Top 5 Trending Spring & Summer Drinks (All with Nugget Ice)

Ice is a crucial part of any cocktail, whether that cocktail is served over it in a glass, aka "on the rocks," or is mixed with it and served without, aka "up." Ice not only provides necessary chilling for drinks, but also dilution. Dilution may sound like a bad thing, but it doesn't necessarily have to mean a watery drink — it's simply a bit of balance for the strong booze of many recipes. Ideally, especially when dealing with drinks served over ice, you want just enough dilution to mellow the alcohol while the melting ice's cold water opens up any fruity, savory, spicy, and botanical flavors present. And the way to get the right level of dilution at the right pace comes down to the size and shape of your ice. From cubes to spheres to pebbles, different drinks call for different forms, but one form of ice is almost never good for desirable dilution: nugget ice.

Nugget ice, also known as chewy ice or bite-sized ice, is similar to pebble ice but softer. Fast-food chains like Sonic have made nugget ice in fruit-flavored sodas popular; it’s usually sweet enough to make you want to drink some water. Water is sprayed onto a tray, scraped while frozen, and then pressed into molds—the compression process creates a soft, chewy texture. Combined with the small size of the pieces, this results in ice that melts extremely quickly. While this works well with rich, sweet soft drinks, it is less suitable for carefully crafted, flavor-focused beverages.

1. Salty Dog

The Salty Dog is unique cocktail that's nonetheless quick and easy to mix up, making it perfect for an on-the-fly cocktail that focuses on simple but high-quality ingredients. It's basically gin and grapefruit juice with a couple of garnishes. And don't skimp on those garnishes either; for instance, the salt on the rim helps to balance out the sourness and bitter edge of the grapefruit. Generally, a dry gin works best for this drink. Sweeter gins or gins with a lot of added flavorings might overpower the complex flavors of this cocktail.

To make this drink, first rim a glass with salt, then mix two parts grapefruit juice to one part gin. Stir, then garnish with a wedge of grapefruit or other citrus fruit.

2. Tom Collins

Who is Tom Collins, anyway, and why is there a drink named after him? The fact is that there is no Tom Collins. There was a running joke, though, that likely led to the genesis of this drink's name. As the story goes, bar patrons would walk into a bar only to be greeted with a warning that Tom Collins had a bone to pick. The especially gullible might get pretty steamed, thinking some person they'd never met was walking around causing trouble for them. But Tom Collins never materialized to make good on that fight, simply because he didn't exist. This weird joke from the 19th century didn't really stick around, but the drink named after him sure did.

This classic gin cocktail combines gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda. And like many gin cocktails, it offers a great way to cool off and refresh on a hot day. To create this drink, in a glass, combine two parts gin with one part freshly squeezed lemon juice and half a part of simple syrup. Then fill it with ice, top it off with club soda, and stir. Add lemon to garnish and an optional cherry on top if you're feeling fancy. Even Tom Collins himself would approve.

3. Gin-gin mule

Mules aren't just for Moscow. The versatile ginger-lime mule can swap in gin, bourbon, and other spirits rather than vodka, often with intriguing results. That's what Pegu Club in New York City has done with one of their signature drinks, known as the gin-gin mule. This cocktail features gin instead of vodka, which plays well with the intense ginger flavor.

To make a gin-gin mule, first combine ¾ ounce fresh lime juice, 1 ounce of simple syrup, and a sprig of mint in a highball glass, then muddle well. Add 1¾ ounces gin, 1 ounce of ginger beer, and ice. Garnish with mint, lime, and candied ginger.

 4. Greyhound

Made from grapefruit juice and gin (or, ahem, vodka), the Greyhound cocktail supposedly got its name because it was a popular drink at Greyhound bus terminals. If true, this bit of information begs all kinds of questions, such as: Wait, what!?

With a simple-but-winning formula as its base, the Greyhound is a popular cocktail for riffing on by modern mixologists. For a brunch-y take on the cocktail, try the Earl Greyhound Fizz — with Earl Grey tea, honey and seltzer water. If you want a chef-y spin, the Greyhound(ed) cocktail uses the smoky juice of brulé-ed grapefruit halves.

5. Negroni

The Negroni isn't exactly the most glug-able cocktail. So why did it become so popular? Most likely, the rise of craft cocktail culture and associated use of bitters gave people more of an appreciation for bitter flavors in their drinks. Also, with its amber hue and citrus garnish, pictures of the Negroni are definitely like-worthy on social media.

The Negroni is another cocktail that lends itself well to variations. A frozen Negroni recipe calls for blending the drink with ice. A Negroni with sparkling wine dials down the ABV and dials up the effervescence.

After sampling these refreshing spring and summer drinks, one thing became crystal clear: the quality of the ice is paramount. Its soft, chewy texture not only enhances the flavor but also elevates the entire drinking experience.

Instead of running to a cafe every time you want perfect ice, why not bring it home?

With a high-quality ice maker, you can enjoy bar-quality drinks anytime—whether it’s a glass of fruity iced tea on a sunny afternoon or a chilled cocktail at your next gathering.

At Kismile, we offer a range of stylish, efficient ice makers designed for everyday use. From compact countertop models to high-performance machines that produce ice at lightning speed, there’s one that’s perfect for your home.

Ready to take your drinks to the next level?

Click here to explore our ice makers: https://kismile.com/collections/ice-maker

Because great drinks deserve perfect ice.