We’ve previously covered the market for luxury ice. Christopher Jones wrote about just how sophisticated the market has become:

• Premium bars are increasingly making premium ice a part of their brands.
• This can add up to 80 cents to the price of each drink
• This is because of the cost of the machinery involved. One that specializes in making clear ice costs $6,000 and takes three days to make 600 pounds of ice.
• Clarity is important because like diamonds, ice is judged on its clarity, density, size, and cut.
• Difference ices are used in different drinks. Large ice cubes are used in spirit heavy cocktails in the hopes of slowing down dilution.
• Meanwhile another machine makes chewy and fluffy pellet ice that absorbs flavours and is used in drinks such as mojitos.

Read about the different kinds of ice, what it costs to make them, and why ice is so important over here.

Source: Wired