Ice can really change the taste of your drink by refreshing it or diluting it (and in this case the quality of the frozen water is of course important).
There have been numerous articles on ice due to an increasing importance paid to it by many top mixologists among whom many Japanese bartenders.
Depending on the final taste you expect for your drink, you will have to choose between different types of ice : ice cubes (for instance half-moon shaped or square shaped), crushed ice, ice balls etc etc.
Keep in mind for instance that the bigger the ice cube in your glass, the more your drink will be chilled for a long while because ice will form like an iceberg that will take long to melt. On the contrary, crushed ice will melt quicker and dilute your cocktail.
Last but not least cold anesthetizes sweetness and reduces the alcohol feeling. Perfect tip for high sugar content drinks or strong alcoholic cocktails!
To learn more about the different forms of ice follow this link : http://cocktails.about.com/od/mixology/p/important_ice.htm
Here are some examples of ice uses
- Crushed ice in mojitos : Pink Grapefruit Mojito
- Ice cubes in iced teas : Elder Flower Raspberry Tea
- Ice cubes shaked and then strained in martinis : Rosemary Martini
- Ice ball for drinks on the rocks : Apricot Bourbon
- Blended ice cubes in smoothies or Frappés : Passion Fruit Smoothie
Why not also flavour your ice cubes ? Follow our tip here
