Thread: Ice

**Duke Malcolm** · 11-13-2005, 16:30

I attended a fund-raising event for a pupil in my year at school last night so that she can go to compete in the British Commonwealth Games. At the bar, I decided to buy some cognac for £2.50 (a terrible price, I know). When it was given to me, there were things floating in it (I say floating, but the measure was so small they were touching the bottom of the glass). Cuboid in shape, clear, and damned cold -- ice cubes; two of them sitting in my glass, staring up at me expectantly. I had not asked for this nasty surprise, goodness no, but there they were. This happened twice with the cognac until I decided that it was not the incompetence of the publican (who could not read the bottle saying " Fine Cognac" and instead declared it simply as "Brandy") and asked for it specifically without ice.

Later on, I asked for some Famous Grouse, and what was in that glass along with the Water of Life? Ice...
If cognac is bad with ice, whisky is disgusting with ice.
This bar seemed to be obsessed with ice. Ice was in everything, apart from the cider and the beer (thankfully there was no lager).
It tarnished the spirits, defamed them. It is one thing to have a chilled drink, but to actually have ice in it? There is no logic behind this...

Have the honorable fellows of the Org ever had such an experience?

**DemonArchangel** · 11-13-2005, 16:33

If you're in america, you get ice.
Period.

**Duke Malcolm** · 11-13-2005, 17:24

Originally Posted by DemonArchangel

If you're in america, you get ice.
Period.

I'm not in America. I'm very far away from America. I'm in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Originally Posted by kagemusha

Here when you order a whisky in the bar they ask you ice or no ice. But ice in Cognac, thats heresy!

I know! And they didn't even ask me!

**Byzantine Prince** · 11-13-2005, 17:52

Ice is good, it get's you higher.

A day without ice is like a day without sunshine.

Don't be hatin' [Ice]

Iccccce, cold!

**Beirut** · 11-13-2005, 18:05

Ice, 90% of the time, is a bad thing in a drink.

There are exceptions; a fruity concoction on the beach, my grandfather's preference for ice with his scotch (who was I to question him?). But in general, ice is akin to a dirty glass, detrimental in full to quality booze.

My buddy, a long haired hippie-type, ordered a shot of good bourbon at the bar and it came with ice. He protested and the whisky wench went back to the bar, then returned with a bourbon sans glace. One sip later, he called her back and said it was the same bourbon only with the ice removed and the remaining water was enough to ruin the drink. He asked for a fresh shot. She was surprised he noticed. Little did she know my hippie-type buddy (and I) have been drinking top-shelf bourbon since we were sixteen.

The way I see it, if that precious golden liquid has been carefully aged in special kegs for years and years by masters of the art, why would I, or anyone, chose to deteriorate its eloquence of taste with minutes old tap water turned solid in a stinky plastic tray stored in an even stinkier freezer?

Ice... no thank you.

**miho** · 11-13-2005, 18:19

Ice ruins most of alcoholic drinks. It's good for refreshment in hot summer days.

**Taffy_is_a_Taff** · 11-13-2005, 16:35

yeah, I've worked in a few bars and they all seemed to be big on ice.

some of it's definitely for presentation such as a tall glass of gin and tonic with a pile of ice cubes almost to the top and a slice of lemon or lime, it looks pretty.

**miho** · 11-13-2005, 16:38

Well the purpose of ice isn't just to make your cognac colder it's also for making you think you got more. In my country if you specifically say "NO ICE!" you don't get it.