Quite a long winded title. Basically it comes down to this: What's the best way to pour a drink into a container with ice cubes in order to have the coolest drink for the longest period of time? I see a couple of ways:

1. Pour the drink in at a normal rate. If it only takes a couple of seconds to pour the drink it would be relatively safe to assume the average temperature of the drink as you finished pouring would be very close to the temperature it started at. This would mean there would be a fairly large difference between the temperature of the ice cubes and the temperature of the drink. Even if the drink were refrigerated the difference would be in the region of 10 degrees Celsius. If you use a drink at room temperature this difference would be in the region of 20+ degrees Celsius. This large difference in temperature would mean most of the cooling power of the ice cubes would be taken up quickly.

2. Pour the drink in at a reduced rate compared to the above (spend a minute pouring it instead of a couple of seconds). With this method the drink would be cooled as it was poured in at the reduced rate and this cooled drink itself would help to cool the additional drink that was poured in. This cooling effect (coming from the drink as well as the ice cubes) should mean that there is less of a burden being asked on the ice cubes, so they should last for longer and keep the drink cooler longer.

Thoughts? More suggestions for a better cooling strategy?

It shouldn't matter how fast you poor in the drink, the amount of energy/heat the drink has doesn't change. But if you want to keep it cool as long as possible, keep sure the drink is cooled from the beginning, and the glass also.

yeah i say keep the glass cool.

If you pour slowly then, at first, the ice cubes will be cooling a smaller volume of water, and hence cool it quicker. But the ice cubes will melt quicker, meaning less cooling later on, so in the end (as ACCAkut says) you end up at the same temperature (or at least, very close to it).

Chilling the glass will help, as would more ice cubes (the latter diluting the drink of course).

Quite a good question. I shall think about it this evening

Learn by doing. Get science on its ass.

Vital info is missing.....such as what is the drink.

if it is Magners, then you add the ice to Magners, not the other way around, and also a dash of blackcurrent works wonders.

if its whiskey, then you should be ran out Scotland for blasphemy.

freeze the drink and use it as an ice lolly

Anyone remember Slush Puppies ?

Thatcher's Frozen Cider is rather similar, you get about 3/4 pint of slush and 1/4 pint of liquid when it is first poured.

I do this all the time.

fill glass to the brim with ice-cubes. Pour like its the last thing you will ever do in your life (not really but just pour slowly and in the same spot on the top icecube ). If your glass is too small theres no point in doing this as you would probably only have two mouth-fulls of liquid when you are finished pouring, left over to drink. ( tons of ice left ) my technique works everytime.

Use the ice cubes that have the holes in the center, it will cool the drink down faster since there's more surface area to contact the ice cube. The ice cube will of course melt faster, though.

I find that those ice cubes with the holes melt too fast. They are small and usually do not have many little air bubbles like the larger block ice cubes.

I think the air bubbles play a factor in the ice lasting long.

I think that there is no difference in doing it slowly or quickly. You still have the same volume of liquid and ice. However, if you do it slowly, the ice cubes will melt (although very little) due to the warm air around. In the end, it shouldn't make any practical difference, but in the name of science, do it quickly

2 hours in the freezer is perfect for most soft drinks, its Just before the actual freezing point so works out a charm .

Its all about the starting tempereture though when you are dealing with ice.

if its good spirits put it in the freezer 1 day befor drinking and keep the glass in the fridge :P
no need for ice then if you add with coke keep that just above freezing

Try making a slurry, take one containment vessel - dependent on volume of drinks to be consumed, one to three people a bucket can suffice, 44 gallon drums cut in half also work well, place copious amount of ice into container add just enough water to fill the gaps between ice cubes. Place tasty beverages of choice into slurry, rapid cooling will ensue. Remove drinks as required increasing the risk of frost bite as numbness in fingers slows location of higher quality drinks which always seem to hide right at the bottom. To aide in the mobility and delivery of drinks, a trusty wheelbarrow is always handy.
For an even colder slurry use saltwater ice or just add table salt to the slurry.

Use colder ice, for example by keeping it submerged in liquid nitrogen before adding it to the drink.

that could have devistating effects on the taste there Bob..... we will see though

Just pour liquid nitrogen into your drink and then wait 3 days for it to thaw out, then drink it.

I think this is a silly thread.

Why does one need to know this vital information?

Surely pop it in the freezer an hour in advance.

Quote from franky500 :

that could have devistating effects on the taste there Bob..... we will see though

I wasn't suggestion mixing the liquid nitrogen with the drink, that could have unpleasant effects if you were to drink it before it had a chance to warm up.

Most widgeted beers have liquid nitrogen added to them before the cans are sealed (that's what creates the internal pressure, once the gas evaporates, and forces itself into the widget, so that it can force back out when the can is opened and created your foamy head, but anyway, I digress) and they taste just as bland as they do when bought fresh at the pub.