How To: Make Ice Blocks

ice block in jack daniel's

I love to drink my whiskey with a single, rough-cut ice block (I call them icebergs). It makes me proud when I serve a drink at my home bar and someone asks “did you make this ice?” I realize that’s borderline crazy, as making ice involves nothing more than freezing water, but I know you other home bartenders also take pride in the details, like getting your liquors and garnishes just right, so here’s a step-by-step guide to how I make my icebergs:

Step 1: add about 2″ of spring or distilled water in a breadpan and freeze overnight.

Step 2: once frozen, run the breadpan under cold, then warm, then hot water to break the ice free.

photo 2

Step 3: Lay your ice block on a cutting board. Put a towel under it to tame the shrapnel.

photo 3

Step 4: I’ve tried a lot of ways to do this, including ice picks, scoring lines in the ice, or gently chopping in the ice with a knife. I’ve found the best way is to just chop it in one blow with a really sharp knife, samurai-style.

photo 4

Step 4, continued: keep chopping the ice into blocks until you’re satisfied with the size. As you can see, I usually get about 7 or 8 big ice blocks that are 2-3″ and a few other scraps that I use in Gin and Tonics.

Step 5: store in a plastic container in the freezer. I use semi-disposable food storage boxes like Ziploc or Rubbermaid. Enjoy your ice blocks!

 

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greg, May 9th 2013 | Tags: , , ,
Posted in how to, tools



The Mixing Glass

yarai mixing glass

Together with a cocktail shaker, a mixing glass is a pretty essential bar tool, and until recently, I didn’t have a good one. A mixing glass is better for making stirred drinks, like a Martini or Manhattan, but I’ve just been using a regular pint glass for those. A cocktail mixing glass, though, give you both a wider bottom (insert Spinal Tap joke here) and a pour spout. By far, the most popular mixing glass is the Yarai (pictured above), which sells for about $40.

griffin low form 500ml beakers as cocktail mixing glasses

Being a bit of a cheapo, I looked for a more affordable alternative and I found 500ml Low Form Breakers on Amazon. Like the Yarai, these beakers are 500ml and have a pour spout, but they are considerably less expensive (I got a 6-pack for $15). Outside of the obvious elegance factor with the Yarai, the only other difference is that the beakers have a slightly wider mouth, though your strainer will still fit. They match the Williams Sonoma beaker jigger, too (shown above).

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greg, January 27th 2013 | Tags: , ,
Posted in tools



Home Bartender Christmas Gifts

Home Bartender Christmas Gifts

December is here! It’s time to get your home bartender some gifts for a very Merry Christmas, so here are some gift ideas for the simple cocktail maker in your life:

Whiskey Disks. Large (1 3/4″ wide x 3/4″ high) freezable soapstones in a canvas freezer bag. Set of 4.

  • How much: $30.
  • Where: online.
  • Buy for: the whiskey connoisseur who likes their drink neat, cool, and not watered down.
  • Buy because: these guys are actually stonemasons and they make a great product. The disks are large, smooth, uniform, and dishwasher safe.

The NEAT Glass. “Naturally engineered aroma technology” allows you to taste the full flavor of a liquor without the alcohol vapors in your nose.

  • How much: start at $19.
  • Where: online.
  • Buy for: the booze aficionado with a great palate who likes to taste the subtleties of their alcohol.
  • Buy because: it’s a unique product with a lot of smart science behind it.

Bar10der. A 10-in-1 folding and portable bar tool for cocktails, beer, and wine. Like a Swiss Army knife with a strainer, stirrer, jigger, muddler, reamer, knife, channel knife, corkscrew, bottle opener, and zester.

  • How much: $50.
  • Where: Amazon, Macy’s, and online.
  • Buy for: The home bartender who wants all their tools in one and make drinks at other’s homes, too. And they like pretty colors.
  • Buy because: it’s a product that combines all the essential bar tools into one.

Royal Rose Syrups. Natural and delicious simple syrups for cocktails, drinks, and desserts.

  • How much: start at $11.
  • Where: Williams Sonoma or online.
  • Buy for: the home bartender who wants quality ingredients for simple cocktails that lots of people will enjoy.
  • Buy because: they are tasty products that can ease the stress of home bartending.

Sea Stones. Freezable 1 1/4″ rough-cut granite cubes in a wooden presentation tray. Set of 6.

  • How much: $35, including the custom tray.
  • Where: Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond and online.
  • Buy for: the whiskey connoisseur who likes their drink neat, cool, and not watered down.
  • Buy because: the presentation of the wooden serving tray is classy. Set this out on the table after dinner with whiskey glasses and people will ooh and ahh. No two are alike – they vary slightly in size and shape and vary in color from browns to greys to whites.

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greg, December 7th 2012 | Tags: , ,
Posted in tools



NEAT Glass Review

NEAT Glass

Check out my review of the NEAT Glass at TrulyNet.

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greg, December 6th 2012 | Tags: ,
Posted in tools



Glassware

Glassware

One of the most important elements of a home bar is glassware. There are several styles of glasses you will find, and each of them fits with a particular drink. Of the absolutely necessary glassware, there are 2 to start with: old fashioned glasses and cocktail glasses.

Old fashioned glasses, also known as rocks glasses, are small and stout, much like the three glasses in the foreground of the photo above. These hold a volume of about 7-13 ounces and are best for serving whiskey straight and for cocktails like Old Fashioneds and  Sazeracs.

Next are cocktail glasses, sometimes called martini glasses. These are tall, stemmed glasses that hold 2 to 8 ounces and are used for drinks like Martinis, Negronis, and many other “martini-style” cocktails. Traditionally, the glassware used for these drinks was the old-style champagne coupes like those in the middle row above, which only hold about 2 1/2 ounces. These can almost exclusively be found used nowadays as glassware manufacturers have discovered that champagne holds it bubbles better in a long, tall glass.

As far as shopping is concerned, glassware can be found anywhere from Target to antique stores and most places in between. Because I like for my glassware to be unique and traditional, I look at thrift shops and antique stores almost exclusively. Here’s what I’ve discovered: Most glassware at Goodwill and other thrift shops will be between 15¢ and $1 each. You will often find multiples of the same glass, but it’s hard to find sets of 6 or more (usually those are missing at least one glass). Even the most ancient glassware can usually be totally redeemed with a good dishwasher and some Jet Dry.

Below is some of my favorite glassware in my home bar. Most of these I have in sets of 3-6 glasses and only one of these was purchased new (from World Market). The “free” glasses were gifts from friends.

Glassware

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greg, November 6th 2012 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in tools



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