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Clear Ice vs Cloudy Ice
What clear ice changes in the glass, and what it does not.
Which should you use?
Clear ice is mainly about looks. It shows off a spirit-forward drink, and it is slightly less prone to cracking than cloudy ice, whose trapped air makes weak points. Size and how cold the ice is change the drink far more than clarity does. A large cloudy cube from a clean freezer does nearly everything a clear one does except look perfect.
| Dimension | Clear ice | Ordinary ice |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Transparent; the drink shows through | White core, frosted look |
| Cracking in the glass | Less prone | More prone; trapped air makes weak points |
| Effect on flavour | None in itself | None in itself — unless it has absorbed freezer smells |
| Effort | A day of directional freezing and some cutting | None |
Using one in place of the other
Swap freely. If ordinary ice tastes of anything, the fix is a clean, covered tray and fresh water, not clear ice.
In the recipes on this site
Clear ice matters only where the ice is seen: large cubes in short drinks served on the rocks.