Here Is a Fascinating Look at the Aviary's Ice Program

Grant Achatz's molecular cocktail bar the Aviary released a video earlier this week about their mindblowing ice program, and while it may be a bit old, it's worth the five minutes of your time.

Apparently the Chicago bar creates 25 to 35 types of ice for their mixed drinks, from hand-carved spheres to tiny pearls. Of this selection, 80 percent of these ice cubes add flavor, instead of diluting the drink. For pure ice, Aviary sous chef Micah Melton says, they start with pure, highly-filtered water.

Then there's the ice room, where "The Ice Guy" basically freezes things all day, creating spicy ice cubes for margaritas and enormous blocks for handchipped pieces of ice (which they even serve with water). The tools? A Clinebell machine, chainsaws, ice picks, custom pearl ice molds, and more. Watch Melton and Aviary Beverage Director Charles Joly talk about the ice program at the Aviary below, dropping high-tech lingo like super chillers, liquid nitrogen, and blast chillers, making their jobs seem way cooler than our 9-to-5.

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