Jump to content

Methods for Chilling Cocktails and Keeping Them Chilled


DaveO

Recommended Posts

Quote
On 11/2/2016 at 6:43 AM, Waitman said:

 (nitrogen-cooled cocktail glasses, the members-only club)

Convivial uses the same method to chill their cocktail glasses.  It is a current trend.  Nothing out of the ordinary.

What about these below, filled with ice?   Anyone used them?   Do they keep drinks chilled?

cocktail glass filled with ice.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

I do not care or worry how places chill their glasses when I am dining out. But at home it is pretty easy to just toss them in the freezer for a bit.

I'm actually significantly more interested in certain cocktails being well chilled and having them retain the chill while sipping.  I simply cut and pasted this discussion out of the Shaw Bijou thread and asked about that cocktail glass I have seen elsewhere.   And at home, I agree.  All my drinks are always very well chilled.  All the time, using either prechilled glassware and/or always adding ice.  Retaining the chill is often a function of the air temperature where ever the drinks are served.

For a martini or manhattan type drink or sipping scotch or whiskey, or a cocktail with a base of whiskey or scotch , my preference tends to a drink on the rocks.  I'll tend to sip it over time, and my preference is to maintain the chilled impact as long as possible.  Ice tends to do that.  Alternatively for a martini or manhattan up, I prefer it shaken not stirred.  Not to be like James Bond, but because it generates greater chill.   A drink shaken in a metallic shaker will chill better and get to a colder temperature than stirred in a glass.

Of course some bars have a freezer/frig behind the bar wherein they can chill stemware.  Most don't.  

I simply prefer a drink that better maintains the chill.  I was wondering about that combo glass with ice in the bowl.  I've seen it and haven't had a drink in it.  I guess I'll have to return to where I've seen it and give it a try...let alone the nitrogen chilled glassware.   

I wonder what works best?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't recall seeing the liquid nitrogen thing, but I think it's cool, especially if you could chill the top of the glass without the stem.  I like those little glasses above, but would only want them at a table, not at a bar area as I wouldn't want to have to hold the cold globe.  Likewise I love a chilled beer glass, but don't like holding cold glasses, so at home we normally go with the big ice cube method.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/4/2016 at 10:33 AM, DaveO said:

I'm actually significantly more interested in certain cocktails being well chilled and having them retain the chill while sipping.  I simply cut and pasted this discussion out of the Shaw Bijou thread and asked about that cocktail glass I have seen elsewhere.   And at home, I agree.  All my drinks are always very well chilled.  All the time, using either prechilled glassware and/or always adding ice.  Retaining the chill is often a function of the air temperature where ever the drinks are served.

For a martini or manhattan type drink or sipping scotch or whiskey, or a cocktail with a base of whiskey or scotch , my preference tends to a drink on the rocks.  I'll tend to sip it over time, and my preference is to maintain the chilled impact as long as possible.  Ice tends to do that.  Alternatively for a martini or manhattan up, I prefer it shaken not stirred.  Not to be like James Bond, but because it generates greater chill.   A drink shaken in a metallic shaker will chill better and get to a colder temperature than stirred in a glass.

Of course some bars have a freezer/frig behind the bar wherein they can chill stemware.  Most don't.  

I simply prefer a drink that better maintains the chill.  I was wondering about that combo glass with ice in the bowl.  I've seen it and haven't had a drink in it.  I guess I'll have to return to where I've seen it and give it a try...let alone the nitrogen chilled glassware.   

I wonder what works best?

I do not have a stirring 'glass' and actually stir in my shaker. I'd still tend to agree that a shaken drink may keep the chill on longer, but also allows for greater spirits dilution.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

I do not have a stirring 'glass' and actually stir in my shaker. I'd still tend to agree that a shaken drink may keep the chill on longer, but also allows for greater spirits dilution.

Yes ice dilutes the drink.  Preferences for me are a consistently chilled drink over one which is somewhat diluted.  It's preference; not a statement about right or wrong, better or worse.

Like Kate I have no interest in trying to hold a glass that is frozen.

I didn't create or title this thread.  Had I, it would have been about "keeping a drink chilled" or something along those lines.  I'm not a fussy eater or diner, but it's one of the items wherein I tend to fussy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, ktmoomau said:

I like those little glasses above, but would only want them at a table, not at a bar area as I wouldn't want to have to hold the cold globe. 

If those glasses come apart, and you fill the globe with ice, then I can't imagine you're supposed to pick up both pieces; you'd just lift the cone out of the globe, sip, and then put it back - not unlike chilling a bottle of Champagne in an ice bucket.

The problems with this method would be:

1) Troublesome to fill correctly - you need to hollow out a crater in the center in order to insert the cone.

2) The "Reverse Dolsot Bibimbap Effect" - With Dolsot Bibimbap, the dish continues to get hotter as you get towards the bottom, and it can become *very* hot when scraping the rice off the stone - unless you swirl each sip (and with a full pour, you'd need to be an adroit swirler not to spill any), the bottom part of the drink will be colder than the top part.

3) As the ice begins to melt, you'll drip cold water onto your tie when you take a sip (don't forget, this *is* Washington, DC).

16 hours ago, Pool Boy said:

I do not have a stirring 'glass' and actually stir in my shaker. I'd still tend to agree that a shaken drink may keep the chill on longer, but also allows for greater spirits dilution.

I'm in the minority in that the reason I like my drinks shaken is because I find micro-ice crystals in my drinks to provide a thrilling textural contrast - something like Pop Rocks in a dessert that you weren't expecting, except not trite.

If you think about it, it isn't the glass you want cold; it's the drink. There are plenty of cold, solid objects that you can place in a drink that will absorb some of the heat (note that this could go in the Science Forum ;)), and won't dilute the drink by melting - the opposite of the old frontier days, when people used to keep their feet warm in bed by sleeping with a hot stone under the blanket (can't you see some upscale, $750-a-night, B&B having this feature?)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/2/2016 at 11:54 AM, DaveO said:

What about these below, filled with ice?   Anyone used them?   Do they keep drinks chilled?

cocktail glass filled with ice.gif

I can't imagine this would be effective to keep a cocktail chilled, but it does have a sort of "that looks cool" factor to it.  IMO, it is important to have a stem on your cocktail glass, and to hold your glass exclusively using it.  Otherwise, the warmth of your hands (I am very warm-blooded) will heat the glass/drink faster.  I have no empirical evidence, just my observations.  

Whenever I drink a cocktail, I attempt to leave as few fingerprints on the glass as possible, so that the drink remains colder longer, and that there is less evidence of my presence should anything nefarious go down at the bar :) 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Law Taco said:

I heard somewhere that it is best to drink your cocktail while it is "still winking at you."  Admittedly, following that direction has gotten me into trouble, on occasion.

I've heard when it's still "laughing at you".  But maybe that's just my self-esteem issues projecting themselves again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, DaRiv18 said:

I can't imagine this would be effective to keep a cocktail chilled, but it does have a sort of "that looks cool" factor to it.  IMO, it is important to have a stem on your cocktail glass, and to hold your glass exclusively using it.  Otherwise, the warmth of your hands (I am very warm-blooded) will heat the glass/drink faster.  I have no empirical evidence, just my observations.  

Whenever I drink a cocktail, I attempt to leave as few fingerprints on the glass as possible, so that the drink remains colder longer, and that there is less evidence of my presence should anything nefarious go down at the bar :) 

Ha.  You should be a bartender.  Too many serve stemmed cocktails with their finger prints all over the glass up to the rim.  Yuck.  Who knows where their hands have been?   I've never measured the impact on temperature on drinks when fondling the glass, but I'm sure you are correct on that. 

I've seen the above cocktail glasses at one place.  I've got to get back to give it a try.  Its been a while.  If they aren't still using them that would be somewhat telling, on possibly a number of fronts.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...