# Ice balls?



## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Caught my eye in the new Trek film because I've seen them elsewhere before.

https://iceballs.co/ice-balls-in-star-trek-into-darkness/

Your thoughts? They're a bit pricey for silicone moulds, IMO. Otherwise, I'd be eager to try them. A large chunk of ice melts slower than several little pieces, which is the impetus behind this and those giant cubes you may have seen.

Glad that real ice won't go out of style in a few centuries.  I've tried those plastic, water-filled meltless cubes and "whiskey stones" that you throw in the freezer and they just aren't the same.

EDIT: Looks like Tovolo makes their own competing version.

https://www.amazon.com/Tovolo-Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set/dp/B007ACTN54/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_1


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## LordSmoke (Dec 25, 2012)

I thought this was about inadequate winter pants.

Interesting, nonetheless. I find it very curious that my friends in Austria (who aren't as into ice as we Americans, especially Southerners), purchase their ice cubes preformed, but unfrozen. The product looks something like giant bubble wrap filled with water. Throw in the freezer, peel out the roundish cubes.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

:redface: Oh lord, that made me laugh.

That's interesting, but I can see how it might be desirable to achieve that "perfect clear cube" that is so desirable yet mostly unattainable unless you can afford professional ice makers.


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## DaveTrader (Jun 11, 2011)

Bed Bath and Beyond has them for like $2 a piece.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Can you link to them? I didn't see any.


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## NathanielD (Oct 18, 2012)

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/Sphere-Ice-Molds-Set-of-2/1041387535?Keyword=ice+mold

I have a few sets of these (6 total "ice balls") They work, nothing crystal clear, but they keep my drink cold and melt slow.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Thanks. Those are the same Tovolo ones I was looking at on Amazon. And, amazingly, they have them in stores near me! (Which is a first. For a big city like Abq, there's hardly anything worthy of note in retail stores.)

I've heard of the boiling water trick and tried it, but it never gets my ice crystal clear.


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## drlivingston (Jun 21, 2012)

On a side note, back in the days before the advent of the optical computer mouse, the mechanism worked with a ball. They would pick up string, hair, or anything else in their path. While channel surfing on the radio, I caught part of a public radio segment about the proper way to clean mouse balls. Giving myself over to a bout of complete immaturity, I proceeded to laugh hysterically for the next several minutes as the radio host gave instructions such as, "Turn your mouse over and, using your forefinger, gently roll the mouse ball around and..." Well, you get the picture. Priceless.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Even Japanese kids are given to immature puns...


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## nibo (Jan 17, 2014)

I have these in 2.5inch diameter and I love them. I even use them for my diet coke because I love my diet coke. But as for my bourbon I have a couple molds for the 2.5inch variation and I also have a couple 1.5inch square soap stones. Ice will always be better in my opinion, but sometimes the smaller soap stones work better for my smaller glasses.


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## Anthony Charton (May 7, 2012)

I'd be loath to drink my Scotch with plastic or silicones bits in it. Years ago I gave my mother (a geologist) the aforementioned cubes, made of Icelandic stone. I still swear by them, though interestingly there's close to zero tendency to bring one's whisky to a lower temperature in Scotland. (Some will say: 'it's because it's so bloody cold.)


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

I generally don't drink single malt Scotch on the rocks. Only a splash of filtered water. I'm okay with blended Scotch on the rocks. But Talisker or anything like that? No. "You don't f*** around with that," as my friend's father said.


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

I once heard of a master distiller putting a bottle of Dalwhinnie in the freezer, taking it out when completely chiller, pouring it into shot glasses and very carefully putting two drops of diet coke in each. But he's a master distiller. (Destiller?)

Im with Jovan on no ice in good scotch.


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## Howard (Dec 7, 2004)

What are ice balls? Are they round ice cubes instead of being squared?


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## Anthony Charton (May 7, 2012)

Bjorn said:


> Im with Jovan on no ice in good scotch.


I think anyone who understands Scotch will be with Jovan on the no ice team. I open most (80%) of my whiskies with 2-3 drops of water- more is diluting it.


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## MaxBuck (Apr 4, 2013)

I've heard the commentary relative to ice in good malt whisky, but occasionally I'll be in the mood for a bit of ice in my Highland Park. Other times I'll want it neat. A fine malt will be enjoyable whether (slightly) diluted or not, IME and to my taste only. Others are entitled to their preferences.


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## Larry Poppins (Jan 14, 2014)

I received a set of rock cubes as a gift. The idea was you keep them in the freezer then add them to your scotch. I think they are still in the freezer somewhere. For me it's cold water in scotch, ice cubes for bourbon.


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## gerbilunit (Sep 24, 2013)

I actually own the tolovo ones in OP's link, they work great


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## Tempest (Aug 16, 2012)

TO be a real baller, you need something more like this
https://shop.themacallan.com/ice-ball-maker


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## Bjorn (May 2, 2010)

Larry Poppins said:


> I received a set of rock cubes as a gift. The idea was you keep them in the freezer then add them to your scotch. I think they are still in the freezer somewhere. For me it's cold water in scotch, ice cubes for bourbon.


I use mine for stiff drinks I don't want to get diluted with slow drinking.


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## Jovan (Mar 7, 2006)

Tempest said:


> TO be a real baller, you need something more like this
> https://shop.themacallan.com/ice-ball-maker


Holy-- that price. Too rich for me right now. I'll stick to my... plebeian plastic moulds.  I've heard of bars in Japan where they literally chisel blocks of ice into small spheres before putting it in a drink.


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## stevenclowd1 (Sep 30, 2013)

LordSmoke said:


> I thought this was about inadequate winter pants.
> 
> Interesting, nonetheless. I find it very curious that my friends in Austria (who aren't as into ice as we Americans, especially Southerners), purchase their ice cubes preformed, but unfrozen. The product looks something like giant bubble wrap filled with water. Throw in the freezer, peel out the roundish cubes.


Hahaha


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