Why I Hate Ice in My Drinks

I live in Georgia where putting ice in your drinks is like breathing air. In fact, if you do not put ice in your drinks then you are considered an outcast and sometimes they make you wear a scarlet “I” on your shirt. But I am not originally from Georgia, I am from Maine. Sure, Northerners put ice in their drinks, but it was never a big thing. Maybe it is because it’s so cold in Maine… or maybe it’s because it’s so hot in Georgia. I do not have the answers, but my reasons for hating ice do not stem from my birth place or any odd loyalty I may hold. I hate ice in my drinks because it is a nuisance.

First, using ice in an already cold drink is not economical. I have never been served a warm beverage at any restaurant. They use ice, refrigerators, and more to keep their beverages cool. This is one of two only acceptable uses of ice. Putting ice in your drink will keep it cooler longer, yes, but how often do you let a drink sit out for hours on end? I have never been to a restaurant and thought to myself, “Boy, this drink sure did get warm fast”. It just doesn’t happen.

Second, the act of putting ice in a drink can be linked to sin in Scripture. I’ve already explained in my first point that there is no reason to put ice in a drink. Yet restaurants around the U.S. continue to do so. Why is this? I’m no conspiracy theorist, but I believe it is to make more money on drink purchases. The more ice in your glass, the smaller serving of drink you actually get. You paid 2$ for a glass of Coke, but what you got was a glass of water with some Coke to fill in the cracks. Not only are you paying an exorbitant price for soda, you’re getting a glass filled with water instead.  The practice of watering down wine in the Bible was considered a bad thing, as the Lord says, “Your silver has become dross, Your drink diluted with water” (Isaiah 1:22, NASB).

Third, ice ruins the flavor of the drink. This is a common complaint about ice and it is a proper complaint. If I order a soda, it already contains the proper water to other ingredient ratio. Adding more ice to it waters it down as the ice melts. Then I am no longer drinking my favorite drink, I’m drinking a watered down version of it. The phrase “watered down” is never a good one.

Fourth, ice always gets in the way of taking a good hearty swig. Maybe I am the only person who hast his difficulty, but when there is ice in my drink, I feel like I’m having to battle the ice to get a good gulp in. Either I’m having to push the ice away with my upper lip or I am twisting the cup around trying to find an opening. Further, when the ice starts to melt and get tiny, I always end up drinking little bits of ice. It is uncomfortable, too cold, and just awkward. It is really quite unbearable, why do people voluntarily put themselves through this?

Now, do not get me wrong, I do not want to be seen as a legalist. There are some acceptable uses for ice. As I mentioned above, you can use ice to keep things cool, like in a cooler, or an ice pack. Also, if you must have ice, it is acceptable to put ice in water. Reasons 1, 2, and 3 for not using ice cannot apply to water. It’s not watering it down, your not get less than you paid for, and generally ice water is cooler than tap water. Of course you still have to deal with a glacier in your face every time you take a swig, but hey, get a straw. In the U.S. today, there is practically no reason to use ice. Ice had it’s day in the sun before modern day refrigeration practices came on the scene. But most reasonable uses of ice are quickly melting away.