Los Angeles-based, Germany-born Martin Riese is America’s first water sommelier. According to a February 7, 2023, Tasting Table article, there are only about 100 water sommeliers. Water can come from different sources such as a tap, well, and spring. Like other beverages, due to the mineral content water can have different tastes and mouthfeel. Bottled water became popular in the 80s and continues to be mainstream. The latest craze is ice. Driven by cocktail culture, a standard ice cube is no longer good enough for a cocktail. Ice comes in many different shapes and sizes like carved, chipped, Collins spears, cubes, and spheres. Ice is “recognized as a crucial ingredient that can either enhance or detract from the overall flavor, aroma, and presentation of a cocktail,” according to Adam Crocini of the Hilton. Thanks to TikTok, water and ice have a cult following. As of April 1, 2024, the hashtag #watertok has garnered 92.5 thousand views and #icetok has accumulated 22.4 thousand views. The hashtag #ice has 2 million views. From “infused ice” to “ice drawer” and “restock,” videos displaying different ice flavors, ingredients, textures, shapes, and clarity have flooded TikTok.
In 2023, internationally renowned cocktail icepert Camper English published The Ice Book, which “details how to use directional freezing to make perfectly pure ice in a home freezer, carve it up into giant diamonds and other shapes, and embed it with garnishes, including edible orchids and olives.” Disco Cubes “is a luxury ice business” founded by Leslie Kirchhoff, an ice cube innovator, cocktail consultant, photographer, and DJ. Disco Cubes “are handmade, luxury ice cubes that bridge the gap between art, floral design, and cocktail ice inspired by the Japanese art of ikebana.” They are offered in a Garden Botanicals collection in spheres and cubes made with single blooms, petals, buds, or herbs. Disco Cubes are also available in limited editions such as Cilantro Blossom Cubes, Lilac Spheres, Pineapple Guava Spheres, and Rose Spheres. Greenland start-up Arctic Ice harvests ice from the fjords of Greenland and then ships it to the United Arab Emirates to sell to exclusive bars. According to the brand’s co-founder Malik V Rasmussen, the ice has no bubbles, melts more slowly than regular ice, and is purer than the frozen mineral water usually used in Dubai’s ice cubes. In China, a street vendor has gone viral for selling grilled ice cubes, which are brushed with oil and then basted with a savory, spicy sauce and seasoned with salt, chili flakes, and cumin. Last summer, Seattle-based artist Sunday Nobody created 394 Hot Dog Ice Sculptures and sold out. Sunday Nobody designed a frankfurter-shaped aluminum mold, filled it with boiled hot dog water, and froze the water to produce shy of 400 hot dog ice sculptures. After his ice sculptures were frozen, he shipped them to buyers in unrefrigerated hermetically sealed glass containers to ensure that they would arrive melted. Each container came with a numbered Polaroid photograph documenting the ice sculpture before it was shipped.
Ice is a hot commodity. Expect more shapes, sizes, flavors, ingredients, and textures to emerge.
Break the ice. Let Trendincite LLC custom design a cool trend excursion, a clear marketing presentation, a chill blog post, or hire Amy Marks-McGee as a guest speaker for your next event.