All too often when we're making cocktails at home, we neglect to think about the ice. Ice is not only a necessity for chilling our drinks. It's also a part of the presentation.

I'm a strong believer that every cocktail has a story. The glassware, the garnish, and even the ice contributes to the telling of that story.

Would the Negroni be as bold without an oversized cube or ball of ice? Would a Mint Julep be so inviting or refreshing, without a heaping pile of crushed ice? The answer is unequivocally NO!

You've put in a lot of effort to provide your guests with the perfect cocktail. Why not take things to the next level and upgrade your ice? And here's how...

The Ice Ball

The premise around the ice ball is that it aids in chilling your drink with, presumably, slower dilution. Not too mention the fact that it looks freaking cool!

ARCTIC CHILL ICE SPHERES
$16.77 - Amazon

The Cube

As with the ice ball, the theory is larger surface of ice means less dilution. Personally, I like the "King Cube" because it provides a surface to balance a garnish on.

Tovolo King Cube Ice Tray
$9.00 Amazon

The Mini Cubes

There's no science behind these miniature cubes of ice. They're just so darn cute!! Use mini cubes in fizzes or in place of crushed ice.

Arctic Chill Ice Cube Tray
$8.50 Amazon

The Pursuit of Clear Ice

Cloudy ice cubes can be a source of frustration when photographing cocktails. There are many theories on how to avoid cloudy ice. There's even acrylic ice for better photographs.

I don't know any cocktail enthusiast that doesn't long for clear ice, myself included. I was skeptical when I received the Shard Artisanal Ice Kit, but if there was any chance of obtaining ice nirvana I had to give it a try.

So, here's how it works -- and, for the most part, it DID work. The Shard Artisanal Ice Kit uses directional freezing.

“The ice freezes slowly from top to bottom, pushing impurities and air bubbles down to the bottom.”

Then came the fun part, chipping away the ice! In addition to working out some aggressions, I was able to form a couple of pieces perfect for a collins glass.

Even got confident enough to form an ice ball. The term "ball" might be a little too generous. It was really more of an ice bump. Regardless of what you'd call it, it fit perfectly inside of a rocks glass.