Silly Poll: Beverages

I'm a little fried from yesterday's frantic running around, so while there are a couple of physics things I'd like to write about, I have neither the time nor the brainpower. So here's a silly little poll, prompted by the large amount of ice I go through at home (I'm trying to lose some weight, so I'm drinking a lot of ice water these days). How do you like your cold beverages to be served?

(It was that, or a rant about the silly faux-controversy over the Angels' post-game celebration, which is taking up wayyyy too much time on sports shows.)

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Next you need to address the crushed vs. cubed debate.

At home: cold water from the filter pitcher. No ice.

At a restaurant: Ice in my water to keep it cold. I don't buy flavored sugar water, thanks.

I answered just a couple ice cubes, but it actually depends on the context. From soda fountains, the drink is usually plenty cold to start with, and the ice is only there to keep it that way. I usually drink it fast enough that there's no reason to put a lot of ice in it.

When I've just bought something stored at room temp or only slightly cold, or am drinking tap water - lots of ice to get it cold.

When I'm drinking something out of the fridge, little or no ice.

And that was way too much analysis for a silly poll.

When I'm drinking, it's because I'm thirsty, and I want to knock it back as quickly as possible. So I want it about the temperature of tap water, so it goes down easily.

For this reason, I don't much care for carbonated beverages, because of the burning-belch-through-the-nose effect. I just want something wet, so water is usually fully adequate.

Ice is evil...

It hurts my teeth. Ice is right out.

Now you know.

More than "just a couple of cubes", but less than "lots of ice". I ice my drinks in moderation, leaning neither right nor left. :)

It's a question of finding the correct balance of duration of coldness versus duration of acceptable soda concentration.

(Now, if we had melt-proof ice, it would be different....)

I like lots of ice but not necessarily to keep my drink cold but to limit the amount of sugar water I drink (from the fountain). I don't mind tepid tea but the caffeine adds up when I get it at a restaurant. Actually, I take 'iced' tea (unsweetened and decaffeinated) with me in the field because I hate warm water.

By marciepooh (not verified) on 30 Sep 2009 #permalink

If you have to travel outside the US and Canada, you will often find that ice is either unavailable or not a good idea in the first place.

When you order a beverage in Europe, whether it's bottled water, flavored sugar water, or something fortified with ethanol, the menu indicates how much you will be getting, and you are served either a bottle/can of the specified size or a glass filled up to a line marked with the specified size. Asking for ice will, at minimum, get you funny looks from the waiter and mark you as a clueless American.

If the country in question is one where they tell you not to drink the water, that also means you should avoid ice, which is made from tap water just as in North America. I have heard that many Latin Americans, particularly those who work for hotels that cater to foreigners, are under the incorrect impression that the nasty bugs can't survive freezing. It is, however, usually safe to drink hot tea made from the local water, since boiling the water does kill the nasty bugs (a good reason southern and eastern Asian countries got into the habit of drinking tea).

By Eric Lund (not verified) on 30 Sep 2009 #permalink

To paraphrase your own words, I want my drinks to be so cold they freeze my teeth.

Massive amounts of ice. And scoff at those silly Euro-waiters who roll their eyes when you ask for ice. When it's a 100 degrees F, you're an idiot to drink a warm cola.

This reminds me, though, that in Italy we stumbled across coffee-flavored Coca Cola, which was hands-down the most vile beverage I've ever tasted.

I put no ice, but I actually completely agree with MRW in #3.

What's cooler than being cool? ICE COLD!

I'm am American with ancestry from the Torrid Zone. So gimme a drink that's gonna refresh me, dammit!

By Rogue Epidemiologist (not verified) on 30 Sep 2009 #permalink

I like my drinks chilled in liquid nitrogen. Warm beer used to cost less in Indiana than cold. We used liquid nitrogen (please don't ask where we got it) to save $$.

It depends. On the temperature of the surroundings, whether I get enough to drink, whether I have to try to pour the drink without pouring the ice in the jug into my glass, etc. I voted "I am paying for sugar water not ice" because if I am paying, I want a sensible quantity of drink (I drink a LOT with food) at a sensible temperature. Though too cold drinks clog my throat (it is better to have lukewarm drinks if you need to talk a lot or sing).

By Katherine (not verified) on 30 Sep 2009 #permalink

Cold from the fridge. I don't drink that slowly.