A restaurant called Second State in Washington, D. C. has determined the worthiness of a clear ice cube as a dollar each, at least that is what you will pay to employ a 2 inch artisan clear ice cube in your cocktail. Bar manager Phil Clark says the additional cost is worth the cost. "When it goes into a cocktail, it's crystal clear," he says. "It's purified water, so there's no minerally taste." This artisan ice does not come out of a standard commercial ice machine but rather is hand cut and furnished by the Favourite Ice Company.

The increased demand for specialized drink ice is just what motivated Joseph Ambrose and Owen Thomson to begin their artisan ice company, Favourite Ice. They hand cut 300 pound slabs of clear ice in two inch cubes for use in cocktails and charge their customers 50 to 70 cents a cube. Most restaurants then absorb the cost of the ice rather than passing on the extra cost to their customers.

Second State isn't the first restaurant to embrace artisan ice for their cocktails but would be the first to surcharge their customers for utilizing it. Half Step in Austin concentrates on artisan ice making and Rye Bar in Washington DC has even done a “thorough investigation into the best bottled water for its two-inch ice spears, ” according to the Washington City Paper.

Clear ice can be more aesthetically attractive than their cloudy counterparts. Part of the appeal of the artisan ice is that it is dense and clear, so it melts slower and won’t water down your drink as quickly. Creating larger blocks that fit the glass, rather than a lot of smaller cubes, means less ice surface and less dilution. Additionally they lack a mineral taste since the water used is actually filtered.

The trend for specialty ice isn't limited to bars and restaurants. There is a growing demand for the ability to make cocktail cubes in your house as well. Large two inch ice can be made using the Acuisina King Sized Ice Trays available on Amazon. These jumbo cubes gives you the same slow melting effect that is offered by the hand cut artisan ice. Water can be purified at home with a filter pitcher, with a filtration system attached to your water supply or purchased in bottles to create your cubes more clear and taste less like minerals.

So the question is, are you prepared to pay an extra dollar on an ice cube in your cocktail? If people are willing to pay extra for clear ice, perhaps it will one day come to be as common place as purchasing bottled water.