Crushed ice is necessary for preparing and serving many cocktails and there are a number of different ways to get the job done. The texture of the ice and its melt rate will vary, so we encourage you to experiment with some of these methods to find the one that matches your tastes:

• Lewis Ice Bag – Once upon a time making ice required breaking down large blocks that were delivered to your establishment in a horse drawn cart. Getting these large blocks down to a size and shape that would fit into a glass required an ice pick, a sturdy mallet, and sometimes a simple linen bag. Today you can recreate the sweat drenched flavor of this ice, at several times the price, with a Lewis bag. If you are considering this option you may first want to try a substantially cheaper linen dish towel and any variety of household hammer. Don’t do this at home while someone is trying to sleep.
• Food Processor- Any good food processor can crush the hell out of some ice. The downside: all that slicing friction will also create a lot of water. Try straining before use.
• Ice Crushing Appliance – It may seem like a lavish investment but it is less expensive than a half dozen Lewis bags.
• Your Freezer- If you have a freezer with an automatic ice maker and a “crush” setting this is pretty obvious. If you do not have these things, then it may seem like a hefty investment for typically not-so-great crushed ice. This ice is good for quickly chilling a drink, but for serving the pieces are typically pretty inconsistent and will water down a drink more quickly than most people enjoy.
• Sonic