B-Qube, Brema cube at the Martini test

The Italian company has developed a range of mixology ice makers that produces a durable, crystal clear and compact cube, perfect for all the needs of cocktail professionals. Word of Lucio D'Orsi.

Brema Group is the Italian company that since 1985 has been thinking of ice as a raw material to be sculpted according to customers' needs. It supplies numerous sectors with an approach aimed to satisfying the most diverse needs, from GDO to pharmaceuticals, from wellness to Ho.Re.Ca, and finally the industrial sector.

With a mission to provide the best solution for many needs of the out-of-home business, B-Qube Ice makers are born, the "Brema B-Qube" is a durable, crystal and compact ice, designed specifically for the world of mixology. The range of B-Qube makers starts with compact back-counter models with daily productions of 29 kg. Cooling is by air or water, making installation possible in any situation, thanks in part to the option of an integrated drain pump. The panels, easily removable thanks to Green-Tech Design, ensure consistent performance and ease of maintenance.

Individual B-Qubes weigh 23 grams, a weight appreciated by cocktail professionals because it allows adequate control over dilution, dissolution during shaking, and tightness within a cocktail build. They fit all types of glasses and retain their signature aesthetic impact for a long time.

We asked some mixing masters what they think of Brema's new cube.

Lucio D’Orsi, director of the Majestic Palace Hotel and Bar Manager of Sorrento's Dry Martini:

The house specialty, which makes you world famous, is the Cocktail Martini. The king of cocktails relies on a delicate balance of two individual ingredients in which ice is actually the third ingredient, crucial to the drink's success. How does B-Qube perform in a Martini?

"The interaction of water within a Cocktail Martini is a determining factor. The water comes from the gradual melting of the ice inside the mixing glass, which in our case is always previously chilled. A drink weighing 100 grams, stirred for the right amount of time gave a total result of 143 grams of cocktail. This means, from my point of view, that the ice dilution is not excessive, is gradual and easily controlled by the bartender."

How did you find the machine in terms of production performance?

"I installed an air-cooled Brema, which works very well and delivers ice consistently and within the time frame specified by the manufacturer. I am rather technical and demanding so I also tested the ice inside a cocktail build, placing eight B-Qube cubes in a tumbler glass in which I tried the drink in two versions: the first using only cold bottles and the second with bottles at room temperature. With about 160 grams of ice, in the first case I had a really minimal dilution of 20 grams on the total volume, in the second the result was equally satisfactory, as only 36 grams of ice melted inside the glass. I let the drink stand for a few minutes, and the hold was consistent, with excellent-looking crystal-clear ice that met my expectations."

Interview by the editorial staff of "Bargiornale"