{"id":1607,"date":"2026-09-27T12:08:54","date_gmt":"2026-09-27T11:08:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iceology.pt\/?p=1607"},"modified":"2026-09-27T12:23:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-27T11:23:08","slug":"gelo-cristalino-porque-e-transparente","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iceology.pt\/en\/gelo-cristalino-porque-e-transparente\/","title":{"rendered":"Crystal-clear ice: why good ice is transparent"},"content":{"rendered":"

In a cocktail bar, ice is the most-used ingredient \u2014 and the most underrated. Just look at a cube: cloudy and whitish or clear as glass, it says a lot about the drink it will go into. Here is where the difference comes from and why crystal-clear ice is the standard in premium bars.<\/p>\n

Why freezer ice turns cloudy<\/h2>\n

Tap water contains dissolved air and minerals. In a freezer tray, water freezes from the outside in, in all directions at once. Air and impurities are pushed to the centre, where they get trapped in thousands of micro-bubbles \u2014 that is the white core we see in the cube. Besides the look, these bubbles and cracks make the ice more brittle.<\/p>\n

How clear ice is made<\/h2>\n

The secret is to freeze water in layers and in motion<\/strong>. In quality professional machines, water circulates or is sprayed onto the freezing cells: one thin layer of ice forms at a time, and the water that has not yet frozen carries away the air and some of the minerals. The result is a hard, dense, transparent cube.<\/p>\n

At Iceology we produce with Japanese Hoshizaki machines, which work on exactly this principle, and with purified water. For large blocks, spheres and cut ice, we use slow, controlled freezing to obtain larger crystal-clear pieces.<\/p>\n

What changes in the glass<\/h2>\n