Simple question; Do you subscribe to the theory of ice in your mixing glass first, or ice in your mixing glass last? and most importantly, why?
I am totally in favor of ice last.
There are a couple reasons for this, most important is that it is common for the drink to get "started" and then something to come up that put's it on hold for a little longer... you just ran out of Cointreau and need to open another bottle. Your partner bartender moved the Benedictine and you need to find it. A fight breaks out and you need to stop it... etc. And while that happens your liquids are sitting on ice.
If you wait until the end to add the ice, then the whole chilling process/time is under your control, and you can make sure it is done properly.
-Robert
What Robert said. Definitely. There are perhaps a few instances when you might break the rule, but ice last applies 99% of the time.
Last.
I've been trying to think of some exceptions, but am failing. My intuition is that there are a handful of drinks that involve "ice rituals" that might place the ice in the glass ahead of the ingredients, but the only examples I can think of—such as "seasoning the ice" with bitters or vermouth—are silly.
In a stirred drink, ice first then add liquid and stir, I'm after dilution
If shaken, I add liquid to glass first, then fill metal tin from ice well, pour liquid from glass to ice filled tin, seal and shake. Means I only have to pick up tin, rather than ice scoop and tin, also get a bit more ice in the tin than glass,
I say Ice last, as soon as I put the ice in the clock starts ticking. If I was to make a mistake or the customer changes something halfway through i can put it in the fridge and see if it can be salvaged. (ie:manahttan halfway through the customer says no bitters I put it in the fridge and give it to one of my regulars who drinks manhattans) also soft drinks fizz less if its a highball. and when you are working fast the liqiud can hit a curve in the ice if you freepour and come pack out.
is I also believe that the ice has to go in the boston glass first and not the stainless steel shaker. As I was taught by my first trainer that doing so, would make the glass cold and shrink so it fits snuggly in the stainless steel tin. Although this happened long before I realised that the chilled air inside causes the vacume and keeps the two parts together. So does it make a difference?
Why the long face?
I am a firm believer in the ice last philosophy. Not only for the reasons Robert listed but also for the sheer fact that in nearly every cocktail book I have looked at through the years, ice is always last.
Ice last, no mather if stirred or shaken
Ice last, you don't want watered down spirits
last
I like all bartenders have been in that situation where something runs out, can't find it etc etc
By adding ice last is the safe and only option in my eyes
ok! ice last it is!
For me it´s always ice last!
David Steenkamp: is I also believe that the ice has to go in the boston glass first and not the stainless steel shaker. As I was taught by my first trainer that doing so, would make the glass cold and shrink so it fits snuggly in the stainless steel tin. Although this happened long before I realised that the chilled air inside causes the vacume and keeps the two parts together. So does it make a difference?
Although I have seen people that will chill one the mixing glass with ice, prepare the drink in another mixing glass without ice. Add the cocktails to the chilled mixing glass with ice (strained) and shake it or stir it. I think that´s little too much, but…
It could have something to do to what David said, but I think it´s unnecessary.
The only exception I'll do to that is when I'm doing a Negroni or other stirred drinks as I'm aiming to speed up the dilution. Yet to decide if that's helping or it's my stirrring technique that needs to be improved upon.
Ice last, everytime, for the reasons mentioned already. I want to have full control over the dilution in the drinks I'm making, which I don't feel you have when adding ice first.
Consultancy, training and events - www.evo-lution.org
Boker's Bitters and Dandelion & Burdock Bitters - www.bokersbitters.co.uk