The Art of the Infused Ice Cube: Creative Ways to Enhance Your Drinks
Infused ice cubes are like the new kids on the block. Not only are they visually stunning, but they also have a surprising punch of flavour that enhances the cocktails’ flavour profiles.
So, whether you are hosting a get-together or simply enjoying a night-in with your beloved, all you need are these icy wonders to add that extra bit of zing to your drinks.
The best part about infused ice cubes is their ability to blend with any drink—even plain water. While some infused ice cubes are potent flavour bombs, others might be incorporated into the drinks for their enticing scents.
Infused ice cubes also make the cocktails visually way more aesthetic, bumping the appeal of such drinks.
Herb-Infused Ice Cubes
Arguably the most popular one on the list, herb-infused ice cubes are a must-add to every drink you take. The herbs that generally go into the ice cubes include ones like rosemary, mint, basil, or even coriander. These aromatic herbs, carefully incorporated into the ice cubes, are always an add-on when you are serving drinks.
Not only do they lend an aromatic layer to your drink, but they can also be easily prepared without much hassle. All you need to do is leave the herbs inside the ice tray cubicles and pour water over them. Once frozen, these herbs get neatly encrusted with the ice all around.
Fruit-Infused Ice Cubes
Just like the herb-infused ice cubes, you can introduce pieces of fruits into the icicles. Most berries generally go into the blend. From blueberries to raspberries and diced fruits, fruit-infused cubes add a bunch of flavour to the cocktails, mocktails and homemade drinks.
In fact, another viable choice is to add diced cucumbers to the cubes. Not only does this add a dash of freshness to the drink, but it also adds a refreshing surprise when you bite into these cubes.
Citrus Zest Ice Cubes
Lemons, oranges, limes or even grapefruit are some of the best accompaniments to cocktails or even mocktails. The tangy zing that the zest introduces to the drinks only makes the flavour profile more complex and deep, giving your guests an added surprise they were not even prepared for. Drinks like margaritas or mojitos stand to gain a lot with the addition of citrus zest ice cubes.
Floral Ice Cubes
Floral ice cubes have gained their fair share of patrons in the world of mixology in the recent past. Edible flowers like lavender, rose, or even hibiscus are the general choice when making these special cubes.
The flowers can be frozen in the water and later used for cocktails. It is important to use floral ice cubes in cocktails that generally have a vodka, gin or white rum base (essentially all clear alcohols) so that their visually spectacular aspect shines through.
You can even add these ice cubes when you are enjoying a glass of your favourite champagne.
Tea-Infused Ice Cubes
Adding tea-infused ice cubes introduces a completely new dimension to the drinks.
Depending on the kind of tea, and its blend, these cubes bring in an element of sharpness and contrast to an otherwise alcoholic mixture. In fact, the best part about tea-infused cocktails is that they can even be added to iced-tea-based cocktails where the flavours are doubly potent because of this new element.
Tea-infused ice cubes mostly include blends like green tea, oolong, chamomile or the Assam-CTC variants.
