Since the dawn of the cocktail renaissance, enthusiasts have lusted after the beautifully cut, clear cubes adorning their old fashioneds and sazeracs at craft cocktail bars. Whether you’re new to cocktails or a longtime enthusiast, by the time you finish reading this post you’ll have a better grasp of the how clear ice is made, options for making clear ice at home, as well as one of the best visual illustrations of the process I’ve ever seen.

“They are, in fact, like the American ladies, irresistible.” – Frederick Marryat, on mint juleps Once a year a free pass is given to non-Southerners which allows them to wear big hats and to sip minty-sweet bourbon drinks with abandon. This event is the Kentucky…