Thursday 10 February 2011

Gin Bombe—with a Liquid Gin Centre


The Institute for Alcoholic Experimentation proudly presents....

The SW4 Bombe


The Gin Bombe is essentially a tonic ice ball with a liquid gin centre. So how do you make such a... drink?

First you need some ice ball moulds (we got ours from G'Vine). You then carefully fill these with tonic water. When I did this I noticed that the fizz of the tonic meant that, when it froze, the inside of the ice ball was hollow. This got me thinking...

I bored a hole in the ice ball with a cork screw and then covered the rest of the ball in a thin layer of water. I returned it to the freezer to let it ice up (so that it could hold gin).

After a little while I then poured some SW4 from the refrigerator (gin at room temperature the ball would melt too quickly, from the freezer too slowly) into the bore-hole.

This is best drunk with a straw but it is interesting that as the drink warms up the flavours change and your straight gin becomes more and more like a gin & tonic. Presenting someone with a glass of the below should create some confusion and amusement.



5 comments:

  1. I've got to go find some ice ball molds! I feel all excited at the thought of a gin bombe!

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  2. When we first looked at ice ball moulds some kind boffin explained that as the water freezes it releases gas bubbles; since the balls freeze from the outside in, the bubbles are driven towards the centre. I imagine that carbonated water has all the more gas to release, hence the void at the centre.

    I should also point out, for benefit to of those who aren't familiar with SW4, that it is a gin specifically designed to make a good, classic gin and tonic.

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  3. UaUUUU!!!

    That a nice Idea .

    If I face a cocktail like that in front of me , for sure I would get surprised , and spend some minutes figuring out how to start to drink .

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  4. bar tram-trench if I served it to you it would come complete with a neat hand-written card of drinking instructions. :) - DBS

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