How to Chill Canned Cocktails Fast: Ice-Cold AYO™ Every Time

Knowing how to chill canned cocktails fast saves a party, a patio shift, or a last-minute delivery that shows up warm. The fridge works, but it's slow. With a few simple tricks, you can get a can of AYO™ Lemonade + Vodka ice cold quickly and keep it that way all night.

AYO Lemonade + Vodka is a 12 fl oz (355 ml) can at 5% ABV, made with vodka and natural flavors, and produced and packaged by Hidden Still in Hershey, PA. It's built to be served cold, so a good chill makes a real difference.

How to chill canned cocktails fast: the ice water and salt bath

This is the quickest method most bars and hosts already have the tools for.

• Fill a bucket, tub, or cooler about halfway with ice.
• Add cold water until the ice is floating. Water touches every side of the can, which pulls heat out much faster than ice alone.
• Stir in a few big handfuls of salt. Salt lets the ice water get colder than plain ice water.
• Sink the cans so they're fully covered, and give them a gentle spin now and then to move the cold water around.

Ice alone leaves air gaps around each can, so the ice water bath is the one to reach for when you're short on time.

Why air is slow and water is fast

A refrigerator and a freezer both chill with cold air, and air moves heat slowly. Water is much better at it. That's why a can sitting in a tub of ice water gets cold far sooner than one sitting on a fridge shelf. If you only remember one tip, remember this: add water to your ice.

The wet paper towel trick

No tub handy? Wrap each can in a damp paper towel and set it in the freezer. As the towel chills, it helps draw heat away from the can faster than cold air alone.

Set a timer and don't forget about it. A can left in the freezer too long can freeze, and frozen cans can bulge or burst. Never leave cans in the freezer overnight.

Keeping cans cold once they're chilled

Getting cans cold is half the job. Keeping them cold is the other half.

• Keep the cooler or tub in the shade and keep the lid closed when you can.
• Refill ice before it runs low, not after it's gone.
• Drain extra meltwater only if it starts to warm up, since cold water is part of what keeps cans cold.
• Pull cans from the bottom of the cooler, where it's coldest.
• Pour over fresh ice in a chilled glass so the drink stays cold to the last sip.

Planning ahead for bars and events

For a venue, the best fast-chill plan is not needing one. Move cases into the walk-in or a back-bar cooler the day before a busy night, and rotate stock first in, first out so the oldest cans go out first.

For events, keep one tub of ice water behind the bar as a quick-chill station. When a fresh case comes out of storage, a few cans can go straight into the bath so the line never waits on a warm drink.

AYO comes 24 cans to a case, which makes it easy to plan how many coolers you need and to count what's left at the end of the night.

A simple cold serve

Once your cans are ice cold, the serve takes seconds.

• Fill a tall glass with fresh ice.
• Pour in the full can of AYO Lemonade + Vodka.
• Add a lemon wheel or a sprig of mint.

For more ideas, try our Lemonade Vodka Spritz Recipe or our Frozen AYO Lemonade Slush for Patio Season.

Serving responsibly

Cold lemonade can look like a soft drink at a glance, so keep AYO clearly labeled and stored apart from non-alcoholic lemonade and sodas. Keep water and non-alcoholic options easy to grab, and check ID like you would for any alcoholic drink.

Getting AYO for your venue

Ordering isn't open yet. Clubs, bars, restaurants, breweries, and distributors can join the waitlist or send an order request on ayospirits.com, and our staff approve every one. AYO is $48 per case of 24 cans, and terms and minimum order are confirmed directly with AYO. You can also call us at (484) 854-2326.

Bourbon + Lemonade is coming soon.

Please serve responsibly to guests 21 and over.