One of the biggest worries I encounter when planning a party is how to ensure the canned and bottled drinks are cold come party time, and how to keep them that way. I don't usually have the refrigerator space to store them; putting them in the freezer could result in exploded cans and busted bottles; and icing them down in a cooler takes just as long as the fridge plus I have to remember to start the process early.
My solution?
Place the warm bottles or cans into a large bowl, bucket, the kitchen sink, or even a clean water tank and cover the drinks completely with ice. Add water enough to cover the drinks and ice, then add 1 cup of salt (either rock or granulated) for every 3 lbs of ice; stir/swish the mixture around occasionally to help the drinks cool faster. You'll have cold drinks in mere minutes - about 3-5 minutes for a 6-pack! It will take a bit longer the more cans/bottles you have (bottles take a bit longer to cool than cans), but it still beats waiting hours for cold drinks. Oh, and be sure to rinse the bottles and cans off before opening, otherwise you'll end up with a nice salty addition to your drink.
Mmm...tasty!
Tasty tasty!
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