In the mid 1960’s, the most famous non carbonated drink in Winnipeg, Canada was introduced. The birth of Slurpee came to a start, when a Bob Stanford, an agency director of a multinational convenience store franchise company gave a name to a slushy drink.
Slurpee, a world renowned cold beverage was made from syrup of various flavors. The Slurpee Machine wasn’t self serve at first. It used to be located behind the counter and a staff would serve the drink to buying customers. But today, all stores who have the Slurpee Machine are being dispensed by the customers themselves.
Slurpee Machines used to freeze the Slurpee drinks by using a car air conditioner. In order for the drinks not to reach freezing point, sugar is used on Slurpee drinks as an anti freezing agent. The flavored syrup is then mixed with water inside the Slurpee Machine in water to syrup ratio of 13:1 for Regular Slurpee drinks, 6:1 for Diet Pepsi and Coke and 8:1 for Crystal Light. The ratio is such an important factor in the mix, or what the makers commonly call as “Brix” because it affects the consistency of the drink, which is its thickness. An emulsifier is then mixed in to avoid making the drink in solid state.
The early Slurpee Machines or Slushie Machine Hire has a Blindinator tank. It mixes the Carbon Dioxide with the water and syrup mixture, goes into the barrel and is vigorously mixed by the beater bar and scraper blades while solidifying. The temperature of the Slurpee Machine has to be 28 degrees. Every 3 to 4 hours, the Slurpee Machine will go into a defrost mode. This will make the syrup and water separate. The Slurpee will then be not frozen.
Today, newer Slurpee Machines are computerized and has a bigger compressor for quick freezing. Instead of having a Blindinator tank, the syrup, water and CO2 are brought together in the brixing valves and into the barrel. It also eliminates the water bath. Everything about the Machine is kept under wraps and hidden at the backroom. Now it is much easier to refill Slurpee Machines because the computer will prompt what is lacking.