Adding water is to account for the dilution from stirring with ice.
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Yes. To approximate the amount of dilution I would have gotten from stirring over ice.
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In the article you listed, which I very much enjoyed, in calculating the alcoholic “strength” of the martini it assumes a 25% dilution from stirring with ice. I suppose that may depend upon the length of stirring and the vigor of the stir, if I am correct that the increased speed of agitation may impart kinetic energy and cause quicker melting of the ice. Though I could be wrong about that.
I once wanted to do a personal martini tasting with 6 different gins. I made them in individual very small “shot” glasses and put them in the freezer. I forgot to account for the dilution of stirring with ice, and it was a bust. Rocket fuel. I never thought to add a precise amount of water for dilution. But I am unsure whether 25% dilution means adding a volume of water equal to 25% of the volume of alcohol (gin plus vermouth), or adding enough water such that the water makes up 25% of the total final volume of liquid. It’s been to many years since I took chemistry.
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My son and his roommate both being in medical/dental school did a dilution experiment shaken vs stirred etc. Somewhere are the results.
Since I do most cocktails by weight I’ll have to see how many ounces of water I get.
One thing to remember is relative surface area of ice and temp of ice. I keep my freezer -8 but the ice bin up top registers about 20. So I have hard frozen ice for large rocks and martinis are made with “soft” frozen ice.
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Couldn’t you make a martini and measure the volume of Gin in and then the total volume of Martini out?
There would be other variables such as grams and surface area of ice, length of shake ect.
Yes, that’s how you would figure it out. I’m kind of surprised that just shaking with ice for a few seconds could dilute by as much as 25%.
25% water in this recipe for a batched martini
25% dilution seems like a good rule of thumb. I haven’t read all of this article:
I’m surprised the dilution is that much.
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