The Ice Man Cometh
The long and sordid history of cold beer
By the time you finish this column, you will never see your local convenience store the same way again. In fact, you will come to appreciate your local Squat ‘n’ Gobble as an artifact of ancient history, albeit with some modern flourishes.
The concept of the ice house dates back thousands of years, with origins in ancient civilizations that needed ways to preserve food and keep cool before the advent of modern refrigeration and air conditioning.
China had the earliest know ice houses (Shang Dynasty, c. 1100 BC). Ice storage pits and cellars were used to preserve food and serve chilled drinks. The emperor was known to send runners into the mountains to collect ice from the permanent snow pack, and serve it mixed with fresh fruit juices or flavored milk, thus creating sorbets and ice cream.
In Persia (Iran), Yakhchāls (c. 400 BC) were one of the earliest known ice houses. These structures were made of mud bricks with thick insulation to store ice collected in winter. They used an evaporative cooling system and underground storage to keep ice frozen throughout the hot summers. They also had sacramental beer and live music…just sayin’.
Across Egypt and Mesopotamia, historical records suggest ice was collected and stored in deep pits, insulated with straw and other materials. Greece and Rome both used ice and snow, often transported from mountains and stored in underground chambers lined with straw and sawdust. Rock salt was far too valuable for this purpose.
By the time we get to Europe in the 16th to 19th centuries, ice houses had become widespread in noble estates and palaces. They were typically domed, brick-lined structures dug into the ground or built above it, insulated with straw and sawdust.
In Colonial America in the 18th and 19th centuries, wealthy landowners and cities stored ice in insulated pits or wooden icehouses to preserve food and drinks (sacred beer).
The industrialization of ice harvesting began in the early 1800s, particularly in North America, where natural ice was cut from lakes and rivers and stored in large icehouses for later use. Ice was exported from colder regions, such as New England, to tropical locations, revolutionizing food preservation and the shipping industry.
By the early 20th century, ice houses became obsolete with the invention of artificial refrigeration and electric freezers. The ice house remains a historical symbol of early refrigeration technology and is still preserved in the Great Nation of Texas as heritage sites honoring pre-Yankee invasion days.
And here’s where the Great Nation of Texas steps in with the Convenience Store Revolution.
The Texas ice house began as a simple structure where blocks of ice were stored and sold before the widespread adoption of refrigeration. In the early 20th century, ice was essential for preserving food, especially in Texas’ hot climate. These ice houses were often built near railroads or delivery hubs where ice was transported from Yankee carpetbagger states.
Many ice houses started selling perishable goods like milk, butter, and sacramental beer, making them a convenient stop for locals. Over time, they evolved into informal gathering spots where people would play dominoes while enjoying the sacraments—beer and korn nutz.
By the 1930s, refrigeration technology became more common in homes, reducing the need for ice delivery. To stay in business, ice houses diversified their offerings, selling groceries, snacks, sacramental beer, and other essentials. They became a cornerstone of Texan culture, offering a relaxed, open-air setting for high-stakes poker games, often with picnic tables and shaded areas to work on the tractor.
During this period, some ice houses developed into sacred beer joints, where congregants could enjoy cold beverages on-site and on-tap. Unlike traditional bars, ice houses were more casual and family-friendly, often allowing folks to bring their own food and corn squeezin’s, while selling “set-ups” (a glass of ice and a mixer).
With the rise of evil supermarkets and self-service grocery stores, ice houses had to adapt further. The post-war boom in automobiles and suburban expansion created a demand for quicker, more accessible shopping options. Many ice houses transitioned into convenience stores, adopting a broader product range, including packaged food, a range of beverages (especially sacramental beer), and other non-bulk household goods.
By the 1970s, national and regional convenience store chains such as 7-Eleven (born in Dallas) and Stop-N-Go (Houston) began dominating the market. These stores offered longer hours, better inventory, and modern refrigeration, reducing the need for traditional ice houses.
While most traditional Texas ice houses disappeared or became fully-fledged convenience stores, some survived as nostalgic establishments. In cities like Houston and San Antonio, ice houses have been reimagined as holy beer gardens, casual bars, or family-friendly gathering spaces with outdoor seating, taco trucks, and live music. For this, we have the large German influence in the Texas Hill Country to thank.
Meanwhile, modern convenience stores like Buc-ee’s (Lake Jackson) and Circle K (El Paso) continue the legacy of the Texas ice house by providing quick, easy access to sacred beer, sacramental snacks, and other necessities—while embracing technological advancements such as self-checkouts and digital ordering (don’t get me started).
The next time you curse the proliferation of Squat-N-Gobbles, remember that you are not only besmirching 3,000 years of human history across multiple great civilizations, but also the Great Name and Legacy of Texas. Biteth thy tongue and sucketh it up.
You could be sitting on your porch waiting for the horse-drawn ice wagon to show up before your sacramental beer reaches room temperature.
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Some of our genius-level readers may already be ahead of me here, but today’s cinematic recommendation is (drum roll) The Mosquito Coast (1986), about one man’s quest to evangelize the Texas ice house in Central America. This oft-overlooked gem features the direction of Peter Weir, and some great performances by Harrison Ford, Helen Mirren, and River Phoenix. Makes a great Sunday double-feature with The African Queen.
Chillin’ on the Far Side:
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I spent too many hours in those Texas Ice houses after a long hot day in the sun. It was one of those wonderful experiences that I cherished while days spent in Houston. Thanks for the nostolgia, as the Ice houses are very unique vibe that doesn't exist outside of Tejas! Now its a Non alcholic brew in a desert yuppievale full of IPO's!
Tejas is landscaped with icehouses-probably why bernard is so crazy-I'm sure there was no moderation in his youngerdays.. probably had to leaceMerica to save his sanity