Published December 2, 2015
Ice has gone from being a utilitarian aspect of drinks, value only for its cooling properties, to an obsessed-over cocktail component that inspires incredible craftsmanship and artistry.
The craft ice movement began around the turn of the Millennium. This is when some bards started using custom ice machines like the Hoshizaki and Clinebell. The Clinebell is a particularly fancy machine that freezes massive 300 lb. blocks of ice that are almost perfectly clear because of its proprietary bottom-up freezing process. Bartenders and ice suppliers carve up the blocks into large, slow-melting ice cubes for premium cocktails.
Clear ice is just the beginning. Some bartenders, inspired by the lucidity of the new ice, began embedding flowers and other flavorings into the cubes. Other bartenders began making ice cubes out of beverages like wine, liquor, coffee and tea that can be added to beverages to cool them down without diluting them.
When you’re creating your cocktail menu, remember that you have all of these wonderful ice options available to you to add a special touch to your drinks. Artisanal ice can add that extra wow factor that really makes your cocktails sing.
Read the full article here: Ice Age
Published December 2, 2015
A year-end review from the Brewers Association has found that the U.S. is now home to 4,144 breweries. This figure is the most in recorded history, topping the previous high of 4,131, which was set in 1873. The chief economist predicts that the number of breweries will continue to increase, given that more than two breweries now open every day on average in America. There are also many small communities that don’t yet contain a brewery, so there is still room for growth.
Read the full article here: U.S. Brewery Count Reaches All-Time High of 4,144
Published December 2, 2015
According to the M&C Allegra Foodservice’s Eating Out Panel, lunchtime alcoholic beverages are becoming more popular in the UK. Alcoholic drinks now make up 14 percent of lunchtime drink orders, up from 12 percent last year. This increase counters the overall decline in alcohol consumption in Great Britain. Analysts speculate that the increase in lunchtime drinking may be driven by an upsurge in interest in craft beer and hard cider.
Read the full article here: Boozy Lunches Make a Return
Cocktail Ice, Baby
Ice has gone from being a utilitarian aspect of drinks, value only for its cooling properties, to an obsessed-over cocktail component that inspires incredible craftsmanship and artistry.
The craft ice movement began around the turn of the Millennium. This is when some bards started using custom ice machines like the Hoshizaki and Clinebell. The Clinebell is a particularly fancy machine that freezes massive 300 lb. blocks of ice that are almost perfectly clear because of its proprietary bottom-up freezing process. Bartenders and ice suppliers carve up the blocks into large, slow-melting ice cubes for premium cocktails.
Clear ice is just the beginning. Some bartenders, inspired by the lucidity of the new ice, began embedding flowers and other flavorings into the cubes. Other bartenders began making ice cubes out of beverages like wine, liquor, coffee and tea that can be added to beverages to cool them down without diluting them.
When you’re creating your cocktail menu, remember that you have all of these wonderful ice options available to you to add a special touch to your drinks. Artisanal ice can add that extra wow factor that really makes your cocktails sing.
Read the full article here: Ice Age
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