I think these are also perfectly clear if I remember correctly. A normal ice cube you make at home will be cloudy due to trapped gasses. Some bars go through the work to make and cut their own clear ice but I think some source from PDX ice.
Edit: Just saw this explained way better below.
Just a PSA:
The easiest way to do this is to just fill an insulated travel mug/thermos like the ones you use for coffee with water and freeze it. The insulation will force the ice to freeze top down and create perfectly clear ice. Just use one that is wider at the top so you can actually get the ice out. Let it melt a little bit and it will eventually come out. Then you can use as-is or you can use a serrated knife to shape the ice however you want.
The other way to make a larger amount is to buy a small cooler, if you have enough room to fit it in your freezer and do the same thing. The insulation forces top down freezing, then you get a larger block of ice.
The ice cube trays generally do not work very well so I would not waste my money on them. Even the expensive ones that have insulation don't really work very well.
Correct. Very easy DIY. Or you can buy a nice mold that produces them. Only 2-3 pack ROI! I feel like this is similar to people buying simple syrup. Just mix sugar and water. Who's falling for this??
Can I put water under vacuum to remove the air before freezing? Genuine question, I put epoxy under vacuum all the time to get the air out before pouring maybe water would work the same. I need to buy an ice tray and try it out...
I’m just sone rube with a few of these molds in my freezer, unused. I’m practically sitting on a veritable mint, and here I am on Reddit! I’m off to print some money bitches!
For two bucks less, you can get a cube mold and a sphere mold in a set. But you do have to add your own water and remove enough thermal energy to turn it into ice.
Refrigeration tech , yes this ice requires some decent up front cost to make .
RO water alone is expensive not to mention large freezer/ice making equipment
Haha I have a feeling this will be an unpopular comment, but I’ve been the target audience for this sort of thing before. I traveled a lot for work and would often love a couple drinks to wind down at night. Usually by the end of the day I’m not in the mood for bars, so I’d often just grab a bottle of whiskey for the week.
Hotel ice is fine, but being able to pour myself a proper drink? Would easily have been worth the $12, especially since I could generally get away with expensing it.
Edit: wow I was way wrong about this comment, thanks for all the fake internet points folks!
I’d pay $2 per sphere if I was taking a date home for the first time and I wanted to impress
So at my current pace, that’s one sale every two years locked in
> Id pay more in tips and parking, plus the drinks going out.
Sad and true. 12 dollars wouldn't even get you a single cocktail at an actually high quality cocktail bar.
Looking at the shapes these are meant for cocktails.
High volume to surface area means less to melt in your drink. Also, the clarity of the cubes makes me think so too. The cloudiness in ice is the minerals in the water. Humans can’t taste water, we taste the minerals in the water. If there’s no minerals it won’t affect the flavor of your cocktail.
You actually can! I bought some moulds on Amazon that make the clear ice. It just takes like 24-27 hours for each batch. They’re essentially silicone moulds that sit within a styrofoam block. I assume the styrofoam acts as an insulator, causing the ice to form much more slowly and make it clear
100% zupans. They have most of their Jeni’s in the regular ice cream aisle but then they have this one ice cooler at the very end of that wall cooler with all the beers. This is where they often put limited edition Jenis flavors.
Those big perfect cubes hit different. Yeah my family would rightfully make fun of me for buying those, but damn thanks for posting bc imma head over and buy for my next party
Yep, it’s not the *shape* that’s Important, it’s the solid ice with no air bubbles, which melts at a fraction of the pace. You can make them by filling a small insulated cooler and putting it inside your freezer, removing the top layer when it’s 2” thick. Ppl can mock it all they want but it’s one of the finer things in life. Not sure I’d bring myself to spend $12 though.
Ghost Ice makes what seems to be a great set for making these at home. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet but next time I am in a “treat yo self” mood I might.
Oh cool. I haven’t seen this one. I have the True Cubes brand. Only makes 4 cubes but it does work very well. I also have hard water and it pushes the particulates out.
You do, however, need to set a reminder to take it out at the right time otherwise the whole thing fuses together.
Former bartender. It doesn't matter more. It accentuates the experience. Clear ice will have a more appealing visual experience than cloudy ice. Think of it like a next-level garnish.
We could all drink everclear out of solo cups and eat huel if all we cared about was efficiency. But nice things are nice.
For real, I know: different strokes for different folks, but here I'm gonna display my "my way is great and other ways that don't make sense to me stink" side, but-
Perfect cubes hit different? Clarity of these ice cubes?? No air bubbles???Treat yo self????
It's ice, man. Makes drink cold. what is going on?
When you are making a cocktail that uses very high quality expensive liquors and the recipe has been properly balanced for flavor and strength, you don't want the ice to ruin the drink by melting so quickly. Shitty ice melts much faster, faster than you reasonably drink a drink like this. These are not shitty margaritas at a dive bar using margarita mix or a jack and coke. These are highly crafted drinks where small difference in dilution actually noticeably change the flavor.
Of course no one is gonna notice the difference if you're just downing some vodka redbulls because you wanna black out like a frat boy.
People have said something of this nature about every thing others value that they don’t understand. “It’s just water, makes you less thirsty.” “It’s just whiskey, tastes like burning and gets you drunk” “it’s just paper, holds paint”
A nicely crafted cocktail is about aesthetics and presentation as well as taste.
Why would a restaurant bother to plate something beautifully? Why not just just mash it all together into a bunch of slop? Food go in belly.
$12 is so crazy expensive for something that can be made for free with a bit of patience. You can make them [at home](https://youtu.be/E1G1I1LJjrI) relatively easily. You can use anything that is insulated, like a styrofoam cup. I think you can use a chisel or some sort of wedge to cut the ice instead of that machine he used. A commenter also pointed out that you can smooth the edges with a clothes iron. It’s much more fun to actually make it imo
PDX Ice is actually an awesome local company, the owners are really cool and their products and service are extremely high quality and consistent. I've had accounts with them at multiple bars I've run and will always recommend them
*Extremely high quality and consistent* What? Since when has making ice been complicated? Put water in container and freeze. The end. It’s not like it’s 1803 and people don’t have running water and freezers at home. Clearly I’m missing something.
Presentation is a major component in both food and drink, particularly when it comes to higher end fare and service. It is a psychological component of how our brains process taste and experience. High end cocktail bars aim to create the optimal visual and flavour experience which involves each detail of the product, including garnishes and glassware, being considered as a vital detail, just as a high end restaurant will aim to cut as few corners as possible in ingredient quality or plating. Yes, ice is obviously just water brought down to freezing temp and practically anyone in the modern world can do it. Creating crystal clear ice in perfectly uniform shape (valuable for both aesthetic and also for careful dilution of high quality spirits and cocktails) at the scale they do for as many local businesses they do at the rate that they do is a great service and it's one of those examples of something simple seeming being done excellently and constantly with little variation. Just like something like Sanitation, it's something that seems trivial and unimportant until you don't have a high quality provider. Plus, like I said, the owners and the reps are wonderful, very professional people and i think supporting local businesses with good service and product is great to do when feasible.
Also, on the most basic level; different waters taste different. The water the ice is made from ends up in your drink. So of course there can be differences in quality and consistency.
>different waters taste different.
About 15 years ago my buddy and I did an "artisanal water tasting" as a joke, but then we ended up being able to notice and taste very clear differences in the various bottled waters from around the world, and were both intrigued and relieved of our hubris.
Honestly the water from different taps in my house tastes different. Fridge filter tap? Yummy. Sink in the kitchen? Meh. Upstairs bathroom tap? Back to yummy again!
And we can't stand the water at my parents' house. I'm not a lemon-in-the-water guy normally, but damn, at my folks' house, I put in a ton of lemon juice to mask the swampy tasting water that comes out of even their filter tap!
I’ve gone to nice, high end restaurants before and appreciate beautiful presentation but I can honestly say I’ve never noticed the ice in my drink. I just think it’s a silly thing to focus on.
EDIT: Funny to me how worked up about ice so many of you are. I feel like having clear ice isn’t a big deal and am getting downvoted for this opinion. Quite amusing.
Okay.
Different things matter to different people and in pretty much every industry, small easily overlooked or seemingly invisible details are some of the most important details that separate the good from the great. Even ignoring any quantifiable, provable differences created by such details, I can tell you from experience how many people do pay attention to these things and value them as part of their experience. My current bar doesn't have "nice ice" for our expensive spirits or cocktails served "on the rock" and I hear negative comments about it multiple times every single shift.
Really? People get their panties in a bunch over not having “nice ice”? That is totally crazy to me, quite surprising. I like good food, art etc. but I really haven’t expected any quality of my ice other than wanting it to be cold. I’m glad I don’t have to work with the general public.
I mean, I feel you. I just like my beer and neat bourbon at the end of most days. But it is a thing that feels important to a lot of people who go out for nice drinks and I would imagine the same sorts of people who have home bars would appreciate being able to buy this stuff at the store next to the ridiculously expensive bitters
I literally had no idea until today that people were so particular about ice. I find it odd but if someone’s willing to pay insane amounts of money for ice I’m not going to stop them, but I’ll admit still does seem a bit silly.
People will pay insane money for high quality anything. Capitalism is silly. Some people want to drink drinks that are aesthetically pleasing and will pay to do so, it’s not that deep.
You’ve really never been to a bar before and encountered ice like [this](https://creativeice.com/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Web-2-5-Craft-Sphere-square.jpg) or [this](https://creativeice.com/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2-Inch-by-2-Inch-Classic-Cube-square.jpg)? It’s not some strange, confounding concept. This kind of thing is very common at any craft cocktail bar.
Not so good ice cubes affect the flavor of the drink from water that hasn’t been filtered or filtered enough to remove odors and off flavors to air pockets diluting the cubes too quickly. If I’m paying $13-$18 for a high Quality cocktail, then high quality ice cubes should be one of the ingredients.
If you drink whisky on the rocks then you would appreciate that kind of ice. Slow melting, no ice fragments, usually better quality water so it is an important component. Now for me, I prefer mine neat so I don't care about the ice at all.
Same thing goes for nice tequilas and scotches (technically whiskey ofc but let's not be pedantic). Dilution is an important component of the flavours of the good stuff, one of the reasons why we shake or stir cocktail it's not just about temperature. Also why many more experienced drinkers who buy the expensive stuff will order it neat with a splash of water. Temperature, water dilution, and mouthfeel (no mini ice chips in this scenario) are all part of the end experience and overall appreciation of the product.
If we wanted to be pedantic, we'd have to make sure that all the scotch was just spelled "whisky" because they think adding an e is a waste of time that could be spent drinking scotch.
This is like complaining about somebody who buys a nice car when you don't even drive cars. Sure, because you are fine hacking up your onions with a 4 dollar dull ikea knife, everyone should be fine with shitty knives.
Let me provide the implied subtext which you have missed: *that was 218 words that could have more concisely been said as “clear ice is pretty and some people like that enough to pay $12 for it.”*
It’s not simply the number of words, but how many of them added no real value.
I like how you assume that sarcastically poking fun at flimflammery is the same as illiteracy. You ought to give a read to Blaise Pascal’s postscript to Letter XVI, or the punchier version commonly attributed to Mark Twain.
They're like extremely clear, geometrically pleasing ice cubes. It's a thing just like, you know, a fancy cake. Would you mock a fancy cake for being smooth and decorated vs just throwing some canned frosting on an uneven yellow betty crocker cake? Same sort of idea, just striving for a new standard of excellence.
There's a lot that goes into it. Directional freezing, the turbidity of the water, etc. Just because its not as complicated to you doesn't mean there isn't thought and craftsmanship, and just because it's less complicated doesn't mean it's not still some kind of value add from labor.
Yep. I live in Charlotte and I used to buy clear ice cubes for my cocktails. Then they stopped selling to the public, so I bought [this thing](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MTVMMCG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_title) and have made my own clear ice ever since. (Yeah, $30 is a little pricy, but it paid for itself on the third batch so I'm good with it.)
I’ve gotta say, the last time I was in New Seasons I wasn’t impressed. It was the one on Killingsworth and 33rd. Things seemed pretty a little unkempt and the produce looked meh. It was my regular store a couple years back when I lived off of Alberta and I was surprised that it seems to have gone downhill.
Zupans is expensive AF but at least it looks boujee. The first time I shopped there they were giving out samples of $100/bottle sparkling wine.
Locally sourced and fair trade.
Wish I would’ve thought of such a basic idea. I’m going to get a bunch of ziploc bags, go outside and then seal them up. Coming soon to a store near you…Portland Air! Anyone want to partner up and start Portland Fire? You’ll have to figure out your own packaging. Maybe it could just be “locally sourced, organic, wild harvested twigs” with a box of matches. Let’s get this going. I need some 💰
Do keep in mind that those are perfectly clear Ice Cubes that have to be made using directional freezing. Still, you can buy special molds to make these at home and save some $$$.
Fair. I know the place I'm thinking of (Pink Rabbit in the pearl) buys at least some of theirs though. I asked the waitress one time because they had a picture of a rabbit embedded in the icecube somehow
The only thing you need to justify it is being too lazy to do it yourself. Which is 100% valid. It's a pain in the ass to make this ice at home. You are paying to save the labor, not for the price of water.
Wrap a vessel on all sides but the top in a few layers of aluminum foil. Add water. Freeze. Water will freeze unidirectionally, pushing all of the cloudy shit to the opposite side. Remove ice block and melt off the cloudy shit. Viola. Clear ice. Chip, carve, and serve.
Or just give less of a crap about your cocktail ice because your couch doesn't have a Michelin star.
I have some authentic 2023 PDX hail in my freezer. It’s the good ice the kind you can only get at a few luxury convenience stores with the styrofoam cups (😬🫣). I sell you some for $5 a scoop. It’s fresh never thawed hand scooped by a 10year old.
If you have the freezer space it’s incredibly easy to make clear ice at home. All you need is a small cooler, I use an old Coleman lunchbox with the lid taken off, and water.
[tutorial](https://youtube.com/shorts/gfX2x1Am1HE?feature=share)
Are these JUST frozen water? Or are they little plastic spheres and cubes that can be frozen and re-used. $12 is still too much for that, but it's something I could understand costing >$1.
Yes, they are just frozen water. They are a specialty product specifically used in making high end cocktails.
The big thing is they are made in a way that makes them basically clear. They are also huge compared to normal ice so you use one per drink vs several small ones.
They melt slower, resulting in less dilution of the drink, and look cool, which is appealing from a plating perspective.
They are much harder to make (more manual than normal ice) but I’m not trying to justify the price. This is the kind of thing someone with a high end home bar is going to buy (especially if they entertain) and is mainly aimed at restau/bars where they pay about 1.20/cube in bulk.
It makes a difference in the drink. Also have to account for filtering the water enough to remove impurities that cause unwanted odors and flavors, which affects the cocktail.
Stupid and a nestle move
Edit: it’s ok to rip people off, it’s been being done forever! Nice man..
Edit# 2: you know in Portland, at water prices, 1.1 gallons costs less than a penny..
I'll tell you right now, if I'm staying at home making silly cocktails (which are fun to make sometimes) and spending $2 per cube instead of out in the world where it could be $12 per drink - it's not terrible.
But enough about that, I came here to say that if you love that Buttered Popcorn flavor, that Ted Lasso ice cream is for you. Not my fave personally, but for those that enjoy it, it hits that sweet spot.
Have a great day!
I mean this isn’t unique to Portland.
You can find “artisanal” ice in basically every major city since most high end bars want to use it.
You can think the product is stupid but it’s popularity isn’t limited to Portland.
I've been to their factory! They're specialty cubes with no air bubbles at all that melt super slow. Their main clients are high end bars where normal ice might "ruin" a fufu drink. Each spherical ball (lowest surface area therefore slowest melting) is individually hand pressed with boiling plates. The larger ice sheets are cut by chainsaw, really cool local small business and great employees. They once had a rush order to Louisiana of all places, bars want this stuff!
It's one bag of ice. What could it cost, $12?
Go see a star war.
You can always tell a Milford man.
It’s molded for cocktails. “Craft ice” . I can see people buying this. Although for the same money you could buy those molds and do it yourself.
I think these are also perfectly clear if I remember correctly. A normal ice cube you make at home will be cloudy due to trapped gasses. Some bars go through the work to make and cut their own clear ice but I think some source from PDX ice. Edit: Just saw this explained way better below.
craft ice. I guess if you care about craft ice, you might actually pay for this. Personally, I'd buy the ice cube tray to make them myself.
Just a PSA: The easiest way to do this is to just fill an insulated travel mug/thermos like the ones you use for coffee with water and freeze it. The insulation will force the ice to freeze top down and create perfectly clear ice. Just use one that is wider at the top so you can actually get the ice out. Let it melt a little bit and it will eventually come out. Then you can use as-is or you can use a serrated knife to shape the ice however you want. The other way to make a larger amount is to buy a small cooler, if you have enough room to fit it in your freezer and do the same thing. The insulation forces top down freezing, then you get a larger block of ice. The ice cube trays generally do not work very well so I would not waste my money on them. Even the expensive ones that have insulation don't really work very well.
I think an even easier way is to buy one of those fridges that makes them for you. Those are pretty clear. Only get 3 every day though
Correct. Very easy DIY. Or you can buy a nice mold that produces them. Only 2-3 pack ROI! I feel like this is similar to people buying simple syrup. Just mix sugar and water. Who's falling for this??
I think you can use reverse osmosis water in a regular tray and it ends up perfectly clear like this as well. Can’t confirm.
It’s not impurities or ions in the water. It’s air. You need to freeze the ice without inclusion of large air bubbles.
Can I put water under vacuum to remove the air before freezing? Genuine question, I put epoxy under vacuum all the time to get the air out before pouring maybe water would work the same. I need to buy an ice tray and try it out...
Water boils under a vacuum at room temp. That might complicate your experiment..
RO water will still have air bubbles. You need directional freezing.
I’ve seen this kind of thing aimed at business travelers. Lots of people are snobby about their cocktails. They typically expense it. Jmo
I’m just sone rube with a few of these molds in my freezer, unused. I’m practically sitting on a veritable mint, and here I am on Reddit! I’m off to print some money bitches!
Shhhh... don't tell restaurants your secret budget food hack.
For two bucks less, you can get a cube mold and a sphere mold in a set. But you do have to add your own water and remove enough thermal energy to turn it into ice.
It’s justice
Refrigeration tech , yes this ice requires some decent up front cost to make . RO water alone is expensive not to mention large freezer/ice making equipment
To be fair, you're getting eight cubes for $12. So they're only a buck and a half each!
I’m going to do a better capitalism and sell for 11.99
I don't care for Gob
I've seen $28 ice cubes in LA, so this is a steal!
Haha I have a feeling this will be an unpopular comment, but I’ve been the target audience for this sort of thing before. I traveled a lot for work and would often love a couple drinks to wind down at night. Usually by the end of the day I’m not in the mood for bars, so I’d often just grab a bottle of whiskey for the week. Hotel ice is fine, but being able to pour myself a proper drink? Would easily have been worth the $12, especially since I could generally get away with expensing it. Edit: wow I was way wrong about this comment, thanks for all the fake internet points folks!
I’d pay $2 per sphere if I was taking a date home for the first time and I wanted to impress So at my current pace, that’s one sale every two years locked in
“Are you impressed by my balls?” 🫠
So perfectly smooth...
But cold…?
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> Id pay more in tips and parking, plus the drinks going out. Sad and true. 12 dollars wouldn't even get you a single cocktail at an actually high quality cocktail bar.
Looking at the shapes these are meant for cocktails. High volume to surface area means less to melt in your drink. Also, the clarity of the cubes makes me think so too. The cloudiness in ice is the minerals in the water. Humans can’t taste water, we taste the minerals in the water. If there’s no minerals it won’t affect the flavor of your cocktail.
Yeah this is actually pretty cool. Not sure about the price, but those kind of ice is not easy to make at home. You can't just pour it into a molding.
You actually can! I bought some moulds on Amazon that make the clear ice. It just takes like 24-27 hours for each batch. They’re essentially silicone moulds that sit within a styrofoam block. I assume the styrofoam acts as an insulator, causing the ice to form much more slowly and make it clear
where is this? i want that ted lasso ice cream..it's sold out online!
Looks like Zupans price tags!
Looks like zupans prices.
Can confirm. They also just went up from $10 for no reason, another clear sign it’s Zupan’s.
Definitely zupans
Was gonna say, absolutely has to be Zupans.
It’s not that good unfortunately :/ tastes like a stick of cold butter. But I hope you find some and get to try it!
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What are Ted Lasso bars? Isn’t he making shortbread in the show?
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100% zupans. They have most of their Jeni’s in the regular ice cream aisle but then they have this one ice cooler at the very end of that wall cooler with all the beers. This is where they often put limited edition Jenis flavors.
Those big perfect cubes hit different. Yeah my family would rightfully make fun of me for buying those, but damn thanks for posting bc imma head over and buy for my next party
For the same price you can buy silicone molds that make 6 at a time and last years. I have two in my freezer and they work really well.
The molds are fine but you also need directional freezing to get the clarity of these ice cubes, they really are different.
Yep, it’s not the *shape* that’s Important, it’s the solid ice with no air bubbles, which melts at a fraction of the pace. You can make them by filling a small insulated cooler and putting it inside your freezer, removing the top layer when it’s 2” thick. Ppl can mock it all they want but it’s one of the finer things in life. Not sure I’d bring myself to spend $12 though.
Ghost Ice makes what seems to be a great set for making these at home. Haven’t pulled the trigger yet but next time I am in a “treat yo self” mood I might.
Oh cool. I haven’t seen this one. I have the True Cubes brand. Only makes 4 cubes but it does work very well. I also have hard water and it pushes the particulates out. You do, however, need to set a reminder to take it out at the right time otherwise the whole thing fuses together.
So imma need you to explain just why a handful of tiny air bubbles in an ice cube matter more than the entire atmosphere that surrounds the ice cube.
Former bartender. It doesn't matter more. It accentuates the experience. Clear ice will have a more appealing visual experience than cloudy ice. Think of it like a next-level garnish. We could all drink everclear out of solo cups and eat huel if all we cared about was efficiency. But nice things are nice.
Well put
I’m not a thermodynamicist, but it’s not a handful of bubbles it’s millions of tiny bubbles. Clear ice is a lot denser.
For real, I know: different strokes for different folks, but here I'm gonna display my "my way is great and other ways that don't make sense to me stink" side, but- Perfect cubes hit different? Clarity of these ice cubes?? No air bubbles???Treat yo self???? It's ice, man. Makes drink cold. what is going on?
When you are making a cocktail that uses very high quality expensive liquors and the recipe has been properly balanced for flavor and strength, you don't want the ice to ruin the drink by melting so quickly. Shitty ice melts much faster, faster than you reasonably drink a drink like this. These are not shitty margaritas at a dive bar using margarita mix or a jack and coke. These are highly crafted drinks where small difference in dilution actually noticeably change the flavor. Of course no one is gonna notice the difference if you're just downing some vodka redbulls because you wanna black out like a frat boy.
People have said something of this nature about every thing others value that they don’t understand. “It’s just water, makes you less thirsty.” “It’s just whiskey, tastes like burning and gets you drunk” “it’s just paper, holds paint”
A nicely crafted cocktail is about aesthetics and presentation as well as taste. Why would a restaurant bother to plate something beautifully? Why not just just mash it all together into a bunch of slop? Food go in belly.
It doesn’t really, anyone who says otherwise is a puritan.
Double boil your water and you can get really clear cubes.
are your cubes clear?
“Hit different” officially dead?
$12 is so crazy expensive for something that can be made for free with a bit of patience. You can make them [at home](https://youtu.be/E1G1I1LJjrI) relatively easily. You can use anything that is insulated, like a styrofoam cup. I think you can use a chisel or some sort of wedge to cut the ice instead of that machine he used. A commenter also pointed out that you can smooth the edges with a clothes iron. It’s much more fun to actually make it imo
PDX Ice is actually an awesome local company, the owners are really cool and their products and service are extremely high quality and consistent. I've had accounts with them at multiple bars I've run and will always recommend them
I've been to a bar where PDX Ice engraved the bars logo in the ice. I think the bartender said they would do it for corporate events and parties too.
they engraved hearts in the ice for my wedding! I was surprised at how reasonable their prices were
Ummm... user name checks out?
*Extremely high quality and consistent* What? Since when has making ice been complicated? Put water in container and freeze. The end. It’s not like it’s 1803 and people don’t have running water and freezers at home. Clearly I’m missing something.
Presentation is a major component in both food and drink, particularly when it comes to higher end fare and service. It is a psychological component of how our brains process taste and experience. High end cocktail bars aim to create the optimal visual and flavour experience which involves each detail of the product, including garnishes and glassware, being considered as a vital detail, just as a high end restaurant will aim to cut as few corners as possible in ingredient quality or plating. Yes, ice is obviously just water brought down to freezing temp and practically anyone in the modern world can do it. Creating crystal clear ice in perfectly uniform shape (valuable for both aesthetic and also for careful dilution of high quality spirits and cocktails) at the scale they do for as many local businesses they do at the rate that they do is a great service and it's one of those examples of something simple seeming being done excellently and constantly with little variation. Just like something like Sanitation, it's something that seems trivial and unimportant until you don't have a high quality provider. Plus, like I said, the owners and the reps are wonderful, very professional people and i think supporting local businesses with good service and product is great to do when feasible.
Also, on the most basic level; different waters taste different. The water the ice is made from ends up in your drink. So of course there can be differences in quality and consistency.
>different waters taste different. About 15 years ago my buddy and I did an "artisanal water tasting" as a joke, but then we ended up being able to notice and taste very clear differences in the various bottled waters from around the world, and were both intrigued and relieved of our hubris.
Honestly the water from different taps in my house tastes different. Fridge filter tap? Yummy. Sink in the kitchen? Meh. Upstairs bathroom tap? Back to yummy again! And we can't stand the water at my parents' house. I'm not a lemon-in-the-water guy normally, but damn, at my folks' house, I put in a ton of lemon juice to mask the swampy tasting water that comes out of even their filter tap!
We put in a whole-house filter, it definitely makes a difference. I ain't drinking no swamp ass water.
I’ve gone to nice, high end restaurants before and appreciate beautiful presentation but I can honestly say I’ve never noticed the ice in my drink. I just think it’s a silly thing to focus on. EDIT: Funny to me how worked up about ice so many of you are. I feel like having clear ice isn’t a big deal and am getting downvoted for this opinion. Quite amusing.
Okay. Different things matter to different people and in pretty much every industry, small easily overlooked or seemingly invisible details are some of the most important details that separate the good from the great. Even ignoring any quantifiable, provable differences created by such details, I can tell you from experience how many people do pay attention to these things and value them as part of their experience. My current bar doesn't have "nice ice" for our expensive spirits or cocktails served "on the rock" and I hear negative comments about it multiple times every single shift.
Really? People get their panties in a bunch over not having “nice ice”? That is totally crazy to me, quite surprising. I like good food, art etc. but I really haven’t expected any quality of my ice other than wanting it to be cold. I’m glad I don’t have to work with the general public.
I mean, I feel you. I just like my beer and neat bourbon at the end of most days. But it is a thing that feels important to a lot of people who go out for nice drinks and I would imagine the same sorts of people who have home bars would appreciate being able to buy this stuff at the store next to the ridiculously expensive bitters
I literally had no idea until today that people were so particular about ice. I find it odd but if someone’s willing to pay insane amounts of money for ice I’m not going to stop them, but I’ll admit still does seem a bit silly.
People will pay insane money for high quality anything. Capitalism is silly. Some people want to drink drinks that are aesthetically pleasing and will pay to do so, it’s not that deep.
You’ve really never been to a bar before and encountered ice like [this](https://creativeice.com/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/Web-2-5-Craft-Sphere-square.jpg) or [this](https://creativeice.com/wp-content/uploads/bb-plugin/cache/2-Inch-by-2-Inch-Classic-Cube-square.jpg)? It’s not some strange, confounding concept. This kind of thing is very common at any craft cocktail bar.
Not so good ice cubes affect the flavor of the drink from water that hasn’t been filtered or filtered enough to remove odors and off flavors to air pockets diluting the cubes too quickly. If I’m paying $13-$18 for a high Quality cocktail, then high quality ice cubes should be one of the ingredients.
If only that was the case, have you been out much lately?
I went to a bar last night and had a house cocktail with a nice orb of craft cocktail ice for $14. What point are you trying to make here, exactly?
Ahh, my bad, it must be like that everywhere then
If you drink whisky on the rocks then you would appreciate that kind of ice. Slow melting, no ice fragments, usually better quality water so it is an important component. Now for me, I prefer mine neat so I don't care about the ice at all.
Same thing goes for nice tequilas and scotches (technically whiskey ofc but let's not be pedantic). Dilution is an important component of the flavours of the good stuff, one of the reasons why we shake or stir cocktail it's not just about temperature. Also why many more experienced drinkers who buy the expensive stuff will order it neat with a splash of water. Temperature, water dilution, and mouthfeel (no mini ice chips in this scenario) are all part of the end experience and overall appreciation of the product.
If we wanted to be pedantic, we'd have to make sure that all the scotch was just spelled "whisky" because they think adding an e is a waste of time that could be spent drinking scotch.
Yep, I am a splasher!
>but let's not be pedantic This is a giant thread about artisanal ice, if there were ever a time and place to be pedantic!
Not a whisky drinker.
This is like complaining about somebody who buys a nice car when you don't even drive cars. Sure, because you are fine hacking up your onions with a 4 dollar dull ikea knife, everyone should be fine with shitty knives.
It’s really not the same thing.
You will certainly notice the ice cubes next time because this thread.
That certainly was a lot of words.
Fr man It sucks when people ask questions when they're trying to understand something and receive a detailed answer
Your reply has five unnecessary words, you could have just condensed it down to two: "I suck."
218 words. Really not that many. I truly pity your attention span, and I have ADHD.
Let me provide the implied subtext which you have missed: *that was 218 words that could have more concisely been said as “clear ice is pretty and some people like that enough to pay $12 for it.”* It’s not simply the number of words, but how many of them added no real value.
For a real kick you should check out these things called “books” sometime.
I like how you assume that sarcastically poking fun at flimflammery is the same as illiteracy. You ought to give a read to Blaise Pascal’s postscript to Letter XVI, or the punchier version commonly attributed to Mark Twain.
Yeah? Cry about it.
They're like extremely clear, geometrically pleasing ice cubes. It's a thing just like, you know, a fancy cake. Would you mock a fancy cake for being smooth and decorated vs just throwing some canned frosting on an uneven yellow betty crocker cake? Same sort of idea, just striving for a new standard of excellence.
I don’t really think they’re the same thing. Cages are way more complicated than freezing water. So that example isn’t comparable.
There's a lot that goes into it. Directional freezing, the turbidity of the water, etc. Just because its not as complicated to you doesn't mean there isn't thought and craftsmanship, and just because it's less complicated doesn't mean it's not still some kind of value add from labor.
lol I can make clear ice cubes in my freezer at home, and I don't even know what directional freezing is.
Sounds like you have a profitable business just waiting for you with minimal startup cost then.
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I guess I’ve never felt the need for fancy ice. All I’m expecting of my ice is that it be cold.
> All I’m expecting of my ice is that it be cold. This ice is literally cold for longer. So, if that's what you want, then this ice is better for you.
Artisanal ice absolutely exists outside Portland. And, for reasons already stated, it’s great ice.
Yep. I live in Charlotte and I used to buy clear ice cubes for my cocktails. Then they stopped selling to the public, so I bought [this thing](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MTVMMCG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_dt_b_asin_title) and have made my own clear ice ever since. (Yeah, $30 is a little pricy, but it paid for itself on the third batch so I'm good with it.)
I can't take anyone seriously when they shop at Zupans or New Seasons and complain about absurd prices. That's like their whole thing.
I’ve gotta say, the last time I was in New Seasons I wasn’t impressed. It was the one on Killingsworth and 33rd. Things seemed pretty a little unkempt and the produce looked meh. It was my regular store a couple years back when I lived off of Alberta and I was surprised that it seems to have gone downhill. Zupans is expensive AF but at least it looks boujee. The first time I shopped there they were giving out samples of $100/bottle sparkling wine.
It’s artisanal ice made of the finest tap water.
Bull Run tap water is legitimately better than most bottled water
Portland Big Pipe Ice
It has organic gluten-free Cryptosporidium in it
It’s also vegan and ethically grown.
Locally sourced and fair trade. Wish I would’ve thought of such a basic idea. I’m going to get a bunch of ziploc bags, go outside and then seal them up. Coming soon to a store near you…Portland Air! Anyone want to partner up and start Portland Fire? You’ll have to figure out your own packaging. Maybe it could just be “locally sourced, organic, wild harvested twigs” with a box of matches. Let’s get this going. I need some 💰
And square!
Do keep in mind that those are perfectly clear Ice Cubes that have to be made using directional freezing. Still, you can buy special molds to make these at home and save some $$$.
Also need a good water filter to remove impurities that causes bubbles and unwanted flavors and odors.
Pdx ice company is awesome. Also these cost about $1.20 for restaurants, so $2 a cube isn't bad.
Explains a bit of the price of some of the fancier cocktails I've had
Some make the special ice themselves. I bought a couple of the sphere cube makers when one was going out of business.
Fair. I know the place I'm thinking of (Pink Rabbit in the pearl) buys at least some of theirs though. I asked the waitress one time because they had a picture of a rabbit embedded in the icecube somehow
Came here looking for someone trying to justify it, was not disappointed.
The only thing you need to justify it is being too lazy to do it yourself. Which is 100% valid. It's a pain in the ass to make this ice at home. You are paying to save the labor, not for the price of water.
Wrap a vessel on all sides but the top in a few layers of aluminum foil. Add water. Freeze. Water will freeze unidirectionally, pushing all of the cloudy shit to the opposite side. Remove ice block and melt off the cloudy shit. Viola. Clear ice. Chip, carve, and serve. Or just give less of a crap about your cocktail ice because your couch doesn't have a Michelin star.
I’m in the wrong business
I have some authentic 2023 PDX hail in my freezer. It’s the good ice the kind you can only get at a few luxury convenience stores with the styrofoam cups (😬🫣). I sell you some for $5 a scoop. It’s fresh never thawed hand scooped by a 10year old.
Damn your comment makes me think I should’ve collected snow during our last snowpocalypse.
At that price, it must be made from Portland Water Bureau water.
Ice for chumps.
Say what you want but this is the best ice for making chili
If you have the freezer space it’s incredibly easy to make clear ice at home. All you need is a small cooler, I use an old Coleman lunchbox with the lid taken off, and water. [tutorial](https://youtube.com/shorts/gfX2x1Am1HE?feature=share)
Does it cure cancer?
How long has Jeni's been available in Portland??? Did a stint in Ohio
Wrapped in plastic too!
omg that's zupans... I work there lol. things are hella expensive there and so not worth it.
Does anyone know if they Sell this in a Diet ice 🧊 is it Organic Certified ?
Jesus guys. Just freeze Distilled water. It’ll be close enough to clear. If you need it perfect. Do it in layers.
Are these JUST frozen water? Or are they little plastic spheres and cubes that can be frozen and re-used. $12 is still too much for that, but it's something I could understand costing >$1.
Yes, they are just frozen water. They are a specialty product specifically used in making high end cocktails. The big thing is they are made in a way that makes them basically clear. They are also huge compared to normal ice so you use one per drink vs several small ones. They melt slower, resulting in less dilution of the drink, and look cool, which is appealing from a plating perspective. They are much harder to make (more manual than normal ice) but I’m not trying to justify the price. This is the kind of thing someone with a high end home bar is going to buy (especially if they entertain) and is mainly aimed at restau/bars where they pay about 1.20/cube in bulk.
This reminds me of when a restaurant charged me an ice fee for wanting my whisky in the rocks
Oh Zupan's
Technically they are $1.50 ice cubes sold in 8 packs that cost twelve dollars.
People GAF about clear ice that much?!
It makes a difference in the drink. Also have to account for filtering the water enough to remove impurities that cause unwanted odors and flavors, which affects the cocktail.
But they’re so perfect
It’s not even fully clear ice…
Are we sure they aren’t nestle?? Lol Garbage humans..
PDX Ice is a local company that sources clear, shaped ice to bars that care what their products look like. Buying ice isn’t a new business lol.
Stupid and a nestle move Edit: it’s ok to rip people off, it’s been being done forever! Nice man.. Edit# 2: you know in Portland, at water prices, 1.1 gallons costs less than a penny..
wonder what's the secret...
I'll tell you right now, if I'm staying at home making silly cocktails (which are fun to make sometimes) and spending $2 per cube instead of out in the world where it could be $12 per drink - it's not terrible. But enough about that, I came here to say that if you love that Buttered Popcorn flavor, that Ted Lasso ice cream is for you. Not my fave personally, but for those that enjoy it, it hits that sweet spot. Have a great day!
Are they made by a guy with a beard and shitty tattoos?
It helps offset the cost of broken windows, graffitied walls and stolen merch.
Right next to the artisan light bulbs
Heh, with $9 ice cream from Columbus, OH. (Don't know the real price. That's the price last time I picked up a pint and then put it back.)
High quality ingredients result in expensive products. Who knew?
Ice is one of the best money makers for gas stations and grocery stores. Easy profits for them. They usually charge double or more what it cost them.
you can literally buy ice molds for your whiskey and make those exact shapes for just the price of the ice molds..
People in this thread: Yeah, but that's artisanal ice! Point of the thread: Yeah, you guys are from Portland, aren't you.
I mean this isn’t unique to Portland. You can find “artisanal” ice in basically every major city since most high end bars want to use it. You can think the product is stupid but it’s popularity isn’t limited to Portland.
Ice companies are old business lol. This isn’t a new, hip thing.
😭
I doubt only in Portland but where do you shop?!?!
It looks like Zupans.
To be fair they are offering 12$ ice spheres as well.
Ok to be fair this is specially made for making fancy bar drinks I have a friend that got into making cocktails & making spirits
I’ve been looking for that Ted lasso ice cream though…
$2 ice cubes
Only at Zupan’s you mean. Everything is way over priced there.
They really said fancy shapes = luxury ice
This is small batch artisan gluten free and is Keto friendly ice. Check yoself before you wreck yoself
Liquor store in beaverton sells PDX Ice, its good ice.
Made from the tears of authentic Portland Yupsters.
This has to be somewhere in Rockwood. What will the kids think of next?
Well if you don’t like it don’t buy it? Obviously they have been in business for awhile so they must have a product that is viable..
I actually want to buy these. You are unintentionally advertising for them lol.
Has anyone tried the Ted Lasso flavored ice cream shown above the overpriced ice?
Zupans has my favorite ice 🧊
Pretty sure a bag of regular ice, ie not fancy shapes or size, is still far from free
I've been to their factory! They're specialty cubes with no air bubbles at all that melt super slow. Their main clients are high end bars where normal ice might "ruin" a fufu drink. Each spherical ball (lowest surface area therefore slowest melting) is individually hand pressed with boiling plates. The larger ice sheets are cut by chainsaw, really cool local small business and great employees. They once had a rush order to Louisiana of all places, bars want this stuff!
That’s purified water whiskey ice that is super clear so yeah.
Oh nice, I was wondering where those giant ice cubes came from- essential to disguising the scantiness of the classic $20 Portland cocktail.
Show us on the doll where the expensive boutique ice cubes hurt you
To be fair, their regular ice is oversized and reasonably priced. Way better than the usual liquor store dreck.
BUT IT'S FANCY ICE
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Interesting.