PLAIN LANGUAGE · KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Clear ice glossary.
Terms, plainly.

Some of the words used around clear ice are technical, some are bar slang, some are physics. We get asked about all of them. Here is a plain-language reference. Use what is useful.

Production & structure

• Clear ice. Ice that is optically transparent because it has been frozen with techniques (typically directional freezing) that push out trapped air, minerals and odours.
• Cloudy ice. Standard freezer ice. The white core is trapped air, dissolved minerals from tap water, and absorbed odours.
• Directional freezing. Freezing water from one side only by insulating the others. Air and impurities are pushed ahead of the freeze front instead of trapped inside, producing clarity.
• Filtered water. Water with minerals, chlorine and dissolved gases removed. The starting point for any serious clear ice production.
• Surface area to volume ratio. Surface exposed to liquid relative to mass. Lower ratio = slower melt. Spheres have the lowest ratio.

Shapes

• Sphere. Ball-shaped clear ice, typically 5.5 cm. Slowest melt rate. Used most for whisky neat. See sphere →
• Cube. Square clear ice, typically 5 cm or 5.5 cm. Standard for spirit-forward cocktails. See cube →
• Cylinder. Tall round clear ice, typically 4 cm by 11 cm. Highballs, cold brew. See cylinder →
• Column. Tall square clear ice, 4 by 4 by 10 cm or 3.5 by 3.5 by 11 cm. Narrow tall glassware. See column →
• Engraved cube. Clear cube with a logo, monogram or guest name engraved into one face. 2 to 3 day lead time. See engraved →

Service & handling

• Tempering. Resting a frozen cube at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes before liquid contact. Prevents thermal-shock cracks.
• Thermal shock. The sudden temperature change that can crack a deeply-frozen cube when liquid hits it. Mitigated by tempering and slow pouring.
• Pour technique. Pouring liquid down the inside wall of the glass, not directly onto the ice. Reduces shock and preserves the ice surface.
• Insulated delivery. Transporting ice in vacuum-insulated containers so it arrives at venue temperature, not melted.
• Same-day delivery. Delivered the same day as the order is placed. We aim for this on orders confirmed by 2 PM, traffic permitting.

In the drink

• Dilution. Water added to the drink as ice melts. Slow dilution is good. Cloudy ice dilutes faster than clear ice.
• Melt rate. How quickly an ice piece melts. Driven by surface area to volume ratio.
• Neat. Spirit served at room temperature, no ice, no mixer.
• On the rocks. Spirit served over ice. With clear ice, typically a 5 cm cube or 5.5 cm sphere.
• Old Fashioned. Classic spirit-forward cocktail (bourbon/rye + sugar + bitters + orange peel + clear cube). See recipe →
• Highball. Long drink: spirit + larger volume mixer in a tall glass over a clear cylinder. See recipe →

More reading.

Why clear ice tastes better →
How clear ice is made →
Clear ice care guide →