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Subject: Re: Straining back over ice
From: apetail
Posted: Thu Oct 20. 2011, 16:49 UTC
Followup to: "Straining back over ice"  by herbisr  (Thu Oct 20. 2011, 06:17 UTC)
> So I have seen many recipes and bartenders shake a drink and than 
> strain the drink back over new ice in a glass.  My question is, why 
> over new ice?  Wont this dilute the alcohol too much as when we 
> shake, the ice breaks up and dilutes the alcohol adding about 1.25oz 
> of water.  Seems like straining over new ice just adds an extra and 
> unneeded source of water.  

Most people do it, I guess, because the fresh ice is more pretty (if the 
quality is good). The fresh cubes are larger and have sharper corners. 

The dilution is due to the melting of the ice. When putting the drink from the 
strainer into the glass the amount of further dilution is not much influenced 
by using new or old ice. 
Both need to melt in order to cool the drink. Also, because the drink is cold 
the amount of any further dilution isn't as big as the initial 1.25oz.

There might be some small influences of varying direction: The new ice might 
need to melt a little bit less because it is colder (technically, in some 
cases, the old ice could be colder than the new ice). The new ice might 
introduce a small amount of liquid if it was kept badly and is in a state of 
melting (which means it is covered with a small layer of liquid).

-- 
"Question everything..."


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