One Ice Cube Trick Bourbon Drinkers Swear By For Smoother Sips

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Bourbon is one of those things; it's more of a hobby than a drink. Lovers of the charred oak aged bourbon spend years trying to perfect its preparation for optimal taste and presentation. There are debates over whether to serve the drink in a cocktail, on its own, with a twist of lemon for aromatics, or neat in a rocks glass. Others prefer bourbon with ice, a seemingly spare addition that can transform the drink entirely. Still, some bourbons simply must be sipped over ice. Yes, when it comes to bourbon, ice is serious business. Ice cools the liquor down and changes its flavor profile. Additionally, the water let off by melting ice can help to dilute your bourbon, mellowing out the flavor. 

From choosing the best shape, to using fresh, filtered water, there are many important aspects of ice-making for bourbon. However, even the most seasoned bourbon drinker might be missing this step to make the best possible ice cube: heating up your water beforehand. Using hot water will produce clearer, more dense cubes. It isn't just aesthetically pleasing; clear ice is also vital for crafting the perfect drink. Simply put, clear ice is more dense and will melt slower, preventing a watery bourbon. Boiling your water, or even just heating it up, can help to remove any air bubbles in your water, which are the primary causes of cloudy ice. 

It should be noted that this hot water hack will only help with cloudy patches in your ice. It cannot remove them entirely. So, what if you want a completely clear ice cube — is that even possible? The short answer is yes. However, it will require special equipment. The best way to make clear ice is to use the directional freezing method. You can utilize this method by pouring water into an un-lidded insulated cooler and placing it in a freezer. This will allow your ice to freeze in one direction, rather than all at once. In this case, the ice will freeze from the top down. This will cause your ice to freeze clearly, pushing the cloudiness to one side, which can easily be chipped away once removed from the freezer.

Now, if this is too intricate of a process for you, there are other options. For those who don't have the freezer space to fit a whole cooler, you're in luck. You can buy specialty ice cube makers, such as the Tinana Upgrade 2-Inch Clear Ice Cube Tray, that utilize directional freezing without taking up a lion's share of the freezer. To maximize your ice's clarity, you can boil or heat up your water before adding it to the ice maker, and make sure to use filtered water for the best, purest result. Once frozen, you can carve into squares and serve in your favorite glass with your most prized bourbon. Sip and taste the results for yourself.