While we DoorDashed food and binged reality television series at the beginning of the pandemic, Scott Gadd and Larry Suggs were in their kitchens attempting to craft the perfect ice cube. As Charlotte cocktail bars and restaurants closed down due to COVID, Suggs, a local mixologist, struggled to recreate the same lasting flavor and presentation of these bars at home.  That led Suggs to begin doing intensive research on how to make the cocktail ice.

“It was actually born during quarantine, as we were drinking more cocktails at home than we ever had,” Suggs says.” One thing we noticed was that we missed the beautiful presentation and ice we were getting at cocktail bars like Idlewild and Crunkleton. At home, we started doing experiments, and just decided to dive head first.” 

After mentioning the idea Gadd, his good friend and boss, the two decided to open The Ice Trade. Considering the increasing demand of home bartending supplies, Gadd says he couldn’t say no.

Once they settled on their home recipe, Gadd and Suggs decided to share it not only with local bars, but with cocktail lovers in their home bars as well.

“We saw it not only as a personal need, but something we saw the city of Charlotte needed too,” Suggs says. 

Both have backgrounds in the food and beverage industry; Suggs has been a bartender and mixologist for over a decade, working with the Ritz-Carlton, Duckworth’s Grill & Tap House, and several other bars around the Charlotte area. Gadd is owner of putt-putt bar Stroke in Plaza Midwood. 

After opening their company in mid November, the two began selling ice to consumers, as well as several Charlotte bars, including Stroke and Fin & Fino. Suggs takes pride in their ice as both aesthetically pleasing and slow melting.

To achieve this, the ice must go through an extensive process to maintain clarity despite its shape and thickness. First, the ice must be filtered for the cleanest and clearest water possible. Next, it gets placed into a large blockmaker, which holds about 600 pounds of ice. After two to three days, these blocks are cut into multiple pieces using a food-grade handsaw. This gets rid of the oil, and cuts the block into about four pieces. They then get placed into a freezer that maintains a -40°F temperature. From there, ice is cut to order and packaged for pickup. 

The ice is shaped into four different sizes, including the two-inch Queen Cube, which works best for spirits or classic cocktails. It also comes in the 704 Cube, a 1.75” x 1.75″ x 1.75” square, meant for spirits on a rock. The King Cube is a 1.9” x 1.9” x 2.75” cube, intended for cocktails and large pours throughout the night. Finally, they carry Column Cubes, which are 1.25” x 1.25” x 4.5” cubes for tall drinks like mojitos or a Tom Collins cocktail. 

Ice is available to purchase in bags of 9 to 12 pieces for $13.50. You can also sign up for an annual membership that includes monthly bags of ice at 40 percent off retail prices, as well as your first month of ice free. The $300 membership allows you to become a founding member of The Ice Trade and receive three bags of crystal clear cocktail ice cubes every month for thirteen months. Access to virtual cocktail classes and early access to special events hosted at their facility are also included.

If you’d like to learn more about how The Ice Trade crafts its ice, the business offers tours on Fridays at 6 p.m. 

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