Drinks on the rocks? Stainless steel used to cool drinks instead of ice to stop alcohol being watered down

These new ice cubes will not water down or change the taste of a drink - because they are made from stainless steel.
The inert metal cubes will suit connoisseurs who prefer their liqueur on the rocks but cannot stand their drinks being watered down by ice.
The stainless steel cubes, known as a 'Puc', also let the drinker more accurately control the temperature as they become colder the more are added.

The stainless steel cubes are designed to cool drinks without watering them down like ice cubes

The stainless steel is inert meaning it will not add anything to the drinks or change the taste

Designer Dave Laituri, 51, from Wayland, Massachusetts, said he was inspired by the former trend of using cold ball bearings to 'ice' drinks.
He said: 'Early in my design career, I heard a story that famous designer Raymond Loewy used to drink scotch with chilled with ball bearings.

 

'He was quite the classy guy and I've heard of other famous people from that era using ball bearings to chill their drink of choice.
'By using ball bearings, it doesn't dilute the drink with excess water, and that image has always stuck with me for some reason.'
However, he changed the shape because he said the balls would move around too much as the drinker sipped.
He said: 'The ball bearings were too mobile and would often take a leap for freedom and roll across the floor when given the chance.
'But with the marshmallow-like "puck" shape, they tend to stay put, live at the bottom of the glass for the duration of the drink and are easier to manage.

The designer was inspired by a trend in the early 20th century to cool drinks with ball bearings

'They are a classy, non-diluting alternative to ice.'
Each Puc weighs 70 grams and are 25mmm by 19mm.
Stainless steel is 100 per cent inert and therefore will not absorb anything around it and will not add or subtract from the drink.
The size of the Pucs has been chosen to allow the customer to add them to suit their liking.
Mr Laituri, who set up the company with his son Calvin, said it is up to people to choose how cold they have their drinks when using the cubes.
He continued: 'If people want their drink cooler faster, they can simply add another Puc, and after, they can rinse them off and put them back in the freezer.
'Pucs not only chill room temperature drinks, but can also bring blazing hot coffee to a more manageable drinkable temperature for those on the go.'