How To Turn Your Favorite Soda Into A Summer Slushy – No Fancy Machine Required

When it comes to cooling refreshment, it's hard to beat a frozen drink. Several chains cater to slushy soft drinks: 7-Eleven's iconic Slurpee and Sonic's slush lineup, for example. Yet it's also entirely possible to craft a soda slushy from the comfort of your own home, without needing to purchase an expensive machine. All that's necessary is your desired bottle of soda, a freezer, and just a splash of scientific knowledge.

Start by grabbing your soda bottle, then vigorously shake it. Lay the soft drink on its side in the freezer, and start a timer for just shy of three and a half hours. Check on your soda upon your timer's completion; it should still be liquid. Pour the drink into a chilled glass or into a cup over a single piece of ice, and it'll frost immediately. To create the slushy in the bottle, you could even lightly undo the cap, let some gas out, then reseal and flip the whole thing — it will freeze up nicely with just a little shake. Utilizing any of the methods, the soda will instantly crystallize to eye-catching effect, yielding a chilled treat ready for enjoyment.

The technique functions via a process called supercooling. In water and other homogenous liquids, typically freezing temperatures won't always create ice, given that conditions prevent the formation of large crystals. Agitation or a low enough temperature to create crystallization leads to a chain reaction that finally freezes the liquid. For these reasons, it's critical that your employed soda isn't jostled amidst freezing and that it starts at room temperature.

Intriguingly, the process works with a wide array of drinks, so long as they're relatively pure. The majority of soda flavors will supercool, whether citrus or cola — you could try the hack with Coca-Cola's Orange Cream flavor, for example. It's also possible to crystallize flavored seltzer or sparkling water, as well as certain fruit juices (like apple). And supercooling even works with several alcoholic drinks like beer and champagne. 

The process is easier to manage using a bottle than a can, as it's tricky to crack open a beverage without agitating too early. Furthermore, keep in mind the necessary cooling time varies per beverage — the lower the freezing point, the longer the duration. Otherwise, trial and error the process using an array of drinks, crafting fun slushies in the process.