Tonight's Libation

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
16,325

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
11,516
View attachment 297423

Mint Juep and steak tonight.

kv
I make my mint julep by steeping mint leaves (from the garden) in Jack Daniels then adding it to my simple syrup (dissolve 1 cup of sugar in 1 cup of boiling water, cool before using.)

Then, fill a mint julep cup with crushed ice, add 1 tbsp of my syrup and fill with JD (about 2 shots.) Garnish with a sprig of mint and sip through a short straw so the nose is close to the mint.
 

sagor

Joined Mar 10, 2019
1,049
Thinking of adding this to my devices that make Cocktails.

Cheap Smoker

kv

Edit: Stainless Steel Ice Cubes?

View attachment 297350View attachment 297350
The problem with stainless, is that its specific heat is much lower than ice.
Ice is 2.05 J⋅g−1⋅K−1
Steel is 0.466 J⋅g−1⋅K−1 (stainless will be close to that, as nickel is .457)
So, ice will cool over 4 times more, for a given weight and same starting temperature.
Thus, stainless does not retain as much "cold" as ice. That is for an equivalent weight of course, so the stainless may weigh a bit more and get closer to ice values. It also depends on how cold you freeze them.
I've had drinks with stainless cubes, and they just don't seem to stay as cold for as long....
Besides, if you like to crunch ice cubes with your teeth, stay away from stainless cubes... :)
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
11,516
I agree that the stainless cube will not cool like ice, but not because of the specific heat.

Ice cools the drink by melting, melting requires a lot of heat that it gets from the surroundings.

Latent heat
 

Thread Starter

joeyd999

Joined Jun 6, 2011
6,297
The problem with stainless, is that its specific heat is much lower than ice.
Ice is 2.05 J⋅g−1⋅K−1
Steel is 0.466 J⋅g−1⋅K−1 (stainless will be close to that, as nickel is .457)
So, ice will cool over 4 times more, for a given weight and same starting temperature.
Thus, stainless does not retain as much "cold" as ice. That is for an equivalent weight of course, so the stainless may weigh a bit more and get closer to ice values. It also depends on how cold you freeze them.
I've had drinks with stainless cubes, and they just don't seem to stay as cold for as long....
Besides, if you like to crunch ice cubes with your teeth, stay away from stainless cubes... :)
I hate it when the stainless steel melts in my martini.
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
18,104
Thinking of adding this to my devices that make Cocktails.

View attachment 297350
The naysayers are technically correct that the phase change from solid to liquid is what really does the job in a drink, but I think you'll still enjoy these. You might cut your water-ice usage in half (assuming you still throw a couple in along with the steel cubes). I keep a heavy-walled highball glass in the freezer, sometimes with "leftover" ice cubes. Despite its mass and cold starting point, it makes surprisingly little difference in the drink after 10 minutes or so. It doesn't come close to replacing the need for ice. But steel should make a bigger difference and I like the fact that they'll be on the bottom of the glass, where they might help with agitating the drink and stirring up any sugary ingredients.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,237
The naysayers are technically correct that the phase change from solid to liquid is what really does the job in a drink, but I think you'll still enjoy these. You might cut your water-ice usage in half (assuming you still throw a couple in along with the steel cubes). I keep a heavy-walled highball glass in the freezer, sometimes with "leftover" ice cubes. Despite its mass and cold starting point, it makes surprisingly little difference in the drink after 10 minutes or so. It doesn't come close to replacing the need for ice. But steel should make a bigger difference and I like the fact that they'll be on the bottom of the glass, where they might help with agitating the drink and stirring up any sugary ingredients.
But the steel still wouldn’t supply the necessary water needed to fully enjoy a good bourbon.
 

cmartinez

Joined Jan 17, 2007
8,763
But the steel still wouldn’t supply the necessary water needed to fully enjoy a good bourbon.
Last week I went to dine with my other half to a very fine restaurant and asked for a Gin & Tonic with a little orange peel it ... to my surprise, they threw a small cube of dry ice in my glass and it started bubbling as it made a fog of fancy vapor atop the rim... and yeah, it was also delicious ... :)
 

BobTPH

Joined Jun 5, 2013
11,516
But the steel still wouldn’t supply the necessary water needed to fully enjoy a good bourbon.
That’s funny, most of the bourbons I buy are already 57% water. I had this argument with a bartender once and he stuck to his position (added water required.) To my taste, the only way to drink bourbon is straight up, but there is no arguing over taste.

Even more important with gin. I keep the gin and the glasses in the freezer, and no ice or water is added.
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,237
As I said, I think the steel may cut the ice consumption in half, not eliminate it. And there are plenty of "good bourbons" that don't need water.
IMHO, if a bourbon doesn’t need water, then it’s not a “good” bourbon.

A small quantity of water added to bourbon, releases the “florals” created by aging in oak barrels. Either by adding a splash of spring water to a neat bourbon or using a “bourbon ice ball” in the glass.
 
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