What’s the most important ingredient in a cocktail? You’ll never guess ...
- Hong Kong bartenders at outlets like Frank’s, Dai Bing and Coa reveal the one ingredient that can make or break a drink
“Ice is the most important part of your drink,” declares Jay Khan, founder of the agave-focused bar Coa. “It controls the dilution and temperature of your cocktail. I’d say that 98 per cent of our drinks here use ice, so it’s essential. Not to mention, good clear ice just looks sexy.”
Many crucial steps go towards the creation of the perfect cocktail – a good base, the right vessel, an accurate shake or stir – but that frozen water could be so crucial is a surprising professional confession in an industry that has become more upscale in recent years.
Brands constantly chill niche and expensive spirits, and more and more bars – at least, those that can afford to – make use of hi-tech equipment like centrifuges and rotavap machines to create their out-of-this-world offerings.
In fact, ice has been inextricably linked to the development of cocktails. It was the increasing availability of the stuff that helped popularise cocktails in the 19th century.
It should be no surprise that Jerry Thomas published his seminal recipe book, Bar-Tender’s Guide, in 1862 once the Industrial Revolution had made it easier to transport ice long distances before melting. The ability to enjoy an ice-cold drink anytime anywhere was its own revolution.
With ice now readily available, what today’s mixologists obsess over is securing a translucent version of the stuff.
The quest for crystal-clear ice is purely to do with aesthetics. It’s a misconception to think any impurities in ice will affect the flavour of your drink. Size, however, is critical.
“Ice is essential because it’s a part of the cocktail,” explains Josh Chu, food and drink director of Frank’s, which serves more than 50 blocks of ice on an average night. “The smaller the ice, the faster it melts and dilutes your drink. So some stronger ABV cocktails, such as the Old Fashioned and Negroni, you do not want them to dilute too quickly. Using small ice would ruin them and make them taste like water.”
On Chu’s recommendation, we try a Single Origin Old Fashioned, which surrounds a giant, clear block of ice with bourbon, chocolate bitters, coconut sugar and an orange peel garnish. The use of coconut sugar, which does not taste of the fruit at all, adds an intriguing hint of butterscotch to the classic recipe. It’s dangerously easy to drink.