Some fruit packs in the Niagara Mist kits may have the fructose crystalized. This is most common in the Black Cherry and Blackberry varieties as they are the sweetest of the 14 types we carry. Fructose is the natural sugar which comes from grapes – which is different from the sucrose you get from cane sugar. In order to achieve the desired sweetness, varying amounts of fructose are used. Crystalization is perfectly normal for any variety, and does not tell the age of the product. Niagara Mist is a fast mover and stock rotates quickly – in fact at times we have trouble keeping some lines in stock!
If the crystalization concerns you, there is a simple way to "fix" the fruit pack. Simply let the fruit pack sit in warm water for a short period of time before adding to our wine base. Doing this will make it reliquify and easier to mix. A good stirring will ensure that all the fructose is dissolved.