Ice is one hot commodity today in the bartending world. Everything from giant-sized cubes, to hand carved ice balls, crystal clear ice, cobbled ice, etc… Wouldn’t it be great if you were able to make all of these with one simple kit? Now you can.
I first heard about the Neat Ice Kit from my daughter’s boyfriend who lives in Seattle. He posted a link on my Facebook page. The good folks at Studio Neat sent a kit to me that week. Even the box it comes in is artfully designed and compact. What you get is an ice mold which makes (get this) both clear and cloudy ice in the same unit; a wooden muddler with an ergonomic rubber handle; a Lewis Bag (think canvas pouch); and an ice chisel which doubles as a bottle opener.
The idea is simple. Fill the mold with water. The instructions even suggest that you experiment with different types and temperatures of water. Place the mold in the freezer for 24 hours. Pop the rectangular block out of the mold onto a cutting board and lo and behold! The ice goes from crystal at one end, to cloudy at the other. In the middle of the cube is where the change happens, so it’s here that you lay the chisel, give it a light whack, and the two pieces separate.
The clear cube is ready for use, whether cut again or used as one giant cube. The cloudy section can be put into the lewis bag, smacked heartily a half-dozen times, and you have ice cobbles perfectly good for a Julep, Tiki-style drink and Collins’.
Really, the whole design of the kit is well thought out and the tools themselves are built to last. One of the better bar tool sets I’ve come across in recent years. Plus, you also get a set of recipes to try out. Cheers!
GSN Rating: A
For more information go to Studio Neat
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