Working from home these years is really cutting into my commute home clear ice stops. Now I have to find time to drive 45 mintues there and back to get an ice drop and the weekends are too packed, the week days too worky. I have one more block of clear ice in my freezer... I need to cut it up. In the meantime, the clear ice poverty is real. This is all I have for the last month.

Keep the Clear Ice Dream Alive! #KtCIDA

The Clear Ice Life recognized Josh Colquitt as a clear ice master. He self-constructed a 20 gallon clear ice block maker and does some amazing things with it. Check out the setup:

From there, Josh cuts those into spheres by hand or with a press, or bandsaws them into blocks for delivery!

But that's not all! Josh also builds some blocks with flowers in them for presentation, or full ice beer mugs to enjoy a frosty beverage!

I asked Josh how he got started with Clear Ice:

A very excellent job Josh! It is quite the machine and you are churning out some amazing looking ice. Thank you for being another person out there keeping the clear ice life alive! 

The sun is coming out, the camp fires are starting to build up, the snow is melting (in my part of the world), the kids are back on their bikes, the pandemic is still here, but some aspects are easing. I hope you are still drinking some solid drinks with some solid Ice in it!

If you are reading this, you made it! Things weren't uncomplicated but we all survived the best ways we knew how. I'm sure some beverages and clear ice were involved. 

The tides rise and fall, and so do the drinks in our glasses. The clear ice life continues for us all!

I came across this article online which shared some perspectives from ​LushICE in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

That makes a ton of sense.

Read the whole article to learn more.

We are welcoming Diamond Arctic Ice to the Maker Directory! I had a chance to catch up with Danielle O'Connor, the VP of Sales to ask her a few questions about what makes Diamond Arctic Ice unique. 

1. How did you get into making clear ice personally? What do you personally like about it? 
At Diamond Arctic Ice we believe ice should enhance the visual impact and overall taste of cocktails, spirits, iced coffees, teas, and other drinks.

Making Diamond Arctic Ice is a thoughtful and meticulous process, but well worth the wait. We pour over every detail so that the purity of our ice allows the true flavor of your beverage to take center stage. We’re passionate about creating a hand-crafted and world-class experience for our patrons.

The craft ice we provide is an important piece of our company, but personal service is of the utmost importance. This is why we have built the Diamond Arctic Ice Experience around three core values.

Core Value #1 - Passion
We are dedicated to one profession - providing the best craft ice experience to our patrons. Passion places the patron at the center of our attention. Delivering excellence is not simply a marketing promise, it's our obsession.

Core Value #2 - Excellence
To deliver the best experience, we personalize each point of contact with great care and attention to detail. We consistently strive for excellence and share the desire to surpass expectations in order to offer the best to our patrons.

Core Value #3 - Capturing the Moments
We all treasure special moments! Moments are made monumental when captured forever. Diamond Arctic Ice is crafted from the finest materials with scrupulous attention to detail. Every piece is designed, developed, and produced in-house to the most exacting standards.  

We do more than just provide the world’s best craft ice, we believe in doing things differently. In other words, the Diamond Arctic Ice Experience is unmatched in the world of craft ice!

2. What's the background that led you to be interested in clear ice as a business and profession? 

Our team members have decades of experience as lawyers, marketing professionals,  and hospitality executives. We believe that the uniqueness of the artisan ice industry (especially in the Midwest) provides an unlimited opportunity to make a difference in a customer's experience.      

3. What's the mission of your company and how is it striving to be unique in the clear ice space? 
Greatness is everywhere in the Midwest! This part of the country has vibrant cities, lakes for days, and some of the nicest people around. By combining the natural waters of the Midwest with our proprietary filtration system, Diamond Arctic Ice has become one of the world’s leading craft ice artisans and will provide you with a unique experience that will always be remembered!  

Find out more about Diamond Arctic Ice at DiamondArcticIce.com!

We seem to be coming out the other side of a long and dark pandemic winter. I'll admit that my clear ice consumption has dropped recently. Without any gatherings to hold and cubes to cut for the guests, it's hard to justify keeping 30 pound blocks of ice in my freezer taking up all that space. 

But it does seem like we are turning a corner. Places are opening back up. Backyard BBQs might be back on the menu this summer. The clear ice will flow like glacier. Until then, I'm keeping it cozy... keeping it local... and enjoying clear ice when the liquor demands it. 

Keep it spinning out there! Enjoy the facets! 

Well that was a crazy year. Full of sadness and sacrifice. Full of hope and resilience. Through it all, we toasted our friends from a distance or over Zoom calls. We all became our own bartenders in the safety of our homes while restaurants and bars suffered along with all of us around the world.

On the eve of a new year, there is a light rising at the top of the hill with a vaccine on the horizon. Maybe I'll be able to go to an ice vendor. Maybe they will be open. Maybe so many of us will stop dying. Maybe we will be able to hug our friends again. Maybe we can toast in our houses again. Hopefully we can share the privilege of clear ice with more people again.

Stay safe out there. Welcome 2021. We've been waiting for you.