Ah booze;  ”The cause of, and solution to, all of life’s problems.” 

All month long on Thursdays at noon I’ll be sharing my thoughts on enjoying a tippler’s life. 

If there are two things in life I truly enjoy, entertaining, and entertaining myself with booze would be near the top. 

Today’s DIY project has practical applications for both.

An ice sleeve, as the name implies, is a sheath of ice wrapped around a bottle (750ml bottles work best) of your favorite libation.

The benefits are numerous. 

1. The spirit is kept perfectly chilled for an extended period of time, even when sitting at room temperature. 
2. It keeps people out of your freezer, which in my kitchen can end up being a major bottleneck during soirees
3. It looks classy, cool and will define your event as unique.

HOW TO

Making an ice sheath is a quick, painless process. 

1. Get an empty 1/2 gallon milk carton.  I suggest obtaining one by drinking the contents.
2. Cut off the top portion of the carton, leaving you with a rectangular ‘tube’.
3. Place bottle in the center or the carton, and fill the carton almost to the top with water.
4. Freeze (at least overnight to insure the ice is solid).
5. Peel off the milk carton and discard.
6. Voila; an ice sculpture, conversation piece and beverage chiller all in one.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

1. If you’re hosting a party, why not create a sleeve for several bottles?  You can place a towel on a table top or your bar to stand the frozen bottles on allowing guests to serve themselves.  If you trust them with your booze.
2. You can make a rounded sleeve by following the same process with an empty 2 litre bottle of soda.  (This is slightly more difficult to ‘peel off’ after freezing, but the results can be worth it)
3. If you truly feel like going Drunken Martha Stewart style, add some food coloring to the water around the bottle for an easter egg/st. patrick’s day/halloween/christmas balls, etc effect.

Until next time, drink up, and drink often.

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