There seems to be a common misconception about that all alcoholic beverages are best served chilled. In fact this is certainly not the case. Setting aside all of those wonderfully hot drinks like Gluhwein and Irish-coffee, you would be surprised just how many of the drinks we enjoy, are done so at the wrong temperatures. But we still love our drinks cold, right! So to make sure that we keep doing what we enjoy doing right, here are a few drinks that are best served as cold as they can be, the kind of cold which comes from having an ice machine around, and which should be left out in the sun (so to speak).
Beer
Right, let’s start with the most popular choice. Most people love beer, and just about nobody likes theirs warm. Plenty of people even go to great lengths to ensure that theirs are nigh on frozen before they slug ‘em. So which of us are right?
The brutal answer is that very few of us are, but it also depends on what you are drinking. The short answer is that ales and lagers should be served chilled; not icier than snow-leopards whiskers, but cold. While the taste of a warm beer can be a little overwhelming for most, the taste of an icy beer is pretty much non-existent. So to appreciate the taste of the beer, you need to keep the temperature at between 6 and 11 degrees, depending very much on its strength, as well as your personal preference, so I guess we’re all right.
Stouts on the other hand, are a little different. Since they are brewed for their richness and creaminess, the commonly approached custom of having a cold one, is in fact not the best way to enjoy it. You’d be much better off drinking it at room temperature, the level at which its flavours can be adequately released and enjoyed.
Spirits
On their own, most spirits are supposed to be enjoyed at room temperature as well. When drank at these temperatures, they should be done so slowly so that their taste doesn’t overwhelm you. Anyone who has had a warm shot of tequila can vouch for this, while probably providing a tale of how long it took to recover.
Mixed drinks and cocktails are different, however. For many of them, no matter how simple or complex, the taste is far too strong when drank warm. A good rule is that the stronger the mix, the more ice you should put in to keep the taste locked away. This is especially true for cocktails like the extremely potent Long-Island, mojitos and other sweetened cocktails.
If you’re planning on serving up plenty of cocktails, you want to make sure that your bar is always stocked with plenty of ice, or better yet, find an ice machine for sale in your area and get your hands on it. Incidentally you can get one at Scotsman Ice machines. Take a look at their website if you want one.