What are the most common causes of beverage inconsistency and how can we protect against them? It may be helpful to think of this challenge in two parts: the blending itself and all the things that precede blending.

By Stephen Hosey, blending application manager, Vitamix Commercial

If you have a signature beverage at your restaurant, you know how important it is to get it exactly right, because customers come back again and again with a simple expectation — that the beverage will be the same as last time.

Naturally, you do not want to disappointment them. And yet, it does happen sometimes that the beverage is slightly off — and customers notice. That might happen because the staff is under stress and moving quickly during peak hours — or perhaps you have some new employees behind the counter.

So. what are the most common causes of beverage inconsistency and how can we protect against them? It may be helpful to think of this challenge in two parts: the blending itself and all the things that precede blending.

For blending, The Quiet One by Vitamix Commercial is a robust machine, powerful and precise, enabling every employee — even new employees — to produce perfectly consistent blends every time. The machine comes with 34 optimized programs, covering everything from thick shakes and smoothies to cold or frozen coffee drinks.

You can pull any of these 34 programs to six buttons on the front of the machine. Then, your front-of-house staff just needs to push one button and walk away. The machine cycles through all the appropriate speeds, producing the perfect beverage. While the machine runs, the employee is free to do something else.

When you employ a precisely automated machine like The Quiet One, you are eliminating a lot of potential variability. You're also creating more time for your employees, so they can put more care into other beverage preparations.

While your blender is the foundation of your beverage program, it's important to consider all the possible contributors to beverage inconsistency. Let's look at four basic areas.

Some measuring devices are more accurate than others. Ideally, you want a measuring device that equals the amount needed for the recipe — not one that is larger. Measuring one cup of strawberries in a container that holds four cups invites a certain amount of error. Its faster and more accurate to measure one cup in a container that only holds one cup.

For solid ingredients, narrower containers work better. A wide or shallow container allows for more mounding over the brim.

Finally, think about color-coding your measuring devices. It makes training and directions easier, and it creates a mental shortcut for employees.

Ice — Smaller forms of ice can be measured more accurately than larger forms of ice. In particular, pearls, nuggets and flaked ice pack well in a measuring device. Also, because they are smaller, they blend quickly.

Larger forms of ice, such as full cubes, large spheres, crescents, half dice or full dice, are difficult to measure. When piled in a container, large gaps form between the cubes. Also, employees are more likely to mound this type of ice over the level point of the container. This is especially true when the cubes stick together, i.e., "bridging."

Holding temperatures — The temperature of your ingredients just before they're used – the holding temperature – needs to be maintained at the recommended level. If they are warmer than recommended, you may end up with beverages that are not as thick as they should be. They may also melt faster after they are served.

On the other hand, if they are colder than recommended, the blending cycle may stall, resulting in a partially processed beverage. It's very hard to achieve a consistent beverage with ingredients that are too cold, even after a second blending attempt.

Holding temperatures can become a particular problem during peak hours when the refrigerator or freezer doors are being opened frequently. Doors that open to the side allow cold air to spill out. The better type of freezers or refrigerators are dipping cabinets, which open from the top.

Loading ingredients — You want to make sure your ingredients are being loaded in the blender container in the right order – liquids first, then solids. Otherwise, the outcome may not be consistent.

If you set up your build station properly, the order of ingredients will happen almost naturally. The build station starts at the point farthest away from the blender motor base. As you load ingredients in the container, you will work your way back toward the motor base.

At the first stop of the build station, you will add liquids, such as water, juice or milk. Second, add any powders, such as protein or matcha, so they can dissolve in the liquid. Third, add leafy greens, soft vegetables and fresh fruit. Fourth, add frozen fruit, dense vegetables and ice.

Loaded in this way, the ingredients will be pulled down in the vortex that will form in The Quiet One, so no tamper will be necessary and you will not need to stop the blender and scrape the sides of the container.

The perfect formula for consistency

You can ensure that your signature beverage is always consistent by choosing The Quiet One. Then, in addition, set up your build station with safeguards that will ensure accurate measuring and loading of ingredients even when your staff is moving quickly or just learning. It's all about a well-designed build station with clear directions and simple, color-coded cues[OS1] .

Stephen Hosey is blending application manager and culinary team member at Vitamix. His expertise is in blending and blending equipment, kitchen and bar efficiency, recipe creation and menu development. Contact the team at letstalkcommercial@vitamix.com.

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