Deciphering Snus Best By/Expiration Dates

[lxskllr]

I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a couple of corrections. Grand Prix and Tourney are both traditional snus', made in the traditional manner. They're Swedish, and made by SnusAB. I imagine they both suck, but that's going from hearsay, and my experience with their Swedish branded snus.

[sagedil]

Honestly, I think you just got some snus that is straight from the factory. Not that I ever pay that much attention, but snus expiration dates that I have noticed ranged all over the map.

Then again, just looking at my can of Phantom Brown that I got a month ago, expiration is 2/4/2010 (American version)

[Lucky Striker]

I don't have an answer to your question, but I do have a couple of corrections. Grand Prix and Tourney are both traditional snus', made in the traditional manner. They're Swedish, and made by SnusAB. I imagine they both suck, but that's going from hearsay, and my experience with their Swedish branded snus.

Thanks for the clarification. I knew they were manufactured by SnusAB in Sweden but an article over at Snuscentral lead me to believe they were fire-cured. And you're correct, it sucks hard. They're also both the same snus, just re-branded depending on territory.

I do beg a difference in opinion though in what constitutes "traditional" snus. Fire cured snus existed side by side with steam cured snus up until the 1970's, and was around long before JFL began pasteurizing the Ettan brand. Cheap brands kept with the fire cured process while the premium brands gradually all took over the steam cured process. Depending on how you look at it, "steam cured" could be seen as the modern upstart and "fire cured" could be seen as the more traditional method.

[lxskllr]

I do beg a difference in opinion though in what constitutes "traditional" snus. Fire cured snus existed side by side with steam cured snus up until the 1970's, and was around long before JFL began pasteurizing the Ettan brand. Cheap brands kept with the fire cured process while the premium brands gradually all took over the steam cured process. Depending on how you look at it, "steam cured" could be seen as the modern upstart and "fire cured" could be seen as the more traditional method.

Interesting... I may need to withdraw my correction. I assumed that all Swedish snus was pasteurized by definition. I'll try to find some more info on it.

Edit:
American dip is fire cured, but has a very short shelf life. What does that mean? Damned if I know, but maybe the curing style doesn't matter so much with regards to shelf life.

Also, Roots(SnusAB brand) used to advertise low TSNA levels. I'm not sure what the implications of that are, but I always thought that fire curing and low TSNAs were incompatible.

[bakerbarber]

V2 has longer dates because their label is plastic and sealed better.

Snus lasts longer than dip because it has humectants. I've looked at the ingredients in dip and don't see them.

I might be wrong. That's what I say and I'm sticking to it. On both topics.

[bakerbarber]

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-an-humectant.htm

[Lucky Striker]

V2 has longer dates because their label is plastic and sealed better.

Snus lasts longer than dip because it has humectants. I've looked at the ingredients in dip and don't see them.

I might be wrong. That's what I say and I'm sticking to it. On both topics.

I'm not really understanding the plastic label thing... but, ok, I'll think about it until I believe it.

Dip, though, is full of humectants. Ammonia and propylene glycol, just like snus.

[bakerbarber]

The label thing sounds right.

I know my snus dries out much slower than my dip. It's also softer texture. The kardus I have is cut similar to long cut dip and is softer and more pliable than dip. It's not just the humectants. Something else is definitely going on.

I would presume the sugar alone in dip would make it softer and help it stay fresher. The opposite is true though.

[justintempler]

http://www.v2tobacco.com/images/V2tobacco-catalogue.pdf

V2 Tobacco – the renowned maker of smokeless tobacco located in Silkeborg, Denmark. We produce two variants of Swedish-style snuff known to the discerninguser as Snus - portion snus and loose snus. All products are pasteurized, with low levels of TSNA.

Our specific aim is for all who enjoy our products to taste and sense all the traditional skills, flavours and enthusiasm that have been crafted into our products during production.

Our production philosophy and our driving values are focused on our love for snuff, our passion for excellence and the quality advantages of small batch smokeless tobacco making.

We believe that smokeless tobacco moist snuff is a highly enjoyable and sophisticated product, full of the varied taste and aroma from the natural freshness of fragrant herbs and spices. Packed with enjoyment for practically any social occasion Our products naturally comply with Scandinavian food regulations.

You can always ask Patrick when he posts here, or PM him or email him if you're impatient.

[Lucky Striker]

You can always ask Patrick when he posts here, or PM him or email him if you're impatient.

I'll take their word for it.

I looked at their site for something similar to that and must have skimmed over it, thanks for posting that.

[Horatio McCallister]

Getsnus and Expiration Dates

So far, I've placed three orders with Getsnus. At least one can in every order has been expired. The first order I purchased was a sampler box and the General Maxi was expired by a couple weeks. The second order was five cans of Onyx, all of which were about a month expired and then this last order had an expired can of Grov in the sampler box.

None of the snus has really been bad and I freeze it as soon as I get it, so it's not a big deal, but it's getting kind of irritating. This problem combined with the limited selection is probably going to drive me away from purchasing from them much more in the future. It's nice to get your order in two days, but I'll wait if it means getting fresh product.

[KarlvB]

That's just poor

Granted snus does not go "off" in the traditional sense but if I received expired snus I would be seriously pissed off...

All my recent orders from Buysnus and Northerner had expiration dates in September / October / November (depending on the brand - SM and Skruf products are usually at least three months from their expiration date)

Ps: I've never ordered from Getsnus as I have no need to so I can't comment on their overall service levels, but judging by this and the experience that Sagedil has had with them so far makes me wonder why anybody bothers with them.

[Horatio McCallister]

That's just poor

Granted snus does not go "off" in the traditional sense but if I received expired snus I would be seriously pissed off...

All my recent orders from Buysnus and Northerner had expiration dates in September / October / November (depending on the brand - SM and Skruf products are usually at least three months from their expiration date)

Ps: I've never ordered from Getsnus as I have no need to so I can't comment on their overall service levels, but judging by this and the experience that Sagedil has had with them so far makes me wonder why anybody bothers with them.

Yeah, I think I'm done with them. The only reason I ordered from them initially was because it was here in the states and relatively close to me, so I received my orders quickly. Now that I have a decent stash, I'll probably start ordering from Northerner.

I might give getsnus one more try. I really do like the mystery can thing they do, but even then, the expiration dates and the supply/selection issues don't compensate for a free can of something you may or may not like.

[Horatio McCallister]

Oh and what issues did Sage have with them? I must have missed that.

[KarlvB]

http://www.snuson.com/viewtopic.php?t=5359&start=20

About half way down