Experiments in Making Cocktail Ice
Former bartender here. Having nice cocktail ice chunks at home isn't as complex as this might make it seem. No need for a clunky box in your freezer or costly gizmos.<p>I keep a travel-sized coffee thermos in my freezer with about 2-3 inches of water at the bottom. Takes 18-24 hours to create one chunk. If you time it right, 90% of the water freezes, and the water impurities pool at the bottom – pop out the frozen chunk and the result is clear ice. I store 4-5 of these in a zip-top bag until I have friends over and serve drinks.<p>Best to use a thermos with a slight conical interior so it's easy to pop out the ice. Makes a nice plug-shaped, clear ice chunk. Then refill and restart the process.