“My heart sunk at first. I’ll admit it. It was like in college, seeing your girlfriend holding hands with another guy” reveals Glenn Auerbach, founder of nICE mug. Glenn is on the cusp of bringing his invention, nICE mug to market, a drinking glass made entirely out of ice.
“Then I took a breath and smiled. I imagined some Coke employee in Columbia, maybe sitting on a beach, thinking and dreaming just like I do. Knowing someone thousands of miles away thinks crazy thoughts like I do is a nICE feeling.”
Where Coke is celebrating their iconic bottle shape with their ice mold, Auerbach’s mold is shaped to celebrate nature. “A container of water freezes in a very special way” says Auerbach. He has spent many cold Minnesota winter nights freezing jugs of water to figure out how it all works. Thicker at the bottom, and thinner along the sides, Auerbach’s mold replicates this freeze pattern. “My mold is designed so everything sort of melts evenly.” Auerbach speaks enthusiastically about sauna parties and backyard gatherings where folks keep track of the life of their nICE mugs. “Two beers and 20 minutes seem about right, anything more is a bonus” And what happens when a nICE mug springs a leak? “Drink!”.
The nICE mug home kit should be ready to ship within the next month. It contains two sets of reusable molds, four reusable holders and sponges, and a little bottle of “secret sauce.” By adding a couple drops to the water in the mold, the secret sauce helps the water freeze more clear. Less air bubbles mean a longer lasting nICE mug.
As for the Coca-Cola ice bottle? “I wish Coke the best. I hope they bring it to other countries. I look forward to when lots of people all over the world are enjoying this really fun way to enjoy a cold drink.”
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/07/05/coca-colas-new-bottle-is-made-of-ice/
