… (aka heathens) like me who like a little ice in your bourbon: Any of you take it up a notch to spheres?
While I enjoy them, the cost has been prohibitive to make yourself (pressurized machines cost upwards of $5k to produce clear spheres). It now seems like someone figured it out:
Their first iteration was a silicone mold in a shaker-like sleeve that used the concept of directional freezing to turn tap water into glassy spheres. The method isn’t without it’s quirks, and is labor intensive (fill, swirl, twist, warm, break off molds, etc) for 1 sphere for me.
Their latest iteration (The Ice Chest) seems to have worked these quirks out. 4 spheres at a time, ease of extraction, etc. so I took the plunge.
While I wait patiently for delivery in December, do any of you ballers have a method you use at home?
I bought an ice sphere mold and only used it a few times. The ice was cloudy, usually had large cracks and never froze in a nice spherical shape, it always came out sort of oval(ish). It also took a while before I figured out just the right level so that it wasn’t underfilled or overfilled (which expands too much and opens the mold). I’d rather have a large cube (unless someone gave me one of those ridiculous Macallan ice ball molds).
Camper English has experimented and written extensively about ice and ice clarity over on his blog, definitely an interesting read:
I like ice balls for cocktails, never for whisky. My cloudy, cracking balls have always seemed to suffice, but I would be curious to see how much of a difference this actually makes. I’d be willing to bet that making my ice with higher quality water would make a bigger difference than using this, but maybe I’m wrong.
Not for larger blocks Brian. At least not for me and the people I’ve known that have tried it (I believe manlin had issues as well). Fine for smaller cubes sometimes.
I’m guessing he’s using a cooler/directional freezing technique to produce the blocks, but he’s actually going to be doing a video soon:
Creator Sam Saad
on July 16
Bruce,
I am working on making a PDF procedure, as well as a video on how to make the clear ice slugs. I am also testing a new insulator cup glove that I would include if they work properly. I will let you know all this, so that you have have beautiful clear ice slugs ready when you get your new toy.
Sam
I really like the craftsmanship and look of that device and can’t wait to see one in person.
Very similar to the ones macallan pimps but at a fraction of the cost. If I knew these were available would have got in on those things just for the theater alone