Ice is the most-used ingredient behind any bar, and the one home bartenders think about least. It chills the drink, adds the water that softens a strong cocktail, and sets the look of the glass. Better ice is also one of the cheapest upgrades you can make: a couple of good molds and a little planning make a bigger difference than a new bottle.
This guide covers which ice molds to use for which drinks, how to make clearer ice at home, and how to keep ice fresh for a party. Everything here works just as well for zero-proof drinks. If you serve alcohol, serve it only to guests who are 21 or older.
Why ice matters in a cocktail
When you shake or stir a drink with ice, two things happen at once: the drink gets colder, and some ice melts into it. That water isn’t a flaw. It’s part of the recipe, and it is why a stirred drink tastes smoother than the same ingredients poured straight from the bottle. The size and shape of your ice control how fast that happens.
- Small cubes and crushed ice melt quickly. They chill fast and add water fast, which suits juleps, swizzles and long drinks.
- Standard cubes are the all-rounders for shaking, stirring and highballs.
- Large cubes and spheres melt slowly, so a drink served on the rocks stays cold without turning watery.
- Blocks are best for punch bowls, where you want hours of slow chilling.
Choosing an ice mold
Silicone vs. plastic trays
Flexible silicone makes it easy to pop out cubes without cracking them, and it works well for large cubes and spheres. Rigid plastic trays are fine for standard cubes. Whichever you choose, look for food-safe materials and a mold that fits flat in your freezer.
Get a lid
A lid is more useful than it sounds. Ice picks up freezer smells easily, and a covered mold keeps it tasting clean. A lid also lets you stack molds and stops spills on the way to the freezer.
Match the mold to your glasses
Large cubes should fit your rocks glasses with a little room to spare. If you’re not sure which glass suits which drink, our bar glassware guide walks through the basics.
How to make clearer ice at home
Cloudy ice comes from trapped air and impurities, which get pushed to the center as water freezes from all sides at once. Clear ice looks great and melts a little more evenly. The most reliable home method is directional freezing:
- Fill a small, clean insulated cooler with water and leave the lid off.
- Put it in the freezer. Because the sides and bottom are insulated, the water freezes from the top down, pushing air toward the bottom.
- Take it out before it freezes solid (often about a day, depending on your freezer). The top will be clear; the cloudy part stays at the bottom.
- Let the block temper for a few minutes, then score it with a serrated knife and cut it into cubes.
Wear cut-resistant gloves if you have them, and work slowly; a block of ice is slippery. If that sounds like too much work, a good large-cube mold filled with filtered water will still give you nicer ice than a standard tray.
Storing ice so it tastes fresh
- Use it within a few days for the best flavor, or keep a covered stash.
- Keep ice away from strong-smelling foods like onions or fish.
- Store spare cubes in a sealed bag or covered container so they don’t stick together or pick up odors.
- Keep molds clean. Wash them with warm, soapy water between batches and let them dry.
Using ice when you mix
Shake and stir with plenty of fresh ice; a full shaker chills faster and dilutes more evenly than a half-full one. Then strain the drink over fresh ice in the glass. The shaking ice is broken and partly melted, and it will water the drink down quickly. Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book gave the same advice in 1930: “Never use the same ice twice,” as the CSUN University Library notes. For more on tools and technique, see our list of home bar essentials.
How much ice for a party?
A common rule of thumb is about one pound of ice per guest for drinks, plus extra if you’re chilling bottles in a tub. Make large cubes and blocks a few days ahead, and buy bagged ice for chilling. Our guide to holiday party bartending has more tips for planning drinks for a crowd.
Great ice for zero-proof drinks
Good ice makes non-alcoholic drinks feel special, too. Try freezing herbs, citrus peels or cranberries into cubes for a festive sparkling water, or use a large cube in a rocks glass for a zero-proof sour. For recipes, see our guide to zero-proof and low-ABV holiday drinks.
Our picks
Tools to shake and stir with
The Vibhsa 4-Piece Bar Tool Set (Silver) includes a shaker, jigger, stirring spoon and flat opener in stainless steel, which covers everything you need to put your ice to work.
A rocks glass for big cubes
The Cocktail Measuring Rocks Glass is a large rocks glass with etched measurement lines in ounces and metric, so you can build a drink right in the glass and serve it over a large cube.
Shop the gear
Heads up: NicheStuff is our own shop, so we earn from purchases made through these links. Please drink responsibly; alcohol is for adults 21 and over.
FAQ
Why is my homemade ice cloudy?
Air and minerals get trapped in the center as water freezes from every side. Directional freezing in an insulated cooler pushes them to one end, so the rest of the block is clear.
Should I use big ice or small ice?
Use small or standard cubes for shaking and long drinks, and large cubes or spheres for drinks served on the rocks.
Can I reuse ice from the shaker?
It’s best not to. Strain the drink onto fresh ice so it stays cold without getting watery.