Ice Hacks for More Flavorful Summer Drinks

When the weather is hot, cooling down with a chilled drink is the way to go. But sometimes when it's particularly sweltering, you may find that your ice cubes have quickly melted, diluting your delicious beverage into a watery version of its former glory. Don't let this summertime tragedy happen next time you're looking to chill out. Instead use these helpful ice cube hacks that will keep your drinks both flavorful and cool:

Iced Coffee

Iced coffee is an excellent way to get a boost of caffeine on a warm day. Keep your drink from getting watered down by freezing cubes of strong coffee. It can either be freshly brewed and cooled down, or use cold brewed coffee. You can dress it up by adding a splash of milk or flavoring syrups like chocolate, caramel, and vanilla.

Mimosas

If you're craving a summer cocktail, it's hard to beat a classic mimosa. By freezing orange juice cubes, you can perfectly control the level of fruitiness that goes into each sip. Don't feel like you've got to stick with oranges though. Opt for other citrusy favorites like grapefruit juice to switch things up and create a delightfully pink drink.

Lemonade

Bright in both flavor and color, lemonade is the nostalgic summertime beverage. Of course, you can easily freeze lemonade ice cubes to prevent your drink from diluting, but this is also an opportunity to add different tastes and hues, too. Try using limeade for an extra tangy addition or vibrant teas like hibiscus to upgrade your basic lemonade.

Sparkling Water

The bubbliness of sparkling water is what makes it so refreshing, and it also makes it perfect for some wow-worthy ice cubes with whole pieces of fruit and herbs. Freeze lightly mashed fresh berries or puréed melons — watermelon and cantaloupe are two popular choices — to highlight the season's best produce. Or create an herbaceous beverage with bold options like lavender, mint, basil, and more. The best part is that you can mix and match the fruit and herb options to create a custom drink each time, such as watermelon and mint.

Iced Tea

Standard iced tea is an excellent base for dressing up with flavored ice cubes. Create the beloved Arnold Palmer drink by using frozen lemonade or ice cubes with slices of fresh lemon. Boldly flavored fruit juices also make a great addition and are strong enough to stand up to the pronounced taste of tea. We like the combination of raspberry juice with green tea and pomegranate juice to amp up black tea.

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