Warm beer can really put a damper on the drinking experience, and even adding ice cubes won't rescue it, as they only end up diluting the beverage—but these star-shaped ice cubes created by Heineken Laos were intentionally designed to keep drinks deliciously chilled. With creative agency Wunderman Thompson Thailand, the beer brand tapped into a blast-freezing technique to create star-shaped ice cubes that are 20% colder than ordinary ice cubes.
The process of making beer into ice is not as straightforward as using water and this technology immediately freezes beer at -31°F to create flavor-preserving drink chillers. The Star Ice cubes made from Heineken beer succeed at transforming the experience of drinking beer with ice, solving several pain points that adults encounter when they're just trying to appreciate a cold beverage.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Blast-freezing Technique
- Heineken Laos uses a blast-freezing technique to create star-shaped ice cubes that are 20% colder than ordinary ice cubes, transforming the drinking experience.
- Flavor-preserving Drink Chillers
- The process of freezing Heineken beer at -31°F creates star-shaped ice cubes that preserve the flavor of the drink, solving the problem of dilution when adding regular ice cubes.
- Enhanced Beer Chilling
- Heineken Laos' star-shaped ice cubes made from their beer offer an enhanced chilling experience, addressing the pain points of warm beer and maintaining the taste.
Where This Applies
- Beverage
- The blast-freezing technique utilized by Heineken Laos opens up innovation opportunities for other beverage companies to create unique and colder ice cubes that enhance the drinking experience.
- Hospitality
- The use of flavor-preserving drink chillers made from blast-frozen beer could revolutionize the way hotels and restaurants serve chilled beverages, providing a new level of taste and enjoyment.
- Home Appliances
- The concept of enhanced beer chilling through the use of specialized ice cubes presents opportunities for home appliance manufacturers to develop innovative ice cube makers that cater to beer enthusiasts.
