Chilling a drink
Pop that bottle of champagne or six-pack straight into a bucket of ice and you’ll be waiting quite some time to enjoy a chilled beverage. If you want to cool those drinks off quickly, you’re better off using a salt-and-ice-water combo instead.
“It brings the temperature of the water down lower than a normal ice bath, and the contact with water ensures all surface area is getting hit,” says Zach Mack, a beverage industry expert and owner of Alphabet City Beer Co. in New York City. “If you can manage it without making a mess, stirring the bottle around in the ice bath is even faster.”
And if you’re worried that you don’t have enough time for a proper ice bath, don’t be afraid to place that bottle in the freezer for a few. “If all else fails, 10 to 20 minutes in the freezer is the next best option,” says Mack.
