Why Does the Shape of Ice Matter While Making Cocktails and Beverages?

Introduction

When we want to make a great drink, it is significant to pay attention to every detail, especially ice. While many types of ice are available, not all of them are created equal when it comes to making drinks. The shape of ice can have a significant impact on both the taste and the appearance. In this article, we'll take a closer look at why the shape of ice matters when making cocktails and other beverages.

Surface Area

Everyone drinks iced beverages in summer, right? Have you ever noticed the tiny ice cubes in your glass are melting fast? Like the sonic ice we brought in Sonic Drive-in, it is soft and chewy, and we like to put them in our beverages. But this type of ice seems to melt faster than any ice. Why?

Several factors influence ice melting, such as the environmental temperature and surface area. We know higher environmental temperatures accelerate the melting process, but how the surface area can affect the ice melting?

First, let's get to know the surface area. Different shapes of ice cubes have different surface areas. For instance, an ice cube's overall surface area is the base, top, and lateral surfaces added together. The surface area of different shapes of ice can calculate by their formulas. That means the ice size and shape decide the surface area, and if the ice has more surface area, it melts faster.

For example, the cocktail will dilute more quickly if it is placed in a glass with sonic ice. The reason is that the sonic ice has more exposed surface area in contact with the cocktail, which means a higher degree of dilution. In other words, the ice melts and weakens the beverage.

Indeed, we don't want ice in our drink to melt so quickly as it will dilute the drink. We believe everyone would like to enjoy every sip of the whiskey or cocktail carefully rather than the bland drink.

So how can we keep our cocktails cold and refreshing for as long as possible while the ice melts more slowly? We need to use ice that has a small surface area, such as a large ice sphere. The dilution ratio can be better controlled when the ice shape is larger. It melts slower than sonic ice. Plus, spherical ice is elegant and sophisticated, making any drink look more refined, even if it's just a simple vodka tonic.

However, sometimes if we have a challenge getting the large ice ball in drinks, and we don't want the ice to melt so quickly, we can serve some ice cubes on the side so that you can control the dilution.

Ice for Each Cocktail Category

Ice is a particular thing in drinks, so which shape should you give your beverage? It all depends on how you want your drink to taste in glassware. We provide a few suggestions below:

For the vast majority of cocktails, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, one-inch by one-inch ice cubes is ideal. Most of the time, the drinks we buy or see outside come with ice cubes. And the ice cube is the most convenient way for us to get the ice. We can use ice cube trays (molds) to make ice cubes, or get ice from ice maker, or buy some outside.

Spirit-forward cocktails are best served with a single large cube or an ice sphere, such as Manhattans, whiskey on the rocks, and Negronis. Since there is less surface area on a bigger cube than on smaller ice cubes or crushed ice, the drinks don't melt as quickly. They maintain the coldness of your beverage without overly diluting it.

Photo Credit:Photo by Joseph De Leo, Cocktails by Marva Babel 

While ice cubes are the most common shape found in many cocktails, there are special shapes that can enhance the visual appeal of your drink, like the spherical ice. Ice balls are perfect when you're drinking classy upscale drinks or lowball mixed drinks.

Some exotic drinks can stand up to a little extra water, like zombie and mai-tai, because they are sweeter or fruitier, so they need higher dilution to help the cocktails balance. At this time, pebble ice is the best.

Or if you want your beverage to be slushy, like watermelon slushie or peach bourbon slush that tastes almost frozen. Any crushed, shaved, or chipped ice is the best in these circumstances. But these will melt more quickly, but as they do so, they keep your good drink frosty cold and add some nice texture. 

Conclusion

For the above information, the article is about popularizing knowledge, telling people that the shape of ice matters, and what kind of ice will usually use in different category drinks. However, you can use any ice in your drinks because you're only chilling and not serving it. 

If you are a professional, you should consider the ice more seriously when making cocktails. Different shapes of ice will affect the dilution, taste, and appearance of drinks, so use different types of ice according to your needs.