Ice is an ingredient, not a filler. Here are the moulds for cubes, spheres and blocks that melt slowly and dilute just enough, and the tools to work it: ice breakers, ice picks and carving knives for clear block ice. Below, the guide to bringing ice up to craft cocktail standard.
Ice accessories: the ingredient nobody orders and everybody drinks
In modern mixology ice is no longer a detail. It is the ingredient that controls two basics of the cocktail, temperature and dilution, and more and more often it is part of the presentation too. A serious bar has a real ice programme, with the right moulds for each drink and the tools to work it. The difference between an ordinary cube and a clear, hand-cut block is something you see and taste.
Why size matters
The rule is simple: the bigger the ice, the slower it melts. A large cube or a sphere exposes less surface to the liquid than lots of small cubes, so it chills the drink without watering it down quickly. That is why spirit-led cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and the Negroni are served over one large cube or a sphere. Crushed ice does the opposite, chilling and diluting fast, and it is the right ice for juleps and tiki.
Moulds: one shape for each drink
Professional moulds shape the ice to the serve. The sphere is the classic for neat spirits and spirit-forward cocktails, with a very slow melt. The large cube is the Old Fashioned standard. The long block suits tall glasses and highballs, where it runs the full length of the drink. Small cubes remain the ones to shake with and for long drinks. Having several moulds means you match the ice to the cocktail, not the other way round.
Working and carving ice
Hand-cut ice needs working tools. The ice breaker and the ice pick split large blocks into pieces you can handle, while the carving knife trims and shapes the ice into the clear cube that sits in the glass. It is precision work, and it is also part of the show at a craft cocktail bar.
Shape / tool
Use
Sphere mould
Neat spirits and spirit-forward cocktails, very slow melt
Large cube mould
Old Fashioned, Negroni over one cube
Long block mould
Highballs and tall glasses
Ice breaker and ice pick
Splitting blocks into pieces you can handle
The pieces that make the serve
The Ice Ball Mould makes the slow-melting sphere for neat spirits and spirit-forward cocktails: it chills for a long time without watering the drink down.
The Poseidon 3-prong ice pick splits blocks of ice into pieces you can handle in one strike: the basic tool for working hand-cut ice.
The Long Block Ice Mould makes the ice bar for tall glasses and highballs, which runs the full length of the drink.
A large cube or a sphere exposes less surface to the liquid than lots of small cubes, so it melts more slowly. The result is a drink that stays cold for longer without watering down, which is why spirit-forward cocktails are served over one large block.
Which ice mould should you choose?
It depends on the drink. The sphere and the large cube suit neat spirits and spirit-forward cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and the Negroni, the long block suits tall glasses and highballs, and small cubes are for shaking and for long drinks. Several moulds let you match the ice to the cocktail.
What is an ice pick or ice breaker for?
The ice pick and the ice breaker split large blocks of ice into pieces you can handle. They are the basic tools for working hand-cut ice, both to cut pieces to size and as the first step before carving a clear cube.
Which cocktails use crushed ice?
Crushed ice chills and dilutes quickly, and it is the right ice for the Mint Julep, tiki cocktails and any drink that wants a dome of fine ice. Spirit-forward cocktails need large, slow-melting ice instead.
Are silicone ice moulds suitable for a bar?
Yes. The five moulds in the range are food-grade silicone and dishwasher safe. You release the ice by pressing from underneath one piece at a time, so the rest stays in the freezer. Silicone must be kept flat: that is why the professional 32-cube mould has a rigid, removable frame.
Back Bar EquipmentAdd
Ice AccessoriesAdd
Ice AccessoriesAdd
Ice AccessoriesAdd
Back Bar EquipmentAdd
Back Bar EquipmentAdd
