Effortlessly Elevate Cocktails With Angled Ice
The type of ice in your cocktail certainly matters. Picture a sphere of ice in your mint julep or crushed ice in your bourbon on the rocks — it just doesn't create an ideal experience. Ice not only chills your beverage but the size and shape of the cubes are carefully chosen by the best bartenders to achieve perfect dilution, depending on what you're drinking. While most people are familiar with standard cubes and are becoming privy to the rising popularity of large, molded ice, angled ice is also becoming trendy.
Angled ice is essentially what it sounds like: Water is frozen in a glass at an angle, causing it to freeze in a triangular shape. Cocktails are then poured on top, occupying the other triangular side of the glass, giving the entire drink an art-deco look. It not only looks smashing but also cools the drink without excessive dilution, as larger pieces of ice take longer to melt. There are special ice molds available to create this type of ice, but TikTok user @goldenbrown.coffee demonstrated in a video how easy it is to make these cubes at home using a standard lowball glass, some water, and a freezer.
It's all about the tilt
Angled ice molds are typically sold with a glass to ensure that the ice will fit perfectly inside. However, in reality, you can use any cocktail glass to create a visually appealing block of triangular ice. As demonstrated in the TikTok video, simply pour water into a lowball glass, filling it about a third full. Place it in the freezer and secure it so that the glass rests at an angle and won't slip. Once the water freezes, you'll see that it forms a slope. When you pour your liquor into the glass, the ice won't move, and your drink will remain wonderfully chilled as you sip it.
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This type of ice is best for drinks in which you don't want excessive water dilution and are primarily looking for the chill factor. It works well for straight spirits that you'd typically enjoy on the rocks, such as bourbon, as well as classic cocktails like Manhattans and martinis. Colorful cocktails also look great with angled ice; think Cosmopolitans, appletinis, and lemon drops.
Different drinks call for different ice cubes
Standard-sized ice cubes, measuring about 1x1 inch, from your freezer are typically the go-to choice for home bars. While they can be used to chill various cocktails, they are best suited for drinks that you want to keep cold without significant water dilution. Vodka sodas, mojitos, margaritas served on the rocks, gin and tonics, and whiskey sours are just a few examples of drinks that work well with standard ice cubes. If you want visually striking and crystal clear ice cubes, try filling your ice tray with hot water instead of cold.
Crushed ice, sometimes referred to as pebble ice, tends to melt much faster than standard cubes, large spheres, and angled ice. This type of ice is ideal for drinks with a high alcohol content and cocktails meant to be served ice-cold without blending. Long Island iced teas, mint juleps, Moscow mules, and many tropical or tiki drinks pair wonderfully with crushed ice. Similarly, crushed ice is excellent for non-alcoholic punches and beverages as the water from the ice helps balance the drink's sweetness. Of course, using it in lemonade, soda pop, or even iced tea during the summer can provide a refreshing thirst quencher on a sweltering day.