They call me the Master Iceman

They call me the Master Iceman. I run Columbia Ice, A Uniquely Canadian Ice Company in Alberta. Really the only Canadian owned option for packaged ice delivery in Alberta. Arctic Glacier Edmonton and Arctic Glacier ice in Calgary, the big American owned ice company, is the competition.

Columbia Ice is a flea, trying to become a mouse, competing against the elephant, Arctic Glacier... as much a flea competes with an elephant.

I am my own boss for the most part. There is an owner, Jake, he is cool to deal with. He looks like the Daredevil in the TV series. I am convinced by night, he fights crime. Would be rather cool if he did. He bought Columbia Ice a few months ago from Ernie Graveline who owned the company for the past 14 teen years. Transition has gone well, still tidying up loose ends which is to be expected when you sell a company.

I have tried X, I have tried Youtube, Tiktok and Instagram as a way to communicate my story but I really dislike social media. I am old school, I like to write, I like to blog, even if nobody reads this blog or knows what a blog is anymore. Call it a public dairy of my story in ice, the story of Columbia Ice, the story of running an NSF audited food facility. I will delve into a variety of topics other than ice so please don't typecast me. My grammer will be that of a 48 year old frostbitten mind who has had too much craft beer in his life. I hope you enjoy these blog posts, please subscribe, ask questions, share on social media.

Here is an old video I did back in the day when Ernie was the owner.

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The Fastest Way to Cool Beer: Columbia Ice, Salt, and Water – Plus the Science Behind It

There’s nothing worse than reaching for a beer only to find it’s warm. Whether you Forgot to stock the fridge or just brought a fresh pack home, you don’t have to wait an hour for that crisp, cold perfection. With a simple trick using Columbia Ice, salt, and water, you can chill your beer in minutes. This method isn’t just fast—it’s science in action. Let’s break down how to do it and why it works. The Method: Ice-Salt-Water Bath Here’s what you’ll need: A large bowl, bucket, or cooler (big enough to submerge your beers) Ice (enough to surround the cans or bottles) (Columbia Ice is the only Canadian owned ice company in Alberta.) Water (to fill the container) Salt (a generous handful—table salt or rock salt works fine) Alberta Craft Beer (cans chill faster than bottles due to their thin aluminum walls) Steps: Fill your container halfway with ice. Add cold water until the ice is just covered. Sprinkle in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of salt (depending on the size of your container) and ...

The Icy Artistry: How Tube Commercial Ice Makers Like Vogt’s Craft Perfect Ice

When you grab a handful of cylindrical ice tubes from a bag or watch them tumble into your drink at a restaurant, you might not think about the engineering marvel behind them. Tube ice—those hollow, uniform cylinders—is a staple in industries from hospitality to packaged ice production, and machines like Vogt’s tube ice makers have been perfecting the process since the 1930s. But how exactly do these commercial powerhouses turn water into those sleek, hollow tubes? Let’s break down the fascinating mechanics of tube ice makers and explore why they’ve become an industry standard. The Basics of Tube Ice Tube ice is distinct for its shape: a cylinder with a hollow core, typically 1–2 inches long and varying in diameter (often 7/8" to 1-1/2"). This design offers a high surface area for rapid cooling, making it ideal for beverages, food preservation, and industrial uses like concrete cooling. Unlike cube or flake ice, tube ice is produced in a specialized process that Vogt pioneere...

The Cool Evolution: A History of Cocktail Ice

Ice might seem like a humble ingredient in the world of cocktails, but its journey from natural rarity to barroom staple is a fascinating tale of innovation, culture, and science. Today, we take for granted the clinking cubes or crystal-clear spheres in our drinks, but the story of cocktail ice spans centuries and continents, transforming how we enjoy a well-mixed beverage. Let’s dive into the chilly history of this unsung hero of mixology. The Pre-Ice Era: Cocktails Without the Chill Before ice became a cocktail cornerstone, mixed drinks were a simpler affair. In the 17th and 18th centuries, cocktails—or their precursors like punches and toddies—were served at room temperature or warmed over a fire. Spirits, sugar, water, and bitters defined the earliest known cocktail recipe from 1806, published in *The Balance and Columbian Repository*. Cooling a drink wasn’t an option for most, as ice was a luxury reserved for nature’s whims or the ultra-wealthy who could afford to harvest and stor...

Born of Ice - Day in the life of an iceman

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