that it melts quickly, which makes any cocktail watery.

Even from your freezer, the ice is much denser. It has practically no air and melts for a long time. At the same time, cooling the cocktail, and not diluting it.

However, in good bars the method of obtaining such ice is different in the usual one: there is one bartending trick.

For good ice only non-carbonated mineral water is used

The point is that the usual running water may contain chlorine and other undesirable impurities. By the way, it is not frozen in molds, but in a simple lump, which is then chopped into small pieces.

And the result is perfect ice, which:

• does not melt
• cools,
• does not spoil the taste of the drink.

Japanese ice is often used for cocktails. It differs from the usual one only in shape: it looks like a ball, the diameter of which is slightly less glass. Such balls are also cut from a large ice block. It will not only cool any cocktail well, but also surprise any guest.

Ice in cocktails is an indispensable attribute for us. We are so used to it that we do not even think about it as a separate element. But the process of making ice is very interesting.

Most of cocktails prepared with ice. First of all, ice serves to cool the cocktail without adding water to it, and secondly, to keep the cocktail cold as long as possible. If you want to get glass-clear ice, boil water before freezing, or use mineral or spring water to make cubes.

Lumpy (molded) ice

produced in pieces different forms. It is added to drinks for cooling and beauty. There are several standard forms lump ice. Cup ice - comes in the form of a cylinder with a hole and really resembles a glass. In Russia, such ice is no less popular than cube ice. It is believed that it cools drinks better and faster, as it has a much larger heat exchange surface.

cube ice

- This classical form food ice. A cube of such ice weighs from 13 to 33 g and is suitable for glasses of any shape. The easiest way to get ice cubes is from lever-operated ice cubes, as well as from plastic ice cubes. The square-shaped ice takes a long time to melt and is therefore well suited for pure strong drinks.

crushed ice

used at exhibitions and presentations for cooling food and drinks. It has the form of chipped pieces of irregular shape. It is also sometimes used in restaurants to prepare drinks and cocktails in a shaker. Crushed ice is easiest to make in an ice mill, but you can do without it.

Ice Frappe

- this is shaved or finely crushed ice. Used to make smoothies with fruit, crunches, sparkling cocktails, mojitos and other drinks to be drunk through a straw.

Granulated ice

These are large hailstones with a diameter of 1 cm. Such ice has an ideal temperature of -0.5 ° C, does not freeze, is easy to store, easily mixes with products and envelops them tightly, does not have sharp edges and does not spoil products. Granulated ice can be used in restaurants to serve caviar, champagne or wine, organize a salad bar or buffet when cymbals with ready meals placed on an ice sheet.

Fancy ice cubes

- a special kind of ice cubes in which candied fruits with a variety of colors and tastes are frozen. There are also ice cubes made from iced tea or coffee. If the recipe for a cocktail involves the use of such ice, prepare it with the addition of juices, mint leaves or berries. In order for the berries and leaves to be inside a piece of ice, freeze in layers: pour one third of the liquid into the mold, let it freeze, then put the mint leaves, pieces of fruit or berries and fill with the remaining liquid.

colored ice

applied to design, decoration, decoration, beverage cooling. Juices, lemonades, cocktails can be served with colored ice cubes or colorful ice hearts. Colored ice is served in dishes made of thick glass or crystal. Along with ice, ice tongs are served, with the help of which ice is placed in glasses. Colored food ice is obtained by freezing sweetened fruit and berry juices. Such pieces of ice, in addition to color, have a pleasant fruity taste.

In recent years, creative ice molds made of silicone have gained particular popularity. There are many opportunities for designers here. After all, these containers can be given the most elaborate form. But for such forms there is one rule. Before pouring ice into glasses, hold the mold with it for several minutes at room temperature. The ice will melt a little and leave the mold without difficulty. Otherwise, you run the risk of breaking the ice mini-sculpture conceived by the designer.

As paradoxical as it sounds, the colder the ice, the worse it cools drinks. Cocktails with very cold ice cubes tend to take longer to shake than those with warmer ones. Therefore, it is better to use ice cubes whose temperature is about 0°C. They need to get the ice out of the freezer shortly before preparing the cocktail.

Ice in cocktails is an indispensable attribute for us. We are so used to it that we do not even think about it as a separate element.

I will tell you about such an important element in the art of bartending as ice and consider

What is ice? Of course, one of aggregate states water (for those who don't remember, the other two are vapor and liquid). Chemical composition, of course H 2 O. In reality, all this is only part of the truth. In fact, ice is a tricky thing. There is even a whole science in the world that studies its properties. It's called glaciology. The term is derived from the Latin word glacies - ice and the Greek λογος - teaching.

But before you start making ice for a cocktail, you should clarify some points. For example, that ice, even the most edible, never has the formula H 2 O. After all, the water from which you will prepare frozen transparent ice cubes for cocktails has a lot of impurities. If you don't want to spoil noble drink Before pouring water into special forms, it must be boiled. Try not to use unfiltered tap water.

Where does cocktail ice come from?

Ice for cocktails, of course, is taken from the refrigerator. In special fancy molds. This remains true as long as your art as a bartender is used to obtain a piece of goods, or at least a small-circulation one. If you are planning to switch to mass production of cocktails, then you will need an icemaker.

These are already quite industrial devices for making ice for cocktails. They are divided into two main types - those that work on a water cooling system (their name usually contains the letter W, from water - "water"), or those that use air for this (letter A, from air - "air"). Ice makers are able to supply you with ice already in a predetermined shape.

Most cocktails are made with ice. First of all, ice serves to cool the cocktail without adding water to it, and secondly, to keep the cocktail cold as long as possible. If you want to get glass-clear ice, boil water before freezing or use mineral or spring water to make cubes.

Food ice - represents separate pieces of ice in the form of cubes or cylinders. Produced by ice makers from purified, filtered water. Edible ice is used as a cooling filler in alcoholic and soft drinks, cocktails, juices.

Lumpy (molded) ice - It is produced in the form of pieces of different shapes. It is added to drinks for cooling and beauty. There are several standard shapes for lump ice:

- Glass, or finger ice - comes in the form of a cylinder with a hole and really resembles a glass. In Russia, such ice is no less popular than cube ice. It is believed that it cools drinks better and faster, as it has a much larger heat exchange surface. "Glass" is small (22x24 mm), medium (33x34 mm) and large sizes. This type of ice is well suited for long drinks and carbonated drinks. In addition, it is used in a shaker or blender, as it is quite fragile.

- Cube ice is the classic form of edible ice. A cube of such ice weighs from 13 to 33 g and is suitable for glasses of any shape. Regarding ice cubes: the larger they are, the better. The easiest way to get ice cubes is from lever-operated ice cubes, as well as from plastic ice cubes. The square-shaped ice takes a long time to melt and is therefore well suited for pure strong drinks.

- Ice in the form of nuggets has a weight of 5-7 g, quickly dissolves and cools the drink.

crushed ice used at exhibitions and presentations for cooling food and drinks. It has the form of chipped pieces of irregular shape. It is also sometimes used in restaurants to prepare drinks and cocktails in a shaker. Crushed ice is easiest to make in an ice mill, but you can do without it. Place a few ice cubes on a dish towel and fold it into a bag. Then place an ice towel on a sturdy stand and use a meat pounder to break the ice. Transfer the crushed ice to a jar and place it in the freezer. Crushed ice melts faster than cubed ice, so always make it right before you use it.

Also used in cocktails coarse ice ("Cobbler").

Ice Frappe(finely crushed ice “crash ice”) is shaved or finely crushed ice. It is used to make cocktails with fruits, churchons, sparkling cocktails "FRAPE", "Mojito" and other drinks that need to be drunk through a straw.

Granulated ice - these are large hailstones with a diameter of 1 cm. Granulated ice has an ideal temperature of -0.5 ° C, does not freeze, is easy to store, easily mixes with the product and tightly envelops it, does not have sharp edges and does not spoil the product. Granular ice can be used in restaurants to serve caviar, champagne or wine, to organize a salad bar or a buffet, when plates with ready meals are placed on an ice mat.
Flake ice has an ice temperature of -6-12°C, the thickness of its flakes is 1-2 mm. It creates an intense freezing effect, but when it freezes, it has sharp edges, and when elevated temperature(e.g. in open display cases) it tends to stick together.

Fancy ice cubes - a special kind of ice cubes in which candied fruits with a variety of colors and tastes are frozen. There are also ice cubes made from iced tea or coffee. If the recipe for a cocktail involves the use of such ice, prepare it with the addition of juices, mint leaves or berries. In order for the berries and leaves to be inside a piece of ice, freeze in layers: pour one third of the liquid into the mold, let it freeze, then put the mint leaves, pieces of fruit or berries and fill with the remaining liquid.

colored ice applied to design, decoration, decoration, beverage cooling. Juices, lemonades, cocktails can be served with colored ice cubes or colorful ice hearts. Colored ice is served in dishes made of thick glass or crystal. Along with ice, ice tongs are served, with the help of which ice is placed in glasses. Colored food ice is obtained by freezing sweetened fruit and berry juices. Such pieces of ice, in addition to color, have a pleasant fruity taste. colorful ice also cook using layer-by-layer freezing.

Ice out mineral water, from which all the gas has come out. Such ice for cocktails will not melt for a long time and will provide natural taste cool drink.

fried ice- In the hottest summer, nothing will save you from the heat like "fried ice" will do. A somewhat strange phrase: one word, as it were, destroys another. But actually it is possible.
Preparing the dish is very easy. You need to freeze pieces of fruit in ice. Then whip egg white and make meringue the size of a ping pong ball. Press a piece of ice into this meringue ball. Then douse with hot cognac and set on fire. Cognac burns out so that the ice does not have time to melt. It turns out toasted meringue with an ice cube. Delicious, cool, and nice in the heat. And melt water is very good for health.

Shaved ice("Shaved") in summer heat consumed with various syrups to quench thirst.

In recent years, there has been an increase in popularity creative ice molds made from silicone. There are many opportunities for designers here. After all, these containers can be given the most elaborate form. So they are trying whoever is in what much. Letters. Skeletons. Ice diamonds. Titanic with iceberg. And this is far from the most complex options. But for all forms there is one rule. Allow the ice cube to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before pouring ice into the glasses. The ice will melt a little and leave the mold without difficulty. Otherwise, you run the risk of breaking the ice mini-sculpture conceived by the nameless designer.

In Japan, special molds for ice balls appeared.

As paradoxical as it sounds, the colder the ice, the worse it cools drinks. Cocktails with very cold ice cubes tend to take longer to shake than those with "warmer" ones. Therefore, it is better to use ice cubes, the temperature of which is about 0 ° C - you need to take the ice out of the freezer shortly before preparing the cocktail.
Do not forget: ice should cool the cocktail, but not dissolve it. excess water can ruin any original recipe.