Big Ass Ice Cubes

[HitIt]

I am ready to upgrade my bourbon experience. I have seen pics of you peeps with several cool styles of ice cubes. I have tried whickey rocks and am not a fan. They dont stay cold long and I like a little water in my bourbon.

So what should I buy to make them? Cubes? Spheres? How to keep them in the freezer without getting the funky freezer smell/taste? Tips for making them nice and clear?

 

[mjc]

we use these

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...wCRlxVn6E73tcDaK2RcpTA-SQR3Cz8hN9EaAoIO8P8HAQ

 

[was thatguy]

I am ready to upgrade my bourbon experience. I have seen pics of you peeps with several cool styles of ice cubes. I have tried whickey rocks and am not a fan. They dont stay cold long and I like a little water in my bourbon.

So what should I buy to make them? Cubes? Spheres? How to keep them in the freezer without getting the funky freezer smell/taste? Tips for making them nice and clear?

Have you considered the possibility that you MIGHT be overthinking this??

 

[ChevelleSB406]

we use these

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...wCRlxVn6E73tcDaK2RcpTA-SQR3Cz8hN9EaAoIO8P8HAQ

I am rocking these as well, I keep a bag of finished castings in the freezer. A little bit of warm water "polishes" them up a bit to look more clear before serving, but they will never be perfect, there will be cloudiness, internal cracks, all that good stuff.

 

[Chopperman]

I've got pretty much the same ones. I like em.

 

[RiverDave]

Just get a clear ice, ice maker..

 

[Music to my Ears]

I have the square molds as well as the spheres. I actually prefer the square ones more. They're easier to fill and they always come out great. Either of them are cool though.

 

[sirbob]

The problem with making your own ice is it melts too fast.

To really make great ice it needs to be frozen at a very specific rate to allow no bubbles or imperfections to be seen.

In the end what you want is ice that looks crystal clear, melts at a very slow rate and is of a large enough size that you only use one cube.

 

[HitIt]

Have you considered the possibility that you MIGHT be overthinking this??

Honey, is that you?

 

[McRib]

fancy bars have been going to the large sphere single ice cubes. the large cube lasts forever.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

My friend owns 320 main in Seal Beach, its a craft cocktail bar. Years and years ago we would run around to all the cool spots where you had to know someone, and watched them chip ice off a giant block that gets delivered every day, super impressive, but not very practical. He ended up over 10k if memory is correct on a machine that makes large, perfect square, clear cubes to use in his place so no one loses a finger with a chisel. The videos from the early 2000's of the japanese bars where they hand chip perfect spheres were damn impressive, amazing how quickly they could do it.

I am not the expert on getting clear ice, but I watched a program on ice sculptors, and the process they go through to get it, many steps and crazy stuff. I know for in home best results, start with warm water, not warm water from your water heater, but warm some up on the stove. It all has to do with the crystal structures that form in ice and all that, my dad is the PhD in thermodynamics, not me, I ask questions and 20 minutes later I know enough to know I don't get it and would be wrong if I tried to explain it

 

[HitIt]

Thanks folks. Just bought these to try out (thanks for the recommendation):
http://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Molds-Colossal-Highball-Sphere/dp/B00NNY5R1W

I am going to try the boiling filtered water method to see how it goes. They will be here on Sunday. I should have asked two days ago :smackhead

 

[pronstar]

Use distilled water instead of tap water, so the taste remains neutral.

Also, make sure you've got a box of baking soda in the fridge and freezer to absorb off odors.

The stones are garbage...water absorbs a lot of heat as it changes state to liquid. That's what makes your drink cold...putting cold things like stones into a drink just makes the stones warm, unless you have massive stones (pun intended LOL)

 

[DickieB]

we use these

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...wCRlxVn6E73tcDaK2RcpTA-SQR3Cz8hN9EaAoIO8P8HAQ

I like my Jack on the rocks but I use the Crystal Ice, sold by Basha's here in Phoenix. Hard frozen and clear. Plus, I like to chew om my ice as I'm drinking......(My dentist loves me!)

 

[ChevelleSB406]

I also have molds to do these for those that don't take it so seriously :thumbsup

 

[Mandelon]

Buy a big chunk, and use a hand saw. Impress your guests.

 

[Racey]

You are absolutely killing a good bourbon by drinking it too cold. Cooling it down is like turning down the flavor knob, this can work in your favor on something like Jack No. 7, or Crown, that is very astringent and not smooth to begin with. But to chill an expensive bourbon is like putting a good red wine in the fridge and drinking it cold.... Might as well drink boxed wine cause you won't be able to tell the difference at 30 degrees.

If you wanna drink your bourbon cold that's perfectly fine, but you might as well drink cheaper stuff and save the money if you insist on drinking it cold.

 

[OutCole'd]

Buy a big chunk, and use a hand saw. Impress your guests.

 

[wsuwrhr]

I wanted to buy those, but I couldn't find any that were Made in the US.

I was bummed.

Brian

I also have molds to do these for those that don't take it so seriously :thumbsup

View attachment 468772 View attachment 468773 View attachment 468774

 

[Mandelon]

View attachment 468776

I use a rusty one that I bought at a garage sale from a retired field surgeon. :thumbsup

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Buy a big chunk, and use a hand saw. Impress your guests.

:thumbsup

[video=youtube;mRlnkyIhbeU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRlnkyIhbeU[/video]

 

[mjc]

I also have molds to do these for those that don't take it so seriously :thumbsup

View attachment 468772 View attachment 468773 View attachment 468774

Where did you get those?

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Where did you get those?

http://www.amazon.com/Kotobukiya-St...=1456513568&sr=8-1&keywords=han+solo+ice+tray

http://www.amazon.com/Jollylife-Sil...456513607&sr=8-3&keywords=death+star+ice+mold

http://www.amazon.com/Fred-Friends-...e=UTF8&qid=1456513638&sr=8-1&keywords=titonic

Just some quick ones I found on amazon, the star wars ones are available at disneyland itself, I have also seen them at hot topic, and the web says even GameStop might have them. My spheres are from bed, bath, and beyond. :thumbsup

Gotta add these to the collection as well.

 

[JBS]

I wanted to buy those, but I couldn't find any that were Made in the US.

I was bummed.

Brian

Build a mold and I will run them for you [emoji3]

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Build a mold and I will run them for you [emoji3]

You can splash mine :thumbsup

 

[wsuwrhr]

Build a mold and I will run them for you [emoji3]

Run the ice cubes?

Don't think for a second that thought didn't cross my mind.

I have been thinking about making some molds. I've never casted silicone, I imagine that is what is used to make the final ice mold.

The metal tooling is easy.

Brian

 

[prosthogod]

we use these

http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/sto...wCRlxVn6E73tcDaK2RcpTA-SQR3Cz8hN9EaAoIO8P8HAQ

I have used these for years. they work great.

 

[HitIt]

I've never casted silicone, I imagine that is what is used to make the final ice mold.

Silicone molding is easy, too. People do it all the time for making replica hobby stuff. This was one of the first google hits for food grade silicone molds:

http://www.makeyourownmolds.com/

Basically you mix it, degas it, shoot it into a cavity, and wait for it to cure.

 

[HitIt]

You are absolutely killing a good bourbon by drinking it too cold.

Yeppers. This is for things like Makers Mark and Jack. While BBQing on a warm day, it goes down a little better slightly cold and slightly diluted.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Yeppers. This is for things like Makers Mark and Jack. While BBQing on a warm day, it goes down a little better slightly cold and slightly diluted.

I enjoy it when making things like Sazerac's, cable gram/ bullet mule, those types of things, hell, I even drink tequila warm, but I like cocktails cold, two very different things to me. :thumbsup

 

[Racey]

Yeppers. This is for things like Makers Mark and Jack. While BBQing on a warm day, it goes down a little better slightly cold and slightly diluted.

This is all you need




If i'm at a bar and feel like a whiskey i'll either order johnny black or bulleit on the rocks, cause it's decent and everyone carries it.

 

[TOBTEK]

get a Ice Press...... BAD ASS!


RD should make some of these and sell them with his RDP logo. These are BANK at the stores !


[video=youtube;KowXvVVlIXw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KowXvVVlIXw[/video]

 

[Advantage 1]

I would drink with Ice Cube

 

[HitIt]

This is all you need

I am going for Kustom drinks. None of those poor folk 7-11 ice cubes for me.

bulleit on the rocks

I have had the regular Bulleit many times and thought it was pretty good. I tried the Bulleit Rye a few months ago and really liked it.

 

[HitIt]

but I like cocktails cold, two very different things to me. :thumbsup

Agree... but I consider whiskey with a little water a cocktail Wife says, "You aren't drinking whiskey straight again are you?" "Negative, woman. I am just having a little cocktail."

A good whiskey is something you dont fuck with. Neat, please.

 

[ChevelleSB406]

Agree... but I consider whiskey with a little water a cocktail Wife says, "You aren't drinking whiskey straight again are you?" "Negative, woman. I am just having a little cocktail."

A good whiskey is something you dont fuck with. Neat, please.

Try your bulleit rye with some ginger beer and fresh squeezed lime juice, really nice on a hot day. :thumbsup

 

[HitIt]

with some ginger beer

I know nothing about ginger beer but I assume they are all over the place in terms of taste and quality (sorta like root beer). Got any recommendations for a good ginger beer?

 

[Mandelon]

Like a Moscow mule but with whiskey is a Kentucky Mule, or Tennessee Mule. AKA The Frisky Whiskey.

I prefer Bundaberg. Little brown barrels with orange labels.

Trader Joes has their own house brand too. A little less sweet with more tanginess.

 

[Racey]

Like a Moscow mule but with whiskey is a Kentucky Mule, or Tennessee Mule. AKA The Frisky Whiskey.

I prefer Bundaberg. Little brown barrels with orange labels.

Trader Joes has their own house brand too. A little less sweet with more tanginess.

Bundaberg is Rum, the ausies love that shit.

 

[pronstar]

Pussies...
I drink my whisky with a side of whisky

 

[ChevelleSB406]

I know nothing about ginger beer but I assume they are all over the place in terms of taste and quality (sorta like root beer). Got any recommendations for a good ginger beer?

Cock N Bull is currently what I have in stock and is also used at my billiards club, seems to do a nice job of it.

 

[Cole Trickle]

Cock N Bull is currently what I have in stock and is also used at my billiards club, seems to do a nice job of it.

View attachment 469314

That's pretty good. I like it a ton better than the stoli shit in the grocery store.

I forget the brand but there is a diet one at total wine and more that is in a glass bottle and it's my favorite. There regular tastes good but I actually prefer the diet.

Found it

 

[ChevelleSB406]

That's pretty good. I like it a ton better than the stoli shit in the grocery store.

I forget the brand but there is a diet one at total wine and more that is in a glass bottle and it's my favorite. There regular tastes good but I actually prefer the diet.

The stoli stuff was a disappointment for sure. I will check out total wine and do a compare to this stuff. :thumbsup

 

[Cole Trickle]

The stoli stuff was a disappointment for sure. I will check out total wine and do a compare to this stuff. :thumbsup

Yeah it lacked the spicy ginger flavor the drinks needs...I like ginger

 

[Mandelon]

Yeah it lacked the spicy ginger flavor the drinks needs...I like ginger

Bundaberg is good but sweet. The Trader Joe's house brand is less sweet and more gingery.

 

[getreal]

Crystal Clear Ice Cubes

The Boiled Water Method
1. Use pure water. ...
2. Boil the water twice. ...
3. Pour water into an ice tray or other mold and cover with a plastic wrap to keep out particles. ...
4. Place the ice tray in the freezer. ...
5. Take out the tray and gently remove your clear ice cubes.