Ice cubes from filtered water?

People here understandably spend a lot of time and money choosing the quality ingredients that go in a drink. Then they mix them with ice that likely was made from chlorinated tap water, and everything that goes along with it.

I've tried making tea using filtered water vs tap water and there was a definite difference in taste, and we've got high quality tap water here (I used to use it—minus chlorine—in my salt water aquarium, and it was one of the healthiest I'd ever seen).

Has anyone bothered to try making ice using filtered or distiller water? If so, did you notice a difference?

Ice is a huge part of a cocktail. I only use ice made with filtered water. It's also important, if you're making your own, to ensure that it doesn't absorb odors or flavors from the freezer. The third component is temperature. The ice should be as cold as possible when used. I hate wet ice.

On 2013-06-30 16:41, djmont wrote:
Ice is a huge part of a cocktail. I only use ice made with filtered water. It's also important, if you're making your own, to ensure that it doesn't absorb odors or flavors from the freezer. The third component is temperature. The ice should be as cold as possible when used. I hate wet ice.

I tend to only use clear ice made from filtered water. I don't like my homemade ice (maybe yours is better) and prefer the taste (and look) of bagged premium beverage clear ice made from filtered water. I go through the ice pretty fast so it's always fresh.

For homemade clear ice Dolewhip had a good lead here (just use filtered water and you're good to go):

On 2013-04-14 01:44, Dolewhip wrote:
Here's a somewhat labor-intensive but interesting take on the art of making clear ice from Dave Stolte, author of the spiffy little cocktail compendium, "Home Bar Basics (and Not-So-Basics)," which I notice is currently sold out (it's really worth tracking down - hope it's back in print again soon).

http://www.homebarbasics.com/ice/

...

On 2013-06-30 17:23, MrBaliHai wrote:

Huh? I don't get it. Why should wanting better ice be made fun of?

On 2013-06-30 17:31, Hakalugi wrote:
Huh? I don't get it. Why should wanting better ice be made fun of?

Just trying harkening back to a previous thread on this topic...:wink:

I've got no issue with filtering water to make ice, I do it myself. In your case, living in Redondo where the tap water has been "recycled" several times on it's way through the LA watershed, it's probably mandatory to strain out the big chunks...:P

We have very good tap water, so filtering for ice probably isn't necessary. But the icemaker in my fridge does it automatically.

For cocktails, I usually buy ice. I prefer it to homemade.

my well water is the color of ice tea. All of my ice water get run through a RODI filter and the automaic ice maker in the fridge has a second filter on it. I am going to try that trick for clear ice at least once . it does have a ice look to it.

Thanks
Storm

Isn't bagged ice made differently so that it melts slower? Will that translate into a different drink in the end?

The methods used to make ice commercially usually produce cubes with less air in them, which does lead to them melting more slowly and is the reason that they are harder and usually more clear than the ice you make at home.

I believe the difference is the lack of air and impurities. But you raise a good point!

If you have a Sonic fast food chain near you, they sell their crushed ice bagged for ~$1.50 - no crushing and no mess, just pick up a bag or two and start making drinks

Hi everyone, been lurking for a while but the ice discussion drew me out.

The link noted wasn't working for me so I can't tell if he might have covered what I am about to say.

But as it was noted the things that make ice cloudy are air and impurities, you can bypass the impurities by using distilled water but you will still have air trapped inside. Since the average home won't be buying a professional ice maker anytime soon, you will need to make due with what you have (mainly a freezer). There are two methods you can follow, the slow method or the (relatively speaking) fast method.

For the slow method, you can use the back of your fridge shelves (if your fridge is set to just about freezing), this will slowly build the ice but it takes forever and opening the fridge will slow the process down. But if you have one of those mini fridges with a freezer that isn't being used, it can work for you.

Now, the faster method is to take a 6 pack cooler (or any that will fit in your freezer), fill it with water and place it in the freezer. Because the water will freeze faster in one direction the impurities and air will be forced to the bottom, which also means you can use tap water. You can then chip away any cloudy sections and use the clear block.

The process takes about a day and a half to two days to freeze solid but I like to take it out after 24 hours and let the water drain off so that I don't have to deal with the air or impurities in my ice.

Here is the cooler I use, you can pop the lid off or just leave it open while it chills.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-FlipLid-Personal-Cooler-Red/dp/B000W4RV6K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1373524041&sr=8-2&keywords=6+pack+cooler

Props to Camper English for inventing the cooler method. It really does work.

http://www.alcademics.com/2010/08/a-homemade-giant-crystal-clear-ice-cube-tray.html