Clear Ice Mould
A clear ice mould is an insulated box, often silicone moulds inside a plastic case, that freezes water from the top down so the cloudy part collects at the bottom. Most make two to four cubes or spheres of about 5 to 6cm, or a single slab to cut. The ice suits drinks served over one large piece, such as the French Connection, the Penicillin or the Vieux Carré.
About the Clear Ice Mould
Freezing From the Top Down
Water in an ordinary tray freezes from every side at once. Air and minerals are pushed inward by the ice and trapped in the middle, which is the white cloud in a tray cube.
A clear ice mould insulates the sides and base, so the water freezes from the top only. The impurities are pushed down into the last water to freeze, which collects at the bottom to be poured away.
Take It Out Before the Bottom Freezes
Timing matters most. Leave the mould too long and the bottom freezes too, pushing cloud back up into the ice.
Most moulds take around a day. Check from about 18 hours: the top should be solid and clear, with liquid water still underneath.
Size Matters More Than Clarity in the Glass
A large cube dilutes a drink slowly because it has little surface for its weight. Clarity adds less to that than people expect, but clear ice resists cracking when spirit is poured over it. That suits drinks served over one large piece, such as the French Connection, stirred in the glass for 15 to 20 seconds, or the Penicillin, double strained over it after a hard shake.
Clear ice against other ice for a rocks drink
Clear cube from a mould
- Typical size
- 5-6cm
- Melt in the glass
- Slow
- Notes
- Resists cracking; looks clean
Clear sphere from a mould
- Typical size
- 5-6cm
- Melt in the glass
- Slow
- Notes
- Rolls; may not fit narrow glasses
Cloudy large cube
- Typical size
- About 5cm
- Melt in the glass
- Slow, a little faster
- Notes
- Can crack under spirit
Tray cubes
- Typical size
- 2-3cm
- Melt in the glass
- Fast
- Notes
- Several small pieces; more surface
| Ice | Typical size | Melt in the glass | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear cube from a mould | 5-6cm | Slow | Resists cracking; looks clean |
| Clear sphere from a mould | 5-6cm | Slow | Rolls; may not fit narrow glasses |
| Cloudy large cube | About 5cm | Slow, a little faster | Can crack under spirit |
| Tray cubes | 2-3cm | Fast | Several small pieces; more surface |
Temper It Before It Meets Spirit
Freezer-cold ice is far colder than the drink and can crack when spirit hits it. Let a cube stand for a minute, until the frost on it turns glassy, then set it in the glass with ice tongs.
Using the Clear Ice Mould
Usage
Making large clear cubes or spheres for drinks served over one big piece of ice: the French Connection, the Penicillin, the Vieux Carré and the Old Fashioned. Drinks built on a single large cube are stirred in the glass for 15 to 20 seconds; a drink stirred first in a mixing glass gets 20 to 30 seconds before it is strained over the cube.
Pro Tip
One big cube lasts mainly because it is big: weight for weight, it exposes less surface than a handful of small cubes. Clarity helps more with cracking than with melting. Cloudy ice is full of trapped air and splits when spirit hits it, and every split exposes new surface.
Professional Tips
- Lift it out once the top is solid and before the bottom freezes.
- Pour away the cloudy water at the bottom; that is what the design expects.
- Give a cube a minute out of the freezer before spirit goes on it.
- Check the size against your glass before freezing a batch.
Alternatives
Budget Alternative
A small cool box, uncovered, filled with water and left in the freezer. Its insulation works like the mould's case; lift the slab out while the base is still liquid and cut it with a serrated knife or an ice pick.
Premium Option
A larger insulated mould that makes a single clear slab for cutting. It takes longer to freeze and needs cutting, but it gives cubes, spears and slabs in any size you like.
Specifications
Material
Silicone moulds or tray inside an insulated plastic case
Capacity
Usually two to four cubes or spheres of about 5 to 6cm
Details
Insulated sides and base so water freezes from the top down, with space at the bottom for the cloudy water
More to explore
Common Questions
How does a clear ice mould work?
Does clear ice melt slower than cloudy ice?
Why is my clear ice still cloudy?
Are ice spheres better than cubes?
How long does a clear ice mould take?
Does boiling the water make clear ice?
What size ice cube fits a rocks glass?
Made with the Clear Ice Mould
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Guide by Jerry Can Spirits · Updated 10 October 2026