How to make CLEAR ICE at home 🧊Never before seen method🧊Jaw Dropping Results

Рет қаралды 60,405

2 жыл бұрын

NOTE You can skip the battery section if you don't mind plugging the water pump into a wall outlet and having the cord hanging out of the freezer.
NOTE Lots of people have commented about filling the factory lid full of *expanding insulating foam*. It is very important to make the top as insulated as possible. Let us know if the foam works for you.
#clearice
We'll post some other tips soon. Cheers!
Calling all ice nerds, ice geniuses, and ice snobs: you’ve never not-seen ice so clear! There is no better method for DIY clear ice than this no-fail bottom-up directional freezing method. This is the finest, clearest professional-grade Clinebell cocktail ice you can make at home - for $100! Forget top-down, Bottoms Up is the only clear ice method you should use at home. Break the mold on clear ice and make the sexiest invisible ice in the world yourself. Painstakingly researched, tested, developed and approved along with Scott “Cushtender” Cushman by your friends at MIX Cocktail Hour.
DOWNLOADABLE TEMPLATE: workspace.cimediacloud.com/r/...
MATERIALS:
Igloo 12-qt Cooler: tinyurl.com/igloo12qt
Insulated Foam Board: tinyurl.com/pinkfoam
USB Batteries: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
OLFA Knife: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Dewalt Panel Saw: www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-15...
120 Grit Sandpaper: www.homedepot.com/p/9-in-x-11...
Hot Glue Gun w/Sticks: www.homedepot.com/p/DEWALT-Ce...
2” Putty Knife: www.homedepot.com/p/Stanley-2...
Submersible Water Pump: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
Insulation Roll: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
Masking Tape: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...
Ruler: www.homedepot.com/p/Empire-18...
Insulated Pouch: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08...
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#clearice #cocktailice #invisibleice

Пікірлер: 265

@alcademics 2 жыл бұрын

That was thorough! Nice lookin' block. Thanks for the shoutout, I really appreciate it.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for your inspiring work in this obsession! Er... field.

@thepaperboy666 2 жыл бұрын

I had absolutely no intentions of doing this but I still watched the entire video and thoroughly enjoyed it.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! So glad you liked it. It'll be right here waiting for you if you ever change your mind...

@Guerilla_law3516 Жыл бұрын

My sentiments exactly, and additionally now my current simple topless cooler efforts can be compared to this and seem normal to my wife.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Hilarious! Cheers

@GIJha Жыл бұрын

You got me in the first line … “if you have found this video you have been on a long search” 😂😂😂😂 true that! And cheers!

@brittmurray9818 7 ай бұрын

Just made my first batch. Worked great and my family was amazed. The cutting was a challenge, so I need to work on my technique, but the ice was super clear. I ended up just running a flat USB extension cord from an outlet near the fridge straight into the freezer and it worked great. Thanks!

@MIXCocktailHour 7 ай бұрын

Great to hear it worked out for you! For the cutting, make sure the block is tempered and always start cutting large blocks in half. Keep cutting the halves in half. We'll do a full cutting tutorial soon. Happy Holidays.

@Thebackson 6 ай бұрын

I was thnking about the same thing with the usb. Much cheaper and easier to just run a usb extension out of the freezer.

@mattdaddy8055 2 жыл бұрын

This is a whole new level of cocktail nerdery! Stick with it guys, I got a feeling this channel is gonna blow up

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

We take that as a compliment around here!! Thanks for your support, Matt!

@katherinewilliamson7025 2 жыл бұрын

Love these w individuals making cocktails and making clear ice! Awesome!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, Katherine!!

@BBQDad463 Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this excellent video. Now I gotta go buy some stuff... Again, thanks for this video.

@kentc4439 Жыл бұрын

That’s crazy cool!!

@DonoVideoProductions Жыл бұрын

I will never do this in my life. But it is wonderful that you dedicated yourself to this, clearly (ahem) described it, and shared it with us. Sometimes, it's enough to know that something like this exists in the world. It makes things just a little better.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Cheers

@demetriusgallitzin8859 Жыл бұрын

In the day of technology, what makes man happy is a damn clear block of ice. It's like when caveman controlled fire. Behold, ice!

@UnclePete 2 жыл бұрын

This is next level.

@TCDShow Жыл бұрын

WOW! Loved loved loved this video!! So freaking cool 😎 Highly educational! #VideoOfTheDay #WOW Thank you 🙏

@kkobwatchin 7 күн бұрын

I especially appreciate the info on failed devices, tools, depths, etc. That's extremely helpful in so many ways. Thanks.

@MIXCocktailHour 4 күн бұрын

Cheers!

@RichardWhiffen 2 жыл бұрын

That's some amazing looking ice!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Rich!! We were trying to impress you. 😎

@mattrolls618 2 жыл бұрын

So, as a U.K. resident I’m building this from what we have available. I have acquired a chest freezer and set it up in the basement, plus (at great difficulty) this exact model IGLOO cooler - which isn’t readily available in europe. The next step for me was sourcing the insulation foam, the pink panther 1” thick stuff you linked is definitely not available here (but has an R value per inch of thickness so I am selecting a similar grade PIR foam from Celotex) and a 50gpa USB pump. This equates to about 200 litres per hour for people who use metric & Amazon stocks them cheaply. Will not be going down the battery route though, I have built a sealed method of running a cable into the freezer from external power with a low power fuse to disconnect it if the pump freezes. Will comment results with European parts!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Can't wait for the results!

@quinrickman4467 2 жыл бұрын

Followed your method with a few modifications works great. I suggest putting the top in a food grade plastic bag to prevent insulation contaminating the ice. Very informative video.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Happy to hear that Quin. Great tip about the lid! Cheers!

@filmsaavy 2 жыл бұрын

Great video! Love the results.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Craig!! Future installation at the cocktail club??

@filmsaavy 2 жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Definitely!

@TameeHarrisonTV 2 жыл бұрын

Woohoo! Bottoms up!🍹

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

You know it!! ❄️

@zlambert0 2 жыл бұрын

thank you so much! Any ideas for making it in larger sizes? For a full cocktail bar

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

We'll do some thinking on that and get back to you. Thanks for watching!

@joeyhardin1288 11 ай бұрын

Thank you. You are a scientist, although maybe a MAD one. Great info and content. God Bless and stay safe.

@MIXCocktailHour 11 ай бұрын

lol... Cheers!

@nicolaslockheimers 9 ай бұрын

OMG that is THE most gorgeous piece of ice I've seen DIY'd... Congrats and Thank you!

@MIXCocktailHour 9 ай бұрын

Cheers mate!

@nicolaslockheimers 9 ай бұрын

I was unable to find the 12qt cooler, BUT I did get the 16qt size cooler. How high would you recommend I cut/remove the insulation?? My calculations estimate 4.6", but I'd rather confirm w you before I start cutting :)

@MIXCocktailHour 9 ай бұрын

That seems right based on our original calculations. Let us know how it goes. We have switched to plugging in the pump directly into am electrical outlet rather than using the batteries. We used the battery packs so we didn't need to run wires out of the freezer door. The wives were not happy about that esthetic so we moved the operation into the office freezer. Problem solved!

@nicolaslockheimers 9 ай бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHourIt took 4 days in my fridge freezer, but the results are stunning. The Cube is 11x8x4 inches and clear as glass!

@JaazznMaannn 6 ай бұрын

Niiiice, someone need to build this system ;)

@cynthiablagg4507 2 жыл бұрын

It’s the best!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

All it took was a little cooler surgery...

@jorgefiguerola1693 Жыл бұрын

Seems to be a growing culture with a fascination with super clear ice. More power to you! But I am at ease with processed ice with filtered water.. As with music, you can overwork it. Perfection is in the imperfections. Don't sap the soul out of your libation! Live and let live! JF Brrrr

@mindaugasjasinskas5511 Жыл бұрын

Hi,what is the best temperature to freeze?

@jrob6872 Жыл бұрын

this is awesome! might want to update some of these links to the products, if you're able.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We will be updating soon. Thanks for watching. Cheers

@themooseloungepodcast 24 күн бұрын

Definitely the most extensive way I've seen but if it works to each their own I guess I won't try it but apparently it makes awesome use. Wtg!!

@MIXCocktailHour 23 күн бұрын

It is a bit over the top but it was worth the effort. The clarity of the blocks are extraordinary. Cheers and thanks for watching!

@afrolystic Ай бұрын

You're doing the lord's work, bud!

@MIXCocktailHour Ай бұрын

Lol!

@joshcolquitt2873 2 жыл бұрын

I use a 20 gallon container in a chest freezer my block is 20"x12x10", I also us a fan at the bottom of my container which helps speed up the process and makes a more even block.It forces the air at the bottom like wind chill. along with pre chilling the water before putting into the container. I usually have a 4.5 day turn over per block.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the note Josh. Try starting with hot water. It sounds crazy but it might speed things up. Look up The Mpemba Effect. If you try it and it works, let us know. Cheers!

@janbergendahl 5 ай бұрын

@mixcocktailhour Thank you for great video :-). Can you freeze the ice as normal after its done and it stays perfect for a long time? I mean, will it get bad after a while in the freezer afterwards? I was thinking i could load up a big freezer with ready made clear ice over the winter and use pleanty in the summer :-).

@MIXCocktailHour 5 ай бұрын

Yes, absolutely. Just take the cubes out and let them temper before putting them in a glass with liquid. Putting in to liquid right out of the freezer will cause them to crack. Leaving them out for about 10 minutes should do the trick.

@janbergendahl 5 ай бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Thank you :-).

@TooooManyHobbies Жыл бұрын

We thank you for your service! lol

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Our pleasure! Cheers

@dj13579100 Жыл бұрын

You could try filling the lit with great stuff

@conceptrial3400 11 ай бұрын

What is the use of the pump, can't it be done without it. Thanks a lot for your content

@MIXCocktailHour 11 ай бұрын

You need to keep the water on top circulating so it doesn't freeze. That's for your support!

@ggalindezb Жыл бұрын

Thanks for all that research! I'm definitely giving it a shot. Q: I've got almost all materials but for the life of me, I can't get the same (or even similar) batteries. Any suggestions? I'm considering building an insulated casing for normal batteries using the same foam. I'm hoping the combination of insulation + thermal reflection from the batteries normal operation will be enough.

@taterman320241 Жыл бұрын

Feed it with dc from the outside of the freezer.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Plugging into a dc outlet is the way to go especially if you have a freezer in the garage. We developed the battery idea for the the folks that don't want the cords sticking out. Cheers!

@kkobwatchin 7 күн бұрын

Impressive. I'll give it a try soon. BUT...what do you do with the made ice to preserve it when you don't use immediately or that day or for several days?

@MIXCocktailHour 4 күн бұрын

When you remove the block, square it up as best you can and stick it back in the freezer until you have time to cut it up into usable cubes. We'll be doing a tutorial on the best way to do the cutting. Cheers.

@MrLiesAngeles Жыл бұрын

Take my drink neat now.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

You always drink alone?

@matlhound65 Жыл бұрын

I would LOVE to see a follow up video on the best ways to score and cut the ice into smaller cubes. I use the top-down method and the ice never breaks evenly.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Great idea. We'll post something before the holidays are over. Cheers

@barry4967 Жыл бұрын

Truly awesome. Wow! Thanks for showing us this.

@brentmack51 Жыл бұрын

Get 2 dumbell weights and a length of copper wire drape the wire over where you want to cut let gravity and induction cut like a lazer

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We need to try this!

@WastedHalo Жыл бұрын

Very nice looking Ice. What happens if you skip the pump and the batteries?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

You will have very cloudy ice

@homppi5705 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I might try to do something with this technique but with just a plastic box that I have made insulation for. Couldn’t you put the cable for the pump to come outside the freezer in between the door and plug it to the wall so you wouldn’t need to fuck with those batteries?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

A lot of people plug in the wall and hang the cord out. Not all significant others will allow that so we presented the battery option! Let us know how it goes!

@Guerilla_law3516 Жыл бұрын

Is filter water worth using? I notice you said tap. Kudos on a wonderful video.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Would only effect the taste. Thanks for the kind words!

@mattrolls618 2 жыл бұрын

This is some good work. I wonder if any of these particular products are available in the UK… Any particular reason for the battery packs instead of running a USB ribbon cable past the door seal into the freezer from external power?

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Matt! We did try external power but wanted to come up with a cleaner way to execute and present this method. Having an extension cord hanging out of the freezer not only looks odd but it is also a safety hazard. The batteries solved these two problems for us. If you can't find the exact supplies, make sure to find suitable replacements. For instance, a stronger pump with a Flow Rate higher than 50 GPH, it may circulate the water too much and slow down or prevent proper freezing. If you are able to build a version with different parts, please let us know how things work out for you! ~ Life Is Too Short To Use Cloudy Ice!

@quinrickman4467 2 жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour I’m using a 110 V cable plugged into a GFI Ground Fault Interrupter, my freezer is in the basement out of sight. For me it takes 5 days to complete the freezing cycle that would be a lot of battery re-charging.

@scottschiller Жыл бұрын

My fridge freezer drawer has only 12" height clearance. Does your build end up at just under 12", perchance? 😅 Thank you!

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

That wil not be enough clearance due to the lid. But... we are working on a version that wil enable you to use the lid that comes with the cooler and that should work for you. We'll be making the updated video sometime before the end of the year. We'll ping you when ready. Cheers!

@scottschiller Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Thanks for the info, and the quick reply. Assuming the same cooler, I can have the other pieces ready for whenever your next video lands. Looking forward to it! I've been tinkering since 2017 - blocks using a 6-pack cooler, then True Cubes, and as of yesterday, a Ghost 12-pack. A mini-sized DIY Clinebell-style is too tempting to resist. I will readily admit, it's clearly (zing) beyond just a passing interest at this point. 😆

@TCDShow Жыл бұрын

Wow 🤩

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Life is too short to use cloudy ice!

@schreitererstudio Жыл бұрын

You need to make that machine and put in sale !!!!🎉

@AngieWaltersTorus Жыл бұрын

So easy to boil water in my electric tea kettle. I use Brita or reverse osmosis water. When it cools, put it in my favorite size ice cube tray.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Life is too short to drink a cocktail with cloudy ice. Cheers.

@MarkNiceyard Жыл бұрын

Hoo, that's a bit of effort! I don't know, but if I just close my eyes while drinking then I don't see any air bubbles in my ice, too. :D

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Funny!

@HotShot424 2 жыл бұрын

I have attempted building something like this based on your video. I had to go with a smaller cooler due to size constraints on my freezer. I also ended up creating a spray foam lid due to the odd shape of the interior of the cooler I found. So far I've had mixed results. Currently the bottom section that had the insulation removed comes out very cloudy but everything above is crystal clear. Still much better than top down in my experience. I'm going to try directing the pumps flow more towards the bottom to see if the circulation can get those out. None the less, thank you for this tutorial. It's been a fun project and I'm hopeful I can figure something out to get your level of results.

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching and glad you gave it a try. I will have a chat with the rest of the team and try to figure out why the bottom is cloudy. We'll get back to you soon. Cheers!

@DrCush 2 жыл бұрын

Hi K! It's me from the video. My thought on the cloudy ice on the bottom is the temperature of the freezer. With a smaller cooler, the ice on the bottom is most likely freezing too quickly. The reason ice gets cloudy is either from freezing in a space too small for it to expand, freezing from the outside in, or freezing too fast. In any of these cases, the ice doesn't know which way to go and freaks out and starts growing in multiple ways, not unidirectionally. I would raise your freezers temp a touch (still below freezing) and see if that works. It will take a little longer, but you'll get more ice out of it. Cheers and please let me know how it works! If that's not it, we'll keep trying til we get it.

@jrob6872 Жыл бұрын

I would post a video, but what I found, I used the exact same set up with a 28 quart cooler. 3.5 inches and all. The only difference is that I put a small fan underneath the cookie sheet to help circulate air better underneath the cooler. It froze almost twice as fast!

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Excellent tip! Will give that one a try. Cheers

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Your fan trick worked!

@jrob6872 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour love to hear it!

@keithstockdale9633 8 ай бұрын

Hi - great video. You mention in the comments that you'll do a video for a shallower cooler that could fit in a smaller freezer. Did you do this? Any suggestions for a smaller cooler (similar to the one you used for directional freezing) Thanks!

@MIXCocktailHour 8 ай бұрын

We have not tried with the smaller cooler but should work. For the youtube video we used the batteries, but we now plug the pump into an extension cord and plug into an outlet. At the time, none of our wives wanted a cord sticking out of the freezer! We have since bought a freezer for the studio, Cheers.

@keithstockdale9633 8 ай бұрын

What’s your best guess for how much to cut off of the bottom of a 5qt cooler. It measures around 11”L 7”W and 8”H

@MIXCocktailHour 8 ай бұрын

@@keithstockdale9633 we cut off about 3 inches on ours so it's safe to say 2 inches on yours. one tip... lift the cooler off the surface of the freezer. put it on something like a baking rack so cold air can get underneath the bottom o the cooler.

@prettyboy1970 Жыл бұрын

How much would you charge to build and ship this apparatus to those of us who are not so handy?

@colorsafebleach5381 Жыл бұрын

Great video. Very informative. One question. You said you use tap water. Does this mean it will essentially make distilled ice. Pushing everything out, including chlorine and fluoride?

@DrCush Жыл бұрын

Hi Color Safe Bleach, I'm the guy in the video. This is not distilled ice persay, but the directional freezing will remove minerals. Not as well as heating (like in traditional distilling) but well enough. Since Fluoride and Chlorine are minerals, some of their contents will be removed. Would I recommend Flynt Michigan use this method? No. But it is great at giving you a more "water tasting" ice cube. Just a note, do note use distilled water for this. Distilled water is dead and thus does nothing to your spirit. If you don't have decent/drinkable tap water, get some spring water. Cheers! Hope to see you at a live show soon.

@colorsafebleach5381 Жыл бұрын

@@DrCush Thank you for the reply! I just got done making and testing some clear ice using the thermos cup method. It came out surprisingly clear, with very few bubbles. My tap water also has a very strong smell and taste of chlorine. The clear ice tasted clean and fresh. I also have a TDS meter. My tap water reads 260, and I let some of the clear ice melt, and that read only an 8. So this seems to filter out a lot of the crap in the water! One more question, did you ever try experimenting to make a bottoms up freeze with the smaller 5qt cooler? There's no way I can fit that bigger cooler in my freezer. If not, I think I want to try. I'm obsessed with clear ice now for some reason, and I don't even drink🤣 Thanks again for the great videos!

@wyguy1212 Жыл бұрын

Top down can look like that with right type of cooler ! But there will be much more bubbles on the bottom

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Top down is absolutely a very good way to go. The results from this method are pretty stunning. Let us know if you give it a try! Thanks for watching! Cheers

@CrowdVerseZA Жыл бұрын

what temperature was your freezer when you did this?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Can't be 100% sure but we'd guess 0 Fahrenheit

@Martian_Secret_Agent Жыл бұрын

Guys. Amazing video, thorough research. Have heard of this previously, have not tried yet, but, I do want to know why the water pump is necessary. What happens if you don’t use a pump????

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

you need to keep the water at the top flowing, otherwise it will freeze. The goal is to keep the water freezing in one direction and not trap any air bubbles in the ice.

@Martian_Secret_Agent Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHourah ok thanks. You guys did it a million times so I 100% believe you, I’m just struggling to conceptualise the science. If it’s freezing at the bottom only, why the top freezes? But I fully believe that it does! Thanks for all the efforts and replies!

@chrismacandrew9692 Жыл бұрын

After 2 months of frustrating top down Coleman cooler ice (read bubbles), while it still looks great, it does not look like this great. So I've got all my stuff and am starting construction this evening. Wish me luck!

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Good luck. If you can, plug the pump into a wall outlet instead of the batteries. Let us know how it goes. Cheers.

@chrismacandrew9692 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Okay, I plugged the pump directly into a power bar. 48 hours, checked probably 3 times and when it was done......WOW. I don't know why anyone with even the slightest interest in clear ice isn't doing this. Only problem is now I'm bandsaw shopping cause cutting this monstrosity was more difficult. Thanks so much for the effort to make this video!

@thesangst5238 5 ай бұрын

How do you carve the ice up easily without cracking it or chipping it off where you do not want and wasting chunks?

@MIXCocktailHour 5 ай бұрын

Make sure the block is out of the freezer for at least 15 to 20 minutes. The best way to carve is to keep cutting in half until you get to a manageable size. Check back later this month, we'll make a tutorial.

@TheNathanlockhart 6 ай бұрын

I consider myself a bit of an ice nerd, but this feels like overkill in my experience. Top down works great and i think your problem is a freezer set too cold. You want it at like 10F (-12C). Setting your freezer to max as you have in the video freezes it more quickly and doesnt allow impurities to get pushed down as well.

@MIXCocktailHour 6 ай бұрын

Top down does work fine. No argument there. We still do a lot of our ice with top down, but this bottom up method turns out some really spectacular blocks. It was well worth the couple of hours it took to build our unit. Cheers!

@jackspeer2127 14 күн бұрын

I have made top down ice in a small cooler and butchering the big block takes some practice. it is easy to just end up with chips so please add a few pointers on how to chop the block successfully . I've wasted plenty of clear ice but now I'm pretty good at it.

@MIXCocktailHour 14 күн бұрын

Best tips... Always let the block sit out of the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. always start by cutting the block in half. Score the block across the center with a serrated knife. Turn over and score the other side, then with your knife in the score mark, tap the back of the knife with a hammer or mallot until the 2 halves separate. Then take the halves and cut those in half and keep doing that until you have cube to your desired size.

@WatanabeNoTsuna. Жыл бұрын

Wow! Awesome results! I don't think I'll have the patience to do all that, though, so I would love if you applied that to a comercial product and sold it. I'd buy that in a heartbeat!

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We've been thinking about it will keep you posted

@WatanabeNoTsuna. Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Awesome! Looking forward to it!

@jimhatcher9513 4 ай бұрын

Man, this. That ice looks wonderful. I just want to buy the setup already done. You've for sure got a customer in me if you do!

@Berkana Жыл бұрын

There is an easier way to insulate the lid. Drill two holes in that hollow lid one on each of two opposite corners, and use spray-expanding foam in a can, and spray expanding foam into that lid. The two holes let air escape as the foam expands. The foam will expand and fill the inside of that hollow lid. That is way easier than trimming all of that pink foam and producing that much waste.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Another great tip! We are collecting them all. Update soon

@Berkana Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Here's one more: buy a large aluminum heat sink (or salvage one off of old speakers), and use that instead of that rack in the freezer. The heat sink will transfer heat out of the bottom of that cooler so much faster. Do an image search of "aluminum speaker heat sink" to see what I mean.

@janejohns5442 Жыл бұрын

I thought the same thing while watching this - why not just use spray foam!

@TheNathanlockhart 6 ай бұрын

I think you are likely to end up with voids in the lid this way.

@patknight-zb4nt 10 ай бұрын

I've been watching some of your videos and other people's videos on how to make clear ice I'm gonna take a small cylinder like a fire extinguisher followed stands about 2 and a 1/2 foot tall. I'm gonna cut it in half threaded so I can put it back together with n o ring seal . Then I'm going to put it under a vacuum about maybe 10 inches of water column and freeze it. I'll let you know how I make out.

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

Please let us know how this goes. We love fellow Ice Nerds! Cheers

@mattrolls618 2 жыл бұрын

Hi again guys, I’m following this pretty much identically and I am getting a deep “bowl” in the middle of the clear ice, did you find any situations that cause this?

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

We experience that problem but have minimized it. Try setting the nozzle of the circulator just below the waterline. You want to agitate the surface of the water and keep the water below as still as possible. There will likely still be a "bowl" but it should be a lot less pronounced. (you'll notice a small bowl in our video)

@biggieb400 Жыл бұрын

I just completed my first block and had the same problem. I had my pump fully submerged. I’m going to try slowing down the pump and submerging less of the pump. I might also need to raise the temp to freeze it slower

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

@@biggieb400 Keep us posted!

@checkoutthereal 10 ай бұрын

I know its some time since the video was released, but I still have a question. Is the pump actually necessary? I understand the logic behind it, but the trapped gases should be able to get out of the ice whitout it too, or not? Please correct me if i am wrong

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

The reason we keep the water circulating is to prevent the top from freezing. Without the pump, we could not get very good results.

@checkoutthereal 10 ай бұрын

Thank you a lot for explaining. makes more sense this way@@MIXCocktailHour

@basilmemories Жыл бұрын

I wonder what it would take to make a dedicated machine for this. clearly (ha!) a condenser unit and pump, some sort of system to protect the pump from freezing/"running dry", potentially a timer so you didn't have to babysit the system? I mean ideally you wouldn't babysit the system at all, and at the end you'd open up the top of the unit and lift out blocks/molds when done. Even more ideally it'd have a drain spout that you could run a line to. I bet a start would be to look at chest freezers and how someone could modify one for this kind of deal.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Interesting idea. Would be a lot of R&D but making the clearest of clear ice is worth the effort!

@g-legz Жыл бұрын

Would this work if, instead of making a new foam top, you insulate the existing top by drilling holes and injecting expandable insulating foam?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

That should work. Also, if you can, plug the pump into a wall outlet instead of using the batteries. The ones we used are no longer available.

@g-legz Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour another idea, what if you put an ice mold, say 2" size cubes, with holes on top of the mold to allow bubbles to raise, would you get clear ice cubes?

@Brian_Patrick 3 ай бұрын

I think you could get away with keeping the battery pack on top of the freezer; the freezer door seal should close itself around that skinny little cord just fine. Then you don't have to worry about wrapping and insulating it and all that. Or, you could just plug the pump into a nearby electrical outlet and not worry about the battery pack at all.

@MIXCocktailHour 3 ай бұрын

Absolutely... We did it that way because the wife wasn't happy about the CEO exposed wires!

@Brian_Patrick 3 ай бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Eh, well... wives are gonna wife.

@bendall248 2 жыл бұрын

Question, I'm pretty sure that you tried this with the original lid and it didn't work because it isn't insulated. Did you try drilling into the lid and filling with expandable foam? If it works it sure would be quicker, easier and cheaper. Great video by the way!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Well damn... That is a great idea and would be a heck of a lot easier. We'll give it a try and report back! Cheers!

@DrCush 2 жыл бұрын

Hi Alan! It's me from the video. I tried that in my earlier experiments. It does work, but not a well as the new lid. While the lids that come with the cooler are more convenient, they were never designed to keep the cool air in. Since cool air sinks, the designers knew they didn't need a great top lid. So not only is it hollow, it also has places where air (ie. Cold air from the freezer) can get in. You can certainly try it with the filled lid, but I find the best results come from a new lid. The New lid also stops the cold from getting through the uninsulated top of the sides of the cooler. It is not a major difference, but the sides of the ice get a little cloudy of you don't use the new lid. Cheers and let me know if you try it and find different results.

@shisholy7828 2 жыл бұрын

Nice video and you could also drill the holes then fill lid with foam then, cut those two exact blocks and hot glue together and then glue that to the inside of the original lid. Much stronger and more secure fit as well 🏋️‍♂️

@souett 10 ай бұрын

Your not wrong, we are those people searching for the best clear ice

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

We are all part of a unique fraternity!

@Berkana Жыл бұрын

You could probably leave the batteries outside the freezer and just run the cord into the freezer. The seal around the freezer door won't leave that much of a gap, and if there is any, you can seal it with some putty. That would seem to me to be a better way than putting the battery into the freezer, which causes problems with the battery.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Great suggestion. We are going to update the video soon with other tips. Thanks for watching!

@Berkana Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour One more thought on running the cable out through the door. If the door wants to pop open because the sealing strip wont' conform around a small cable, it is easy enough to hold it shut with some blue tape or a bungie cord. Alternatively, you might be able to find ribbon style thin cables and use those instead.

@Marksplaytime Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Just saw this and thought it was interesting. May try it at some point. Quick question on the lid: Rather than taking all the time to reinvent the thing, why not poke a couple holes and inject spray foam into it, then just cut a small piece of sheet foam to attach to the bottom to increase the insulation factor a bit? Would that simplify things a tad?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

@@Marksplaytime That is a great idea. We are gathering all of these useful tips and will be trying them out. Will do a recap video soon! Cheers and good luck.

@Chrishm0 Жыл бұрын

@@Marksplaytime I think people have tried this, and it does not hold true. I recall that a sealed air filled top has more insulating effect than the same size foam filled top. What they did here was increase the depth (size) of their top, thus improving the insulation factor.

@user-jd5du8zr2v 5 ай бұрын

where is the template mentioned in the video? Thx

@MIXCocktailHour 5 ай бұрын

It is also posted in the video description - workspace.cimediacloud.com/r/qMBrnYldALJU

@edwarddutra7829 Жыл бұрын

I have a much much easier way of making perfectly clear ice and all you need is a 16 ounce beer can and a pool noodle that fits around the beer can. Cut the noodle to the height of the can . Cut the top of the beer can off just before it starts to taper. Smooth the edges of the can see you don’t cut yourself Insert they can enter the pool noodle, fill it with water and stick it in the freezer overnight The great thing about this method is, you can reuse the cans over and over again but if you damage one easy to replace Give it a shot…. And always remember safety first. Cheers! You can do this with as many cans as possible, and have perfectly clear ice that will easily fit into a double old fashion glass .

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Love it. We'll give this a try! Cheers

@Berkana Жыл бұрын

Here is an idea you may be able to make a variation of do adapt it to your bottom-up freezing. Take a look at this: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rdx-fNWAvbrMXWQ.html This guy makes small clear ice cylinders by making tiny directional freezing ice cups by insulating a cylindrical plastic bottle whose top has been cut off, sticking the bottom part of the bottle into one of those beer insulating coozies. You could theoretically get this to freeze bottom-up by putting a thin bag or plastic wrap over the top part of the cut PET bottle (to keep water spills from freezing it to the coozie) and putting the coozie over the top of it, so the top is insulated and the bottom is left exposed to the cold, especially if you set it down on a finned heat sink. If you start this thing with a bit of warm water, it should freeze bottom-up reliably, and freezing a small thing like this would take maybe a day or less, rather than requiring a much longer time to freeze up a big cooler's worth of ice. Plus, these things are much smaller, so you're less committed, if, for example, you only want to make a few small cylinders of clear ice. I'd love to see you experiment with the variation of this idea that I described.

@gregg.2551 Жыл бұрын

I rarely drink liquor anymore, couldn't care less about clear ice as I don't get why it matters, but great video lol! I watched the entire thing and I admire your ingenuity

@John_Hoover Жыл бұрын

Holy shit I just wanted some clear ice. Had no idea I would need to be McGuyver to make that happen.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We're not too handy either but It only took us about 90 minutes once we gathered all of the materials. You can skip the battery section if you don't mind plugging the pump to wall outlet and having the cord extending out of the freezer. The amazing results will be worth the time you put in. Cheers and thanks for watching.

@John_Hoover Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Thank you. You do have yourself some CLEAR ice there. Good job.

@first2summit 10 ай бұрын

This is great but if you want to make single serve ice - pour room-temp water into an insulated pint cup, freeze overnight or so, take out and let defrost and you'll get a puck of clear ice.

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

Hmmm... That's a great tip! Should fit perfectly in a rocks glass.

@scottcallaway5957 Жыл бұрын

I did everything precisely as shown and I’m getting ice with a 3” to 4” diameter circle of bubbles that starts at the center of the bottom and “shoots” out and up. Rather depressing after all the work, but I’m going to lower the freezer temp a little and try again.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Sorry Scott. Not sure what might be going wrong. We'll powwow and see if we can make some suggestions. Let us know if the temp does the trick

@mattrolls618 Жыл бұрын

Final questions my guys, before I start getting creative… What’s the actual temperature in your freezer? I have a feeling my chest freezer might be significantly colder and that’s why it’s overwhelming the insulation. Also, does your freezer have a circulation fan in it? My freezer doesn’t and therefore the supercold air just stagnates…

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Matt - We use a typical home freezer and it does have a circulation fan. if you are using a chest freezer try putting it as close to the top as possible. And like we do in the video, put the cooler on a rack not directly on a hard surface. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/g9Kll9ubsprecnU.html Let us know how the next attempt goes!

@jrob6872 Жыл бұрын

any new findings??

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Put a small usb powered fan in the freeze and point it at the bottom of the cooler. It will speed up the freezing.

@jrob6872 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHourI was the one that found that out ;) glad it worked!!

@kkobwatchin 7 күн бұрын

Even Rube Goldberg is saying this is a ridiculously- and overly-expensive way to make a case.

@MIXCocktailHour 4 күн бұрын

😂

@DanBrown85 Жыл бұрын

Can you re-upload the template?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Here you go. Let us know how things turn out. workspace.cimediacloud.com/r/qMBrnYldALJU

@DanBrown85 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Thank you!

@nathansinger1171 2 ай бұрын

I just found this video. And i just ao happen to have next week off. I think this was meant to be!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 ай бұрын

Good luck. We put the batteries in the freezer (mostly due to our wives not wanting the wires sticking out of the freezer door) if that's not an issue for you, plug the pump into the wall. Will save you time and money. The real key is to make sure the water on top does not freeze. Cheers

@dm4859 Жыл бұрын

Unless you want a huge block of ice in the end, this is insane. There is a product i bought on Amazon a few years ago that makes big squares of perfectly clear ice in less than 24 hours. No work at all! $32.99 by OKLGO, I think. 2" cubes.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Yes, one large block is what we are after here. One large block to cut up into different sizes and shapes.

@groundhog141 Жыл бұрын

I'll quit drinking before going thru this rigermarole

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Come on... invest 90 minutes and get beautiful clear ice for life! It is worth the effort.

@888titleist Жыл бұрын

Or just drill 2 small holes in original lid & fill it with spray foam

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We tried that but still got ice to start forming on the top. Replacing the lid with the foam is the most time consuming step but for us, it made all the difference. Let us know how things work out for you. Thanks for watching. Cheers.

@afreeland99 Жыл бұрын

While I can appreciate your work here, I use an old igloo and deep freezer and haven't noticed any bubbles that would lead me to make this contraption. LOL.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We were right there with you. It's hard to comprehend how much clearer the ice is when you do this method. Thanks for watching! Cheers.

@timk.9836 Жыл бұрын

Alternatively, you can use the same mini cooler everyone else uses and just turn up the temp in your freezer. If you are getting bubbles the water is freezing too fast. Happens to mine sometimes but I just cut the bubbles off.

@mikebeer1567 Жыл бұрын

Go to the store, buy either distilled or reverse osmosis water, go home and freeze it

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Why would anyone want cloudy distilled or reverse osmosis ice cubes?

@mikebeer1567 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour ? Reverse osmosis ice cubes are completely clear, it's the crap in tap water that makes the cloudy

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

@@mikebeer1567 The cloudiness in cloudy ice are not impurities. The cloudiness is a result of oxygen bubbles being trapped and frozen due to multidirectional freezing. Think of a lake that is frozen over but you can still see through it. The lake is freezing from the top down so no air is trapped. In a freeze your ice is being frozen from all sides at once which traps the air and causes the cloud in your cube. We use tap water and it comes out crystal clear. Cheers and thanks for watching.

@justaninja1 10 ай бұрын

Wow, nice job but that was a LOT of work. 👏

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

For us... The results are worth it.

@JdiamondBTC 7 ай бұрын

Just keep the battery outside of the freezer…..that small imperfection in the door seal shouldn’t hurt….

@fernandol3078 Жыл бұрын

I think I’ll just dim or turn off the lights

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Funny! That won't work for day drinking. Cheers

@robchapin3317 Жыл бұрын

Neither Amazon, nor FosPower themselves have the battery any longer. Any others people have found to work?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Damn! Sorry about that. This one might be a good option - a.co/d/7kdhsNe

@robchapin3317 Жыл бұрын

Also, couldn't one just place the USB power on top of the freezer? Since the pump's cable is 5' long, it seems you could avoid the issues with keeping the batteries from freezing by just keeping them out of the freezer altogether.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

@@robchapin3317 Absolutely yes. Side note - We have seen some people use a plug in circulator and run the cord from the wall to the freezer. We can't endorse this method but we have seen good results.

@quinrickman4467 Жыл бұрын

I have the pumps plugged into a 110 Volt wall outlet, works great.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

@@quinrickman4467 Excellent news! Happy ice making. Cheers

@dh5057 Жыл бұрын

WAY, WAY TOOOOOOO MUCH WORK!

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Stick with the top down method until you find the spare 90 minutes. When you do try it...let us know how it goes. Thanks for watching!

@silvermediastudio Жыл бұрын

Why not put hot hands heating pads in with your batteries, keep them at a nominal temp.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

That could work!

@anotheryou218 Жыл бұрын

There's something either wonderful or deeply disturbing about the extraordinary lengths to which some people will go to obtain something like clear ice. Still, I'm happy for anyone in this world who can succeed in getting their way without stepping on someone else.

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

We are in therapy. Lots of therapy!

@anotheryou218 Жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour Ok you just made my day! That's funny!

@minhvu88 Жыл бұрын

Why do we need the water circulator?

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

The circulation of the water on the top assures the water will freeze from the bottom up.

@akivaschenk2342 2 жыл бұрын

Why don't you use 2 pumps?

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

Good question. We never thought about 2 pumps because 1 did the job. What do you think the advantage would be to use 2?

@akivaschenk2342 2 жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour putting 2 on opposing sides will solve the lopsided problem you're having, in turn creating a more even and full block. good luck!

@MIXCocktailHour 2 жыл бұрын

@@akivaschenk2342 We'll give it a shot and report back!

@akivaschenk2342 2 жыл бұрын

@@MIXCocktailHour 👍

@quinrickman4467 Жыл бұрын

@@akivaschenk2342 I’m using 2 pumps on diagonal corners, eliminates most of the bowl effect and no air gets trapped at the top, less waste. I’m using a larger cooler takes about 6 days for a bock of ice. I plug the pumps into a 110 volt outlet.

@buddhastl7120 10 ай бұрын

5:30 in and I’m 95% sure this dude is trolling

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

Nope. This is the real deal

@tullymahin 10 ай бұрын

Thats alot of work, considering I can just go to my fridge push a glass into it and wait a couple seconds. Ice.

@MIXCocktailHour 10 ай бұрын

Not the same thing mate!

@lemayolivacabo5640 Жыл бұрын

Some people has too much time

@MIXCocktailHour Жыл бұрын

Make time. Make this ice. Zero regrets,

@jesseadamwilson 8 ай бұрын

I have found my people. I’m scared to let anyone in my find out that I fully intend to make this. QUESTION!!! You’re totally right that the lid is not insulated, HOWEVER, the lids usually come with a little hole so you can fill it with water and freeze the lid. WHAT IF… you use that little hole to fill the interior of the lid with spray foam insulation instead of creating the custom lid? Did you guys try that? Thanks!

@MIXCocktailHour 8 ай бұрын

Some people have said that would work. Definitely try it first. The key is to make sure the ice does not freeze on the top. Let us know how it goes. Side note - For the youtube video we used the batteries, but we now plug the pump into an extension cord and plug into an outlet. At the time, none of our wives wanted a cord sticking out of the freezer! We have since bought a freezer for the studio, Cheers.