Elevate Your Cocktail Game By Using The Right Type Of Ice

Ice, ice, baby. There's no better way to cap off a day at the office than with a refreshing cocktail. Cocktails are our partners in crime in so many environments. On date nights, business drinks, and birthday parties — cocktails make an appearance at most occasions. Everyone has their favorite and ones they won't touch. People create signature drinks to complement their parties and events.

Cocktails and cocktail culture are ingrained across many areas of our society. Carrie Bradshaw had her cosmos with the girls. There's also James Bond and his martini, which we all know is shaken, not stirred. And they were onto something — cocktails are so much more than a mixture of different liquors. There are many components that make a drink great. Glassware makes a difference in the cocktail experience. And ice, alcohol's silent wingman, plays a much bigger role in a successful cocktail than one might initially think. Ice and its shape have the ability to make or break your next cocktail.

The first role ice has is to keep your drink chilled, obviously. But there's more to it than that. Different ice shapes mean different amounts of surface area, and in a cocktail, that means different lengths of time for the ice to melt. The result is that the contents of your drink are going to get watered down at different rates. While that may not seem very important, it can make a huge difference in the flavor profile and enjoyment of your drink. So for the best beverage, it's best to pick the right kind of ice.

Adam Way, mobile bartender and cocktail stylist in Seattle, spoke to Sip about why ice is so important, saying, "Ice shape, clarity and size impacts how fast a drink cools, how long it stays cool for, how fast it dilutes and how much it dilutes." If you're drinking a sipping liquor or enjoying a cocktail that you don't want to be watered down, it's best to go with larger cubes and ice spheres, which melt slower than their smaller counterparts. One thing to keep in mind is that as nice as whiskey rocks look on a gift list, ice spheres are easy to make and won't break your teeth when you should be enjoying your standard old fashioned cocktail.

Maybe your drink of choice isn't a sipping tequila or a Manhattan, but something else entirely. Ice cubes still play a role in crafting the perfect experience. For fans of highballs like the classic gin and tonic or rum and coke, a longer ice cube is needed. Enter the Collins spear, a long brick of ice that melts slowly in the glass, so you don't lose flavor and carbonation before the cocktail hour is over.

If you're making a drink that's meant to be shaken, smaller cubes are good because they smash up against each other and break down, resulting in ice chips mixing into the drink and cooling it — even if it's getting strained before serving. Sometimes crushed ice is the answer, especially when making the perfect mint julep. Pebble or crushed ice will give your drink the feel of a slushy — perfect and refreshing on a hot day. Whatever cocktail you choose, there's an ice cube to help you maximize the experience. Mix up some drinks and give one a try!