Use Frozen Fruit To Keep Your Cold Drinks And Cocktails Icy Without Diluting Flavor

Dilution is a huge deal in the craft beverage world. In fact, mixologists often use different shapes of ice to control the rate at which different cocktails water down. Some particularly devoted bartenders even swear by using crystal clear ice cubes, which melt evenly. Even so, chances are you've probably ended up with a hugely watered-down bevy in your time. Maybe you're a slow sipper. Or, maybe you just like to savor your drinks for longer than they can stay cold. 

Either way, we have one game-changing tip for avoiding this scene and crafting drinks that stay just as delicious from the first sip to the last: Swap the ice cubes with a few pieces of frozen fruit. As the fruit thaws, it'll soften and release flavorful bursts of juice into your cocktail. It's a similar concept to making frozen coffee or cream cubes for chilling cold brew without watering it down. 

Plus, you'll end up with a sweet, perhaps booze-saturated bite in the bottom of your glass at the end. You can find bags of frozen fruit in the freezer aisles of most grocery stores. But this cocktail tip is also a great way to make use of the fresh produce you froze during the summer months, stretching the sweet enjoyment deep into the winter. (Who said fruity cocktails were only for sipping poolside?)

As you brainstorm fruity infusion ideas, just keep in mind that some fresh fruits will require a little prep before their tenure in the freezer. Larger fruits like oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, and peaches will need to be sliced. Smaller raspberries and blueberries are good to go as they are, but strawberries might need to be halved depending on your preferred level of chewing. Also, as a general rule, this tip works best with light-colored spirits. 

Whiskey and bourbon tote rich, bold flavors that are delicious on their own, but compete with the strong flavorful fruit rather than complement it. More neutral spirits like vodka and gin let the fruity flavor shine. For a simple yet sophisticated sipper, pop a few frozen raspberries into a Cosmopolitan or a French 75. Frozen cranberries or blackberries would work well in a Moscow Mule or a glass of chilled mulled wine. Likewise, you could try adding frozen pitted cherries to a Sangria or Sloe Gin Fizz or putting frozen blueberries in a Tom Collins. 

An Aperol Spritz, meanwhile, would benefit from a frozen orange slice, or, for an unforgettable cocktail hour, spoon some frozen white peach chunks into a Rosemary Gimlet. You could also totally just fill a wine glass with frozen fruit and top it with sparkling wine. Booze isn't required, either. To whip up a flavorful mocktail, you could pop a few frozen strawberries into a glass of iced tea or kombucha. Or, add some frozen pomegranate seeds to a glass of ginger beer.