Ice isâŚ. An Integral Component of Every cocktail, under the general definition of a cocktail being âan alcoholic beverage which includes: Sugar, Bitters and Water (Ice)â. Whether it is being used to chill a cocktail, mix ingredients together, for dilution and water content or simply just to take up space in a glass â Ice is just as important as the drink itself.
 Bartending classes teach, about how much Ice a bartender should use in each cocktail being made, both in cocktails with a mixer for example a Whiskey Sour or even something as simple as a Rum and Coke and in âspirit- forwardâ cocktails such as a Negroni or a Manhattan. These applications are concerned with ice in the final product, but what about drinks that are served with no ice?
Question: What does âNeatâ mean?
Answer: NO ICE!!! A drink served neat, would be a shot of liquor that has had no contact with Ice. Itâs gone straight from the bottle to the glass.
So what does âStraight-Upâ mean? Ever had a Cosmopolitan or a Vodka Martini with Ice in it? I doubt it. Now think about thisâŚ..Have you ever seen a bartender shake or stir a drink, then strain the drink into a glass with no ice? This cocktail would be called a âStraight-Upâ cocktail.
So to simplify, both âStraight-Upâ and âNeatâ drinks are served without Ice. The difference is that âStraight-Upâ cocktails have had contact with ice at some point leading up to being served.
As mentioned earlier, Ice can be used to take up space in a glass. “Why wouldn’t I just use a smaller glass?” I can hear you all asking. Have you ever had a Mojito served straight-up or in a short glass with no Ice? Crushed Ice is used in the classic Mojito recipe, because not only does it keep the drink ‘Ice” cold, it takes up space in the glass allowing the drink to contain less liquid, but still appear to be a tall, grande, gesture from your favourite bartender.
Egg whites are becoming a commonly used ingredient in a whole range of different libations. Just like pineapple juice, the egg whites will emulsify under heavy shaking or whisking creating a foam. The Ice used in the shaker tin almost acts as a whisk and helps the process of emulsification during shaking, in such cocktails as the Whiskey Sour or the Gin Fizz.
Question: How important is ‘Dilution’?
Answer:Â In many cases, it is very important.
Many cocktail recipes include a shake or a stir, these are for both mixing the drink, making it cold and dilution.
Look out soon for the up-and-coming ‘Build, Shake, Stir’ blog.
Also, take a look at our molecular mixology program which will give you the lowdown on both liquid Nitrogen and Dry-Ice
Maybe you should just head straight to the bar for your next team-building event?
Click here to watch a team-building workshop in action:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iBoNGV_YWU
Is your workday in need of more open communication, creativity and positive motivation?
Are you looking for new ways to spark innovation and strengthen team dynamics?
Would you like to know how to spread the happiness of happy hour throughout your whole organization?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, youâre probably ready to introduce a little happy hour into your 9 to 5!Â
Bar Chefs know that different spirits, liqueurs, sweeteners, and citrus combine to make a mouth-watering cocktail, just like different personalities, skill sets and expertise combine to make up a successful team. Understanding these synergies, and how the ingredients in a cocktail (and a team) work harmoniously together have tremendous parallels when you consider why a well-made cocktail tastes so delicious, and how the strengths of each team member combine to achieve a common objective.
When you motivate people to pool their talents in a team environment, they will perform at their best individually and as team players. So whether youâre launching a new product, tackling a difficult company transition or building a perfect martini waterfall, youâll want to make sure the team is as strong as possible! Here are some of the reasons that building and strengthening internal teams is so important to the success of an organization:
Working on the premise that happy staff are productive staff (and most everyone is happy when theyâre enjoying a cocktail or even a mocktail), make sure that your team-building workshops are fun-filled as this is a common language the entire team will understand!
The BartenderOne team (founded by award-winning flair bartender and master mixologist Gavin MacMillan) are experts in bringing people together in a fun, engaging way, to build team dynamics and increase productivity – offering everything from general âGet Into the Spiritâ and âRockinâ Mocktailsâ workshops to events focused on specific beverage types (e.g. âLetâs Get Hopped Upâ Beer workshops and âBuena Baristaâ Coffee Workshops).