Ice is an essential part of the initial supply for any beverage outlet. As customers become increasingly aware of product quality, ice cubes are part of that expectation. The hollow "lollipop ice cubes" that diluted quickly in the past are being replaced by solid, crystalline ice cubes that enhance the visual and taste promise of soft drinks or cocktails. A new generation of professional ice machines offers the expected quality.
The primary function of ice is to cool and keep drinks chilled while not melting too quickly to avoid diluting the beverage. Today, manufacturers of ice machines offer simple and durable machines that produce quality ice for all types of establishments. By specializing, machines provide a variety of volumes and specific types of ice to meet different needs.
How to choose the machine à glaçons professional?
Several criteria are necessary for choosing an ice machine:
- Type of ice: cubes, thimbles, hollow, grains, nuggets, super grains, or special shapes.
- Production volume: it is crucial to have quality ice in sufficient quantity throughout the service.
- Type of cooling: the condenser can operate either with air or water.
- Specific criteria: these allow for making the right choice.
- Available space: a crucial constraint that often determines the shape and size of the professional ice machine.
Types of Ice Cubes
There are two families of ice production:
- Ice cubes: They are solid shapes, often with a crystalline, transparent appearance, and molded in the machine in what resembles trays that give shape to the ice cubes.
- Ice grains: They are smaller, like compressed snow of various sizes. They are often produced on a screw conveyor at negative temperatures which freezes the water flowing over the surface. By detaching the ice from the screw, the grains are produced. Crushed ice comes from this type of production.
Shapes of Ice Cubes:
- Cube ice cubes: The smallest have an average size of 15 to 20 mm per side. The most common in traditional bars are 25 to 28 mm per side. The larger ones, about 32 mm per side, are preferred for more visual uses like cocktails and are appreciated for their slow dilution. Large-sized cubes about 50 mm per side are valued for their very slow dilution and the impressive visual aspect in a glass. Generally, they are found individually in a whiskey glass. All cube ice cubes are used in most traditional cafes, bars, restaurants, and hotels.
- Half-moon ice cubes: Shaped like a half-moon, generally used in fast food places, in ice buckets and bowls, and in nightclubs. Visually less appealing than cubes, they are favored because they hardly clump together in the storage bin.
- Cap ice cubes: One of the most historically used in bars. Of good quality, they are completely solid and have the advantage of not clumping together in the storage bin.
- The hollow ice cube: a variant nicknamed the lollipop ice cube or hollow ice cube, because its center is hollow and it melts quickly. This is the most common form of ice cube found in bars and restaurants. Today, some still choose this ice cube because it breaks easily in a blender.
- Ice cubes with special shapes: there are ice machines capable of producing heart, star, and sphere shapes. In some high-end bars, you can find spheres with a diameter of about 50 mm made either in individual molds or by a specific ice machine.
- Grains and super grains: unlike ice cubes, they are not made in a mold, but most of the time they are formed around a screw conveyor cooled to a negative temperature that continuously pushes the water transformed into ice. The production is therefore continuous, and the yield is higher in kg compared to cube ice. However, there is always residual moisture in the ice produced due to the manufacturing method.
- Super grains: used in bars, they are the base for many cocktails, and many people use them for buckets and bowls. Since the contact surface is larger than molded ice cubes, the thermal exchange is much faster. It quickly cools bowls and buckets, but its dilution is faster.
How to Calculate Your Ice Cube Volume?
Running out of ice cubes and having to rely on a service provider proves to be complex and much more expensive than purchasing an ice machine over time. In many establishments in the Île-de-France region, we calculated that it takes an average of 5 to 7 months of ordered ice cubes to equal the purchase price of a high-end ice machine tailored to their needs. This is why choosing a professional ice machine should be done carefully.
On the other hand, having an over-calibrated ice machine is also undesirable, as ice will accumulate at the bottom of the storage bin. This residual ice will rarely be used and will clump and melt very slowly. If this ice is served, it will be partially melted and clumped. This poses a definite health risk, as the bottom of the storage bin, which will not be accessible, may contain stagnant water conducive to bacterial growth.
We therefore understand the importance of choosing a professional ice machine that is neither under-calibrated nor over-calibrated relative to the needs, for the financial interest of the operator and in preventing health risks. Ice production is calculated and displayed in kilograms produced per 24 hours. It should be noted that the storage bin also has a limited storage capacity, communicated in kilograms of ice. Once the bin is full, a sensor stops ice production until the bin is partially emptied to resume production.
There are two methods for calibration calculation:
- By the number of customers: Production can be calibrated simply based on the number of customers.
- By the number of glasses: Even more precise, this method is based on calculating by the number of glasses.
The more precise the knowledge of sales volume is, the more we can evaluate using the glass method; the less precise the knowledge, the more it is appropriate to count based on the customer numbers of the establishment. Generally, for small to medium-sized cocktail bars, the glass evaluation method is used. They have large ice needs and usually limited office space to accommodate large ice machines. We therefore recommend calculating as efficiently as possible.
Ice calculation per customer by type of establishment:
To find the daily ice requirement, refer to the type of establishment and multiply by the number of customers per day.
Exceptions to consider:
For the calculation method per customer, additional ice volumes should be added if the establishment serves buckets or bowls.
For example, a classic restaurant serves 40 customers and typically has 4 services per day. The calculation is 4x40x0.2 = 32 kg of ice needed per day. Knowing the outputs, we add ice buckets, for example, about ten of them, 10x2+32 = 52 kg of daily ice needs.
Calculation of ice consumption per glass for cocktail bars:
For a cocktail station, the ice calculation is based on the number of glasses:
- Long Drink: shaken and ice in the glass = 2.7 kg of ice cubes for 10 glasses.
- Short Drink: shaken and ice in the glass = 2.2 kg of ice cubes for 10 glasses.
We estimate an average ice consumption per glass (CV) of 0.24 kg of ice cubes per glass served. The consumption is based on the optimal preparation of a quality cocktail using a shaker and a mixing glass with the preparation ice discarded after use.
Calculation to determine ice needs based on glass production is:
Number of cocktails produced for a service/CV = kg of ice needed for the service.
The information on daily ice consumption is insufficient to choose an ice machine.
Generally, ice machines don't have a storage bin as large as their advertised productivity. Indeed, the production is indicated for 24-hour production, but the bin often has a capacity lower than this value. This means that the ice machine stops production when it detects that the bin is full. Thus, the production speed is just as important as the storage bin capacity.
- SMG: ice stock available in kilograms in the ice machine's storage bin.
- SI: total ice storage in kg at the bar (ice wells or any other ice storage container in the production area).
- RSMG: remaining ice stock available in kilograms in the ice machine's storage bin after emptying it once into the production storage (SI).
- CPH: production capacity in kg per hour of the ice machine.
- CV = ice consumption in kg per glass.
The value of CV (consumption per glass) differs depending on the type of production. 0.24 kg of ice per glass is one of the highest values. Depending on the type of production, the values differ. For simple tall soda glasses from bistros or Collins-type nightclub glasses, the need is 0.15 kg of ice per glass.
We can thus easily calibrate the choice of an ice machine.
For example: A cocktail bar produces over 450 cocktails in one evening. So a need for ice of 450*0.24 = 108 kg of ice. Logically, one would opt for an ice machine capable of delivering 108 kg of ice over 6 hours of service by emptying the bin and counting the additional production during the 6 hours of service.
A first ice machine of 130 kg/24 h has a storage bin of 50 kg.
At setup at 6 pm, the bartenders can fully fill their two ice wells. A cocktail bar ice well has an average capacity of 60 kg of ice, and this bar has two. It is never entirely filled because accessories and bottles are often integrated into the ice well. At 6 pm, it thus empties the ice machine's storage bin. They will therefore consume the 50 kg in the ice wells in the first part of the evening, which is:
SMG or SI (depending on the smaller value) * CV ≈ the number of cocktails produced, or 50 / 0.24 ≈ about 208 cocktails.
But during the 6 hours between 6 pm and midnight, the ice machine will continue to produce 130/24*6 = 32.5 kg. So an additional cocktail capacity of:
32.5/0.24 ≈ 135 cocktails.
This results in a total cocktail capacity of 135 +208 = 343 cocktails per service, which is below the target of 450 cocktails.
If we move to the higher model of ice machine producing 240 kg for a storage bin of 110 kg, we get:
(110/0.24) + (240/24/6 / 0.24) ≈ 708 cocktails per service.
This second ice machine model is therefore well-sized for the bar and can easily meet the demand for 450 cocktails and more if needed.
Formula for calculating by cocktail bar service valid in most cases:
(SMG or SI [depending on the smaller value]/CV)
+
([RSMG + CPH * service duration in hours]/CV)
=
Cocktail capacity per service
The main components of ice machines. An ice machine is composed of:
- A refrigeration unit operating with air or water.
- An ice production compartment composed either of specific trays for ice cubes or a screw conveyor for flake ice.
- A storage bin collecting the ice production and insulated to keep the ice available in the bin for as long as possible.
Where to Install the Professional Ice Maker?
Whether placed under a counter or relocated to an office, it's important to ensure proper air circulation and that the grilles are not obstructed.
In a closed and air-conditioned room, it's crucial to ensure that the machine's heat dissipation is adequately handled by the ventilation system to avoid losing production quality and quantity. In case of doubt, the heat dissipation of a refrigeration machine is expressed in watts. For example, a machine producing 45 kg/24h typically dissipates 665W. An engineering office or an HVAC technician can then calculate whether the room needs adaptation to accommodate the ice maker.
If the bar has an ice storage bin like an icewell, it's preferable to relocate the ice maker to an office to free up storage space in the room.
For small productions, the machine can be installed under the counter, which avoids ice handling to supply the bar with ice cubes.
Choose Air or Water Cooling?
Air cooling is the most common. Air circulates using a fan in the machine to cool the condenser. Instead of air circulation, a water-cooled ice maker cools the condenser with circulating water that is then wasted. Today, water cooling is chosen only when the room is poorly ventilated for air cooling or because the facility has a closed-circuit chilled water system.
Technical Requirements Generally, the technical requirements necessary for installing a professional ice maker are:
– A male 20/27 cold water inlet with a shut-off valve.
– 1 single-phase 16A power supply.
– 1 drainage diameter ø40 mm below the machine's body level. (Note, drainage is gravity-fed from the bottom of the tank; if the PVC drain is higher than the tank's bottom, water cannot flow).
It's optional but highly recommended to provide space for a water filter between the water supply and the ice maker. The upstream water filter ensures better quality ice cubes, more crystalline, and assures no foreign bodies contaminate the ice cubes.
How to Clean an Ice Maker?
To maintain good production quality, an ice maker requires maintenance:
- Twice a month, clean the air filters of dust to ensure optimal cooling and avoid overheating that reduces the machine's lifespan. The filter is often accessible via a panel. It can be easily removed and cleaned with a vacuum cleaner.
- Every month, clean the condenser fins. Ideally, use a compressed air blower or a vacuum cleaner, being careful not to damage the fins.
- Every 6 months, replace the water filter cartridges installed on the supply line.
- According to recommendations, manufacturers advise weekly cleaning of the storage bin's interior. The manual details the operations.
It's also advisable to periodically clean the scoop and the exterior of the ice maker.
How to Repair an Ice Maker?
If ice cubes no longer form as quickly or have defects, do not wait to call a repair technician. But before seeking a repair technician, some signs can help you identify the issue.
For the Hoshizaki brand, error codes are displayed:
- E1: freezing error.
- E2: defrosting error.
- E3: other error.
- EF: the gas sensor (if equipped) detects gas leaks.
If no code is displayed, check if:
- The ice maker is powered on and properly connected.
- The water tap is open and supplying water.
- Air circulation in the condenser is proper or water for water-cooled condensers.
Winterizing the Ice Maker
Ice makers are not designed to operate in negative temperatures, and they cannot withstand temperatures below zero. Even when turned off, they must be protected from the cold.
To proceed with winterizing the ice makers, it is necessary to:
- Unplug or disconnect the power supply.
- Shut off the water supply and disconnect the hose.
- Empty and clean the storage bin.
- Have a technician perform a machine drain.
Before moving the device, ensure it is powered off. Like any equipment with a cooling unit, wait 2 hours before powering the device back on after moving it.
