You go for a cocktail, take a sip, then realize you left it out too long. Instead of clinking ice and invigorating flavor, you get tepid, watered-down drink.
Obviously, ice cools a drink when it melts, according to SevenFifty Daily. But, there are ways to slow ice melting in cocktails.
Have you ever noticed how clear your ice crystals are? It makes a significant impact in how quickly the cubes melt and how they alter the taste of your drink, believe it or not.
Clear ice cubes are more common in bars and restaurants because the commercial ice makers employ extremely cold plates or grids to freeze the water.
They freeze the water layer by layer, from the inside out. Squeezing away air bubbles and other contaminants results in clean, clear ice cubes.
With all of the junk removed, the water becomes denser and takes longer to melt. It also means that your drinks will taste better as the ice melts into your glass.
Most of us rely on ice trays or refrigerator ice makers at home. So, are your home's ice cubes hazy or white?
If that's the case, it's probably because ice trays freeze water from the outside in, which forces any air bubbles or other contaminants to the center of the cubes.
Creating ice cubes using purified or distilled water is a simple solution for home cocktails. Boiling tap water could produce clear, clean ice for cocktails and other cold drinks.