Know Thy Ice: Why Shape and Size Matter

The cocktail renaissance that brought us better booze and fresher ingredients has also brought us better ice. Lots of it. In fact, navigating the spectrum of shapes and sizes has even become the realm of home bartenders. And luckily, Wine Enthusiast offers a handy guide to ice types and their characteristics

“Ice is to the bartender as fire is to the chef,” says Sother Teague, beverage director at Amor y Amargo. “These sizes and shapes we craft are our ways of differentiating things like baking, broiling and grilling.” 

While ice cubes are used for their ability to melt and chill the drink efficiently, spheres are preferred when serving drinks on the rocks because they melt slower. Pellets of ice can slowly dilute your mint julep, while cracked ice can get your margarita ice-cold in a shaker. Head over for more. [Wine Enthusiast] [Photo: Flickr/Kevin Saff]

Tagged: ice, Wine Enthusiast