On the evening of September 14 in downtown Vancouver, luxury appliance brand Monogram hosted an exclusive national new product launch event, unveiling its latest innovation: the Forge Heated Ice Press. Designed to provide an unparalleled cocktail experience for the home spirits connoisseur, this machine produces 2.5” ice spheres in 60 seconds with virtually no preheat or recovery time, and was created for the entertaining aficionado who seeks to impress guests at the next soiree. We chatted with London mixologist spokesperson Marian Beke to learn more. —Noa Nichol
Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.
Hi! My name is Marian Beke, owner, and head mixologist of The Gibson Bar in London UK, which has recently moved to Berlin. I’ve partnered with luxury appliance brand Monogram for the launch of its newest appliance innovation the Forge Heated Ice Press.
This fall, Monogram is launching the Forge Heated Ice Press: what does this product do, and who is it for?
The Monogram Forge Heated Ice Press (or the Monogram Forge) is the first – and only – heated ice press of its kind in Canada. It uses state-of-the-art technology, including heated plates and precision temperature control, to shape ice into perfectly round, slow-melting ice spheres that can beautifully chill spirits and cocktails without diluting their authentic flavours. With a sleek matte black finish and brass accents, it’s the perfect bar accessory for discerning cocktail lovers and those who love to entertain and impress guests.
How does “gourmet” ice enhance a cocktail?
As a mixologist, I know that the smallest details can have the biggest impact – it’s what makes the difference between excellent and extraordinary – and ice in a cocktail is a great example of this. Spherical ice is the gold standard for discerning palates that seek a slow melt to open the flavours nestled within crafted spirits. Before the Monogram Forge, perfect seamless ice spheres were challenging to create at home. Monogram’s commitment to innovation and passion for incredible craftsmanship means that with the help of the Forge discerning cocktail enthusiast can make spherical ice in under a minute, taking their cocktails to a whole new level.
In what other ways is “nice ice” an up-and-coming trend when it comes to raising the cocktail game?
I think people are starting to pay attention more to all elements of a cocktail – not just flavour and appearance but the overall sipping experience. Luxury ice like the Monogram Forge ice spheres raises the bar on the cocktail game, producing top quality ice that allows home mixologists to deliver a gorgeous end product that is sure to impress guests.
Beyond aesthetics, what are some of the other cocktail benefits of ice spheres specifically?
Spherical ice is the gold standard for discerning palates. That’s because a sphere actually has less surface area than a cube, which means less ice is being exposed to your cocktail and therefore a slower melt time. Slower melting means less dilution of your cocktail.
What’s your favourite cocktail to make, that includes ice created by the Forge Heated Ice Press?
While the Forge is perfect for any on-the-rocks drink I actually created two custom cocktails and a mocktail for the Forge Launch that are specifically designed to be served with the Forge’s beautifully crafted spherical ice.
The first – Precious Metal – is named for Monogram’s use of high-quality materials – like the precious metal brass – which is both functional and luxurious. The ingredients were inspired by the classic Rob Roy cocktail but with a Canadian twist using local ingredients like ice wine tea for an extraordinary feel. With single-malt Bowmore whisky, it is a spirit-forward yet mellow cocktail with a hint of smoke around the edges, a touch of sweetness and a tingle of truffle.
The second – Timeless Elegance – reflects Monogram Appliances’ timeless designs. This drink was inspired by the famous Paloma, which is a tequila highball with a hint of pink grapefruit, soda, and a salted rim. This drink uses Tres Generaciones Reposado tequila served over the Forge’s top quality spherical ice to reveal the spirits best angle. This cocktail has elements of spicy yet fruity notes as well as a floral aroma all wrapped in a bitter finish and topped with a pink chocolate electric salt rim made of red Sichuan, white vegan chocolate, pink salt.
And of course, the mocktail -The Minimalist – named in honour of Monogram’s Minimalist Appliance Collection and a nod to the alcohol free (or minimal alcohol) drink. This cocktail is a take on an Italian spritz with more flavour to enhance the cocktail as it is missing a kick of alcohol.It has beautiful deep and rich notes of exotic woods yet is not too heavy in taste due to gentle fizz. The jammy texture and jasmine aroma will make you fall in love with our Minimalist drink.
All of these cocktails are intended to be served with the amazing Monogram Forge Ice sphere keeping this drink cold and its flavours intact.
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