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If you want an eye-catching way to keep a drink cool, a crystal clear ice ball is a perfect thing to drop in your glass. While it might seem like you can only get clear ice balls or cubes at a bar or restaurant, they’re actually really easy to make at home. There are a few simple tricks for making ice balls clear, so keep reading to learn everything you need to know!
Things You Should Know
- Boil distilled water twice to remove impurities and get the clearest ice. Filtered and tap water will also work, but may make the ice a little cloudy.
- Fill an ice ball mold or ice cube tray with the water and freeze it for at least 24 hours. Once the balls or cubes are frozen solid, pop them out of the mold.
- Store clear ice balls and cubes in a resealable bag in your freezer to keep them from absorbing odors.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you make crystal clear cubes?Mimi Perryman is a Bartender and the Owner of Events with LML, an events company based in the Los Angeles Metropolitan Area but serving the full state of California. With over 15 years of experience in the serving industry, she specializes in traveling bartender services and event planning. She earned a BS in Marketing from California State University-Dominguez Hills, is ServSafe & RBS Certified, and carries a bartending license. She also has a Marketing & Graphic Design background and is a member of the American Marketing Association. Events with LML has a 5-star rating on Yelp and is a featured vendor on The Knot.Fill a small cooler with tap or filtered water so it's about two-thirds of the way full (leave about 2 inches/5.08 cm of the cooler unfilled). Stick the cooler in the freezer for about 18-24 hours—once it's frozen, let it sit out for about 5 minutes. Then, turn the cooler upside-down on a cutting board so the ice slides out. Keep in mind that there will be water at the bottom that hasn't froze yet (this is the water with all the dust, air, and minerals). Using a knife, cut off any excess chips from the mold of the bottom of the cooler to get the perfect clear block of ice. Using the knife again, cut this large block into smaller cubes.
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Tips
- You can also make clear ice by filling a small cooler with water and putting it in your freezer for 1–2 days. Once the water freezes, pop it out of the cooler. Score the ice block with a knife and tap it with a mallet to break the ice into smaller cubes. [8] X Research sourceThanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about serving alcoholic beverages, check out our in-depth interview with Mimi Perryman .
References
- ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-make-clear-ice-cubes-at-home-for-cocktails-article
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Yvspt1CbjAE?t=270
- ↑ https://youtu.be/A8bje2UYVME?t=22
- ↑ https://youtu.be/yi0ZizJiJfs?t=164
- ↑ https://youtu.be/Yvspt1CbjAE?t=372
- ↑ https://www.seriouseats.com/ice-balls-for-cocktails-best-home-tool-wintersmiths-does-clear-ice-melt-slower
- ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/3-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-leave-your-ice-in-the-trays-tips-from-the-kitchn-206024
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NC6-YoXwrdY?t=225
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