Help me with the code please

[Chateau Joe]

I bought an Island Mist kit and the f-pack was solidified. I'm angry that I bought an old kit. Would some please teach me how to read the code on the label?

39133 6123 0308

I do not understand why they don't use an expiration date like everyone else. They won't send me a new f-pack so now I have to figure out what to do with this thing.

 

[Chuck E]

I bought an Island Mist kit and the f-pack was solidified. I'm angry that I bought an old kit. Would some please teach me how to read the code on the label?

39133 6123 0308

I do not understand why they don't use an expiration date like everyone else. They won't send me a new f-pack so now I have to figure out what to do with this thing.

I'm not familiar with the Island Mist kits, but you could make your own F-pack. Lots of people "tweak" kits to good ends.

 

[sour_grapes]

I would try gently heating the f-pack in hot water.

 

[Brian55]

https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/how-to-read-the-date-codes.64979/

 

[Rice_Guy]

I bought an Island Mist kit and the f-pack was solidified. I'm angry that I bought an old kit. Would some please teach me how to read the code on the label?

39133 6123 0308.
.

* the F pack might solidify if it had a leak and lost liquid, it might solidify if there is a sugar that has crystallized(it will melt in hot water like honey does) unlikely since high solids mean low profit. It should not solidify by itself with just age. There isn’t a lot of difference between a shelf stable F pack and frozen juice concentrate other than frozen concentrate maintains quality better, , we tend to say forever if the freezer is -20F or less. An easy fix is add frozen concentrate.
* food processors like the Julian day which means Jan 1 is “1” and dec 31 is “365”. We also like the last digit of the year which means 2019 would be “9”. We will put in relevant shift, processing line and plant info. (you can ignore this set since it is mainly for tracking back problems as the sealer doing F packs had a leak). The manufacturer wants to know so they can prevent problems next season
308 would be Nov 4; possibly a packaging day or other info. 133 would be mid May maybe expiration day and since 9 is this year again possibly an expiration year.
* the kind of products I worked with always had 2 years expiration from the day it was assembled into a retail pack. We knew there wasn’t a health issue, but if the colors fade and dust is on the box, , , who wants to buy it.

 

[Brian55]

Your kit was manufactured mid 2016.

 

[Chateau Joe]

I would try gently heating the f-pack in hot water.

That was the recommendation from LD Carlson but it did little. I figured it my break up like honey. I even took out a small amount to see if a microwave might help but it didn't completely re-liquefy it all. Still had crystals in it. They want me to return it to the store for a new one. That's over an hour one way. So I drop it off then wait for the new one to arrive then go back and that's 4+ hours of driving. The money I spend on gasoline could buy me a new kit. LD Carlson won't send an f-pack to me.

 

[Chateau Joe]

Anyone recommend an on-line company that won't send me an old kit?

 

[Brian55]

https://labelpeelers.com/

 

[cmason1957]

I would be contacting the place I bought that kit from and asking why they sold you an old kit. If not satisfied at the local level, jump up to contacting WineExpert, they would love to know that one of their products is being sold well past any expiration date.

 

[ras2018]

If you want to try to salvage the f-pac I would suggest adding it to a pan on the stove with some water. See if you can liquify it and eliminate the crystals. Your other option as others have stated is to attempt to create your own f-pac from fresh or frozen fruit to mimic the style of the kit you purchased.

 

[bstnh1]

https://labelpeelers.com/

I'll second that. Have bought all my kits from Labelpeelers and never had a problem.

 

[bstnh1]

I would be contacting the place I bought that kit from and asking why they sold you an old kit. If not satisfied at the local level, jump up to contacting WineExpert, they would love to know that one of their products is being sold well past any expiration date.

Agree! There's no reason you have to accept a kit that's almost three years old. If I remember right, Winexpert says the kits are good for 12-18 months after manufacture date. I've made kits that were just over a year old with no problem, but three years, no way.

 

[Chateau Joe]

I would be contacting the place I bought that kit from and asking why they sold you an old kit. If not satisfied at the local level, jump up to contacting WineExpert, they would love to know that one of their products is being sold well past any expiration date.

WinExpert told me that since it was purchased in America it was not their problem LD Carlson their distributor would handle it.

 

[Boatboy24]

WinExpert told me that since it was purchased in America it was not their problem LD Carlson their distributor would handle it.

Seriously? Perhaps they shouldn't sell in "America" then.

 

[pillswoj]

To be fair, that is the reason a company uses a distributor. Did you ever ask LD Carlson to replace the kit? I would want the entire kit replaced, not just a new fpac.