Damian Cole chats with Camper English, the cocktail world's renowned ice expert and author of Doctors and Distillers and The Ice Book. Tune in for a deep dive into the science behind clear ice, its role in elevating cocktails, and how you can make it at home using the game-changing method of directional freezing. Camper and Damian explore the myths and tips surrounding ice, like why boiling water doesn't help with clarity and why you should be storing your ice separately to avoid freezer odors. They also share insights into how ice impacts dilution and cooling, bust common misconceptions about bartending, and geek out over the best ways to make the perfect gin and tonic.
Finally, Camper answers quick-fire questions, shares his biggest cocktail disasters (like muddling a houseplant), and controversially nominates the hanky panky cocktail as one he'd erase from history!
What You'll Learn:
- The importance of ice in cocktails and how directional freezing can help you make crystal-clear ice at home.
- How ice affects cocktail dilution and temperature, and why clear ice is aesthetically and functionally superior.
- Secrets to creating the perfect gin and tonic, including why you should keep your gin in the fridge, not the freezer.
- Camper’s top cocktail book recommendations, including The Bar Book by Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold.
- Fun and geeky ice tips, like how to incorporate toys into ice blocks and make garnished ice for party punches.
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