by Mike Sula

Thirsty for a Negroni? We invite you to watch a video where Toby Maloney, head mixologist and partner at the Violet Hour in Chicago, mixes his version of the Negroni. The supercold ice cubes Maloney uses are made by the bar's Kold-Draft machine. He calls the Kold-Draft machine "the Ferrari of ice machines," not just for its excellence, but for its temperament. "Every one is different," he says.

The following are some of the comments posted in the Chicago Reader Blogs: The Food Chain that we also would like to share with you:

“I guess I had never considered the quality of the ice cube as a factor in a good mixed beverage, but it makes sense. Not only does the ice become part of the drink itself, but it's essential in mixing the cocktail and thus, bringing out the flavors. I don't know if I could afford to invest in a top-of-the-line ice machine though. …which is why you get the pleasure to go out and let a business that owns one make the drink for you. …”

KDIndustries, Inc. made the decision to appoint Rabco as its master distributor of Canada on the need for an experienced united sales effort and ready access to Kold-Draft inventory to fill the demands within the Canadian market. KDIndustries, Inc chose Rabco based on its seasoned professional sales team, ability for a detailed analysis of competition, marketing material support, operations/quick inventory support, customer benefits, and after sales support.

John Brigham, Kold-Draft’s CEO states: Our reputation for dependability and service is unmatched in the industry. Rabco shares this same reputation in the Canadian market and their customer service philosophy is in synch with Kold-Draft’s… we are certainly excited about our new relationship with Rabco in Canada.

Kold-Draft ice making systems are engineered to produce pure ice, free from impurities and foreign substances. Kold-Draft ice cubes have been proven to melt slower and taste better than any other commercial ice. For more than 50 years, the finest domestic and international hotels, restaurants and cruise ships have depended on Kold-Draft ice systems for perfect, sparkling ice that melts slower, cools faster and doesn't dilute the taste of beverages. Kold-Draft offers a full-range of ice machines, bins, crushers and dispensers, capable of producing from 100 to 1,200 pounds of pure ice per day. Each Kold-Draft ice system can be customized to produce full cubes, half cubes or cubelets. And, with the systems unique stacking ability, you can add capacity as requirements grow or can have a variety of cube sizes in one location. The Kold-Draft line of premier ice systems is the longest lasting, most reliable ice systems available in the world today.

Rabco Foodservice began operations in 1988 and operates as the exclusive Canadian Importer/Master Distributor for APW/Wyott, Bakers Pride, Beverage Air, Carlisle, Edlund & Kelvinator. Rabco offers dealers ready access to warehousing/distribution in Toronto and Vancouver and has a team of experienced manufacturers’ representatives across Canada. In addition, Rabco stocks parts, and services all products within the warranty period.

For more information, please call our toll-free number 800-840-9577.

by Dirk Smillie

Producing perfectly chiseled, slow-melting cubes, the Kold-Draft ICE BUTLER appears on Dirk Smillie’s list of the hottest new bar accessories that give drinkers the chills – designer ice.

• COCKTAIL COUTURE: Forbes December 25, 2006 (586.83 KB)
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by Felicia M. Sherbert

The article discusses how the purpose of ice goes beyond keeping a drink cold. Ice adds texture and gradually releases water into a drink to enhance flavor rather than dilute it.

One especially interesting passage of the article is included as citation below:

In New York, mixologists like Audrey Saunders of Pegu Club and Julie Reiner of Flatiron Lounge also are serious about ice. They use Kold-Draft machines produced by KDIndustries Inc. in Erie, Pennsylvania. Kold-Draft, in business since 1955, has been dubbed the gold standard of the industry for its dense 1-inch “C” cube, which keeps a cocktail at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Standard ice cubes can melt fast, diluting a drink and allowing it to get warm. According to Bud Gunter, KD’s vice president of sales and marketing, a key difference in the Kold-Draft machine is its horizontal evaporator. Imagine an upside down ice tray that water is sprayed up into. Since pure water freezes quicker than water with impurities, the pure water sticks to the tray and freezes, while impurities are filtered out. The result: Ice cubes that are more pure than an establishment’s water supply.

• ICE AGE: Market Watch September 2006 (2.52 MB)
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by Jeffery Lindenmuth

According to Noel Cruz, beverage director at Dani in New York City, a well-made drink is a balanced drink. It is no coincidence that on Cruz’s wish list there is a Kold-Draft ice machine which produces perfect 1 ¼-inch, clear cubes.

“They make good looking drinks and add less water than other ice. And if someone wants a single-malt Scotch, you can offer that one perfect cube.”

• MY FAVORITE GEAR: Food Arts September 2006 (3.54 MB)
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By Pete Wells

The article discusses the need of the summer cocktails to refresh the consumer in addition to entertaining.

Apparently (and perhaps obviously) one key ingredient in a refreshing summer cocktail is the ice, which is in many cases overlooked by the consumers but not by the bartenders and mixologists.

The most interesting part of the article (for us at Kold-Draft anyway) is cited verbatum below:

A few tradition-minded bartenders have begun a return to serious ice. Bars like the Pegu Club and the Flatiron Lounge in New York have installed machines made by the Pennsylvania company Kold-Draft, which turn out one-and-a-half-inch cubes and keep them well chilled.

You can read the entire article at the New Your Times Website, but unfortunately it may require a subscription to their service.

By James Rodewald

The article discusses the availability of rare and expensive spirits and the importance of pairing these gourmet beverages with the gourmet ice.

One especially interesting passage of the article is included as citation below:

Most of us take ice for granted until the tray in the freezer is empty. But no Dale DeGroff, who's responsible for the Lewers Lounge cocktail list and its ice machines, or Audrey Saunders, who is a partner in the Pegu Club. Saunders worked with DeGroff at Blackbird, which is where she first used the Kold-Draft full cube, the gold standard in ice. DeGroff has put Kold-Draft machines in some of the best bars in the country, and he just bought a second one for the Halekulani. "A lot of bartenders mistakenly think that coldness in a cocktail is affected by whether you shake or stir," he says. "That's not the case. *The ice itself is the determining factor; the drink can never be colder than the ice. Most commercial icemakers produce ice too quickly and the cubes are too small, so they melt quickly."

• DRINKS: Gourmet Magazine 2005 (1.11 MB)
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ERIE, Pa. (April 17, 2006) - Pure, slow-melting, great-tasting ice - the kind you find in fine international hotels, restaurants and onboard cruise ships – is coming home. Kold-Draft Inc., the restaurant and hotel supplier of choice for more than 50 years, delivers restaurant quality ice to homeowners with a residential model ice maker called the Ice Butler, an under-counter home appliance.

"For anyone who does a lot of entertaining, the Ice Butler is a perfect addition to residential wet bars and patio rooms," said Jim Endean, Kold-Draft sales manager. "Now, we can deliver our international reputation for pure ice and pure dependability to homeowners with a 20-inch ice maker that produces 110 pounds of ice per day - a lot of ice in a little space."

Endean explained that the Kold-Draft system differs from competitor designs with a patented process that washes out minerals and foreign substances before the water becomes a solid. This produces pure ice - often eliminating the need for expensive water filtration systems. In addition, Kold-Draft's uniquely-shaped, premium ice is designed to pack perfectly in a glass and cool drinks quickly without diluting and distorting flavor.

The Ice Butler produces high-quality ice in an upscale appliance that features a bold stainless steel appearance. Plus, it includes the company's reputation for high-quality, efficient operation. In fact, Kold-Draft has demonstrated its dependability with years of uninterrupted service - often spanning generations of restaurant owners. In addition, the company's two-year warranty on parts and labor is a promise of performance.

Known as the cold standard in ice, Kold-Draft offers buyers an opportunity to purchase the Ice Butler on-line. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.kold-draft.com. Or, call us toll free at 800.840.9577 for more information.

Contact

Bud Gunter
VP of Sales and Marketing
Kold-Draft Inc.
1525 East Lake Road
Erie, Pa.
800-840-9577

Kold-Draft offers a full-range of ice machines, bins, crushers and dispensers, capable of producing from 100 to 1,200 pounds of pure ice per day. Each Kold-Draft ice system can be customized to produce full cubes, half cubes or cubelets. And, with the systems unique stacking ability, you can add capacity as your requirements grow or you can have a variety of cube sizes in one location.

Jim Endean, Kold-Draft sales manager states: Our reputation for dependability and service is unmatched in the industry. Our systems are engineered to produce pure ice, free from impurities and foreign substances. Our ice cubes have been proven to melt slower and taste better than any other commercial ice.

Designed for ease of service through "up front" engineering, all major controls and components are accessible from the front of the unit. Plus, with commonality of parts, another Kold Draft innovation, service responsiveness is maximized. According to Endean, all of the Kold-Draft systems are built to last with type 304 stainless steel and are corrosion resistant, inside and out. In addition, all compressors are manufactured with zero-ozone depleting HFCR 404a refrigerant.

The Kold-Draft line of premier ice systems is the longest lasting, most reliable ice systems available in the world today.

Kold-Draft - the Cold Standard in Ice!

For more information, visit the Kold-Draft web site at www.kold-draft.com or phone 800-840-9577.

Contact

Bud Gunter
VP of Sales and Marketing
Kold-Draft Inc.
1525 East Lake Road
Erie, PA 16511
800-840-9577