Beverages
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Brew coffee double-strength or use espresso shots to make ice cubes for iced coffee.
Adding equal parts ice to strong coffee maintains the intended strength as it melts.
one person who lived it
Freeze grapes and use them in place of ice to cool wine or other drinks without adding water.
Grapes have high water content which makes them effective at cooling drinks, and they do not melt into liquid like ice.
- Frozen white grapes become rock hard and are unpleasant to eat; red grapes retain a sorbet-like texture.
- The residue from the grapes may negatively affect the taste of the beverage.
7 people, independently
Freeze leftover wine in ice cube trays for future use in cooking.
It saves you from buying a new bottle for recipes requiring small amounts.
- Adding a little water may help prevent slushiness, though it is not necessary.
4 people, independently
Melt butter, whisk in an equal amount of flour, cook until the raw smell is gone, then slowly whisk in chicken stock and seasonings to make homemade gravy.
It is a faster way to prepare dinner when you want to eat quickly, and it does not taste bad.
one person who lived it
Wrap a wine bottle in damp paper towels and place it in the freezer to chill it.
- Do not use this method for beer, as the container may break due to low alcohol content.
- Some suggest avoiding this for high-quality wine.
3 people, independently
Serve red wine at or slightly below room temperature rather than chilled.
You aren't supposed to chill red wine.
- Some people put ice in red wine and prefer it that way.
- Room temperature can be too hot in some locations.
one person who lived it
Jiggle the wire mechanism or poke around the ejection area of the ice maker if it stops making ice due to stuck cubes.
Stuck cubes can prevent the machine from ejecting new ice.
one person who lived it
If you want to stockpile ice for events, transfer cubes from the tray into a ziplock bag every night.
This prevents running out of ice when serving drinks and stops cubes from absorbing freezer odors.
- Some find doing this every night excessive.
- Buying bags of ice is cheaper if you are hosting an event.
one person who lived it
Add different flavored Kool-Aid ice cubes to a drink so the flavor changes as they melt.
The melting ice gradually alters the taste profile of the beverage.
one person who lived it
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Use cubed ice to keep drinks cold longer.
Formed ice cubes have less heat transfer.
one person who lived it
Use a handheld milk frother to mix powdered drinks for a smooth consistency.
It works like a charm.
one person who lived it
Rinse ice cubes with water before adding them to carbonated drinks to reduce foaming and preserve fizz.
Rinsing smooths the ice surface, removing imperfections and specks that act as nucleation sites for carbon dioxide bubbles.
- Some find this too much work for little payoff.
- One user reported it made the drink taste flatter.
7 people, independently
Carry hot chocolate packets to add to bad coffee to make it tolerable while retaining caffeine.
It is especially helpful when you have been freezing all day or night.
one person who lived it
If you are out of milk for cereal, try mixing hot chocolate powder with water as a substitute.
The powder contains dry milk and creamer, creating a texture similar to chocolate skim milk.
- Some people find this option unappealing or would prefer buying more milk instead.
one person who lived it
Let reconstituted powdered milk sit for a while before using it in recipes.
If you don't let it set, it won't cook correctly in most recipes.
one person who lived it
Add a pinch of salt to homemade hot chocolate to add to the flavor.
Store-bought mixes are often saltier than expected, which helps the flavor.
one person who lived it
Clean the freezer thoroughly with a vinegar/water mix, remove crumbs and icy build-up, and wrap items airtight to improve ice taste.
Air circulates between the fridge and freezer, carrying off flavors.
one person who lived it
Transform unwanted red wine into sangria by mixing it with brandy, fruit, and sugar.
The additional ingredients mask deficiencies in the wine's flavor.
- Not suitable for those who dislike sweet wines.
one person who lived it
Cold-brew coffee instead of freezing hot coffee to avoid a bitter aftertaste in iced coffee.
It prevents the bitter aftertaste associated with other methods.
- It requires more planning and work.
one person who lived it
Put frozen cherries in Dr. Pepper to create a delicious frozen slush around the fruit.
One person found the resulting slush delicious.
one person who lived it
Add frozen raspberries or other frozen fruit to hot tea to cool it without dilution.
It adds flavor and leaves infused fruit to eat.
one person who lived it
Put champagne or sparkling wine in the fridge immediately to ensure it is cold when served.
Warm sparkling wine is unpleasant.
one person who lived it
Avoid freezing beverages with added sugar in ice cube trays.
It results in a sticky mess.
one person who lived it
Ensure fruit is frozen correctly and not re-frozen to avoid a mushy texture when using it as an ice substitute.
Mushiness indicates the fruit was frozen too slowly or has been re-frozen.
one person who lived it
Cold brew organic loose leaf hibiscus tea as a natural, flavorful alternative to sugary drinks.
It tastes like nature’s Kool-Aid.
one person who lived it
Use regular granulated sugar instead of powdered sugar for homemade hot chocolate if the liquid is hot enough.
Normal sugar will dissolve fine in hot liquid, whereas powdered sugar contains starches to prevent clumping.
- The starch in powdered sugar could make the beverage thicker.
one person who lived it
Cold brew tea to reduce bitterness and increase antioxidant content.
Cold brewing usually results in less bitter tea with more antioxidants.
one person who lived it
Pour liquid into the shaker bottle before adding powder to prevent the powder from sticking to the bottom.
Adding liquid first ensures the powder mixes properly without adhering to the container base.
one person who lived it
Keep carbonated beverages refrigerated before pouring them over ice to reduce foaming.
Warm beverages fizz up more than chilled ones when added to ice.
one person who lived it