Germany Has The Perfect Ice Mold To Keep Beer Cold

Oct 24, 2024

Americans really, really love ice. Major newspapers publish think pieces on it. Ice influencers on TikTok and Instagram frequently go viral for their elaborate creations. Also, 51% of Americans identify as "ice obsessed," according to a study by Bosch (via Globe Newswire).

It stands to reason that many ice-related innovations were pioneered by Americans. American Alexander Twining patented the first commercial ice maker in 1853. Illinois company Scotsman Ice Systems introduced nugget ice in 1981. But Americans' love of ice is no match for Germans' love of beer. Beer inspired one German to design one of the cleverest ice inventions in recent years: an ice mold designed to chill a whole crate of beer at once.

The ice mold, designed by Stefan Limmer and produced by his company, SL-Eisblock, creates large blocks of ice studded with holes. The blocks fit snugly in a crate of beer, each hole incasing a bottle by the neck. The molds come in 4-by-5 and 6-by-5 configurations and its unique shape helps chill bottles to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) in just 30 minutes.

If you've heard that Germans drink their beer warm, you might be scratching your head right now. You're not alone; it's a common misconception. But, while a mulled wine-like drink called glühbier is sometimes served at Christmas markets, chilled beer is the norm. However, they don't generally drink it as cold as Americans do. Instead, Germans match the temperature to the type of beer.

In Germany, lighter beers — like pilsners — are served crisp and cool, around 43 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit (6 to 8 degrees Celsius). The optimal temperature for wheat beers, known as hefeweizen in Germany, is 46 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (8 to 10 degrees Celsius). A moderate 45 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) might make a bottle of rauchbier, a widely hated German brew, drinkable. Dark beers, like bocks and schwarzbiers, are served at 48 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit (9 to 13 degrees Celsius). As a rule of thumb, the lighter the beer, the colder it should be.

Currently, the SL-Eisblock ice mold is only available through wholesalers or the brand's website — which doesn't appear to offer international shipping. We can still hope that it catches on abroad, though. Until then, we'll have to make do with ice-filled coolers. Just remember to leave time to make ice in advance, or you'll be stuck hacking apart a store-bought bag of ice.