Ice FAQ

How many servings can I get from one ice block?

Can I freeze my own ice blocks?

What is tempering ice? How do you temper block ice?

Does cube ice need to be tempered?

How is block ice sold?

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Ice FAQ

How many servings can I get from one ice block or one bag of ice?

The number of servings per bag or block of ice will vary greatly depending on the type of ice shaver you choose and the size of your cups. Ice temperature, handling, and blade settings are also key factors. Below is an estimate of the number of servings yielded by block or cube ice.

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Can I freeze my own ice blocks?

You can freeze your own ice blocks in our specially made ice block tubs. Simply fill the tubs with water and place into a deep freezer for 2 to 3 days. When freezing your own ice blocks, be sure not to freeze your ice too fast. We suggest setting your freezer to around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This will allow the ice to freeze slower and will produce a better ice block. Ice frozen too fast will crack when shaved. This is extremely important!

We also sell a complete line of block ice machines that produce round as well as rectangular blocks of ice.  

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What is tempering of ice? How do you temper block ice?

For block shaved ice shavers the temperature of your bock ice can make or break your shaved ice business. Block ice that is too cold when shaved will not stick together. Ice that is too warm will create a clumpy mess. Either way, you will not get ideal results if your ice is not at the proper temperature.

To solve this problem you can “temper” or “warm up” your ice blocks in order to get the correct ice consistency. Tempering allows the ice to reach the ideal shaving temperature of 18 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. To temper your ice, simply remove an ice block from the freezer about 25 to 30 minutes before you need it for shaving. You can place your block ice in 5 gallon buckets or restaurant busing trays during the tempering process. Once the ice block begins to melt on the outside surfaces, simply place the block into chest type ice coolers (48 or 60 quart coolers works best) in order to maintain the temperature. This sweating or melting of the ice blocks will be your signal that that ice has reached the tempered stage. If for some reason your block ice gets too warm either during the tempering process or while in the coolers, the ice will become clumpy and will not hold flavor well. If this happens, simply place the ice back into the freezer to refreeze.

One tip that will help with tempering is to adjust the temperature of your block ice storage freezer as close to 18 to 20 degrees as you can. Simply place a freezer thermometer inside your freezer to determine the temperature setting. Allow 24 hours to pass for each temperature adjustment before taking your readings. 

Tempering ice will take some practice to get it just right. Depending on how busy your stand is, you will need to adjust how many ice blocks are tempered at one time. You will also need to get a feel for how often you need to replenish your tempered blocks. Remember, if you temper too many blocks at one time you can always refreeze them.

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Does cube ice need to be tempered?

For shaved ice and snow cone machines that use cube ice, tempering is not necessary. In fact we suggest to get your ice as cold as possible to get the fluffiest snow from a cube ice shaver.

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How is block ice sold?

While cube ice is almost the same throughout the country, block ice comes in two very different forms. There is compressed block ice and solid block ice. DO NOT USE COMPRESSED BLOCK ICE FOR SHAVED ICE MACHINES.

Compressed block ice is made at ice plants by forcing chucks of ice or crushed ice into compression molds. This type of block ice does not provide a smooth shaving surface for your block shaver. Compressed block ice usually is filled with air spaces and will not produce as smooth as ice as a solid block. Solid block ice is the preferred form of block ice used in the shaved ice industry. This type of block ice produces the best snow for shaved ice. However, solid block ice may not be readily available in all parts of the country. 

Where available, block ice can usually be purchased in 12 - 15 lb or 300 lb blocks. We suggest the 12 lb blocks for easy handling and storage. If needed your local ice house can often cut down the 300 lb blocks for you.

If your business continues to grow or if block ice is not available in your area, you may find that you can make your own ice at a fraction of the cost. You can freeze your own ice blocks in our specially made ice block tubs. Simply fill the tubs with water and place into a deep freezer for 2 to 3 days. When freezing your own ice blocks be sure not to freeze your ice too fast. We suggest setting your freezer to around 10 degrees Fahrenheit. This will allow the ice to freeze slower and will produce a better ice block. Ice frozen too fast will crack when shaved. This is extremely important to remember!