The Craft
Ice as Ingredient
Why the best bartenders in the world treat ice with the same reverence as the spirit itself.
Ask any serious bartender what separates a good drink from a great one, and they will pause before answering. The pause is the answer. It is the moment they decide whether to tell you the truth: that ice is not a garnish. It is an ingredient.
Dilution is not the enemy. Uncontrolled dilution is.
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A two-inch cube of crystal-clear ice melts at roughly half the rate of a standard ice machine cube. That difference — measured in minutes — is the difference between a drink that opens up and one that collapses. The math is simple. The discipline is not.
Written by
Celeste Okafor
Celeste writes about spirits, culture, and the rituals that connect them. Based in New Orleans.
@celesteokaforContinue Reading
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