The marketplace is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?
In response to a cacophony of criticism, Louisville, Kentucky-based spirits manufacturer Maker’s Mark reversed course this week and announced it would not be diluting the alcohol content of its signature brand.
“We’ve been more than humbled by the overwhelming response,” the company’s CEO said in a statement.
Maker’s Mark executives were hoping to reduce the alcohol content of the Kentucky straight bourbon from 45 percent to 42 percent in an effort to boost their supplies. Drinkers howled – and now the brand’s historic 90 proof status has been restored.
The company’s decision prompted “much rejoicing” in the S.C. General Assembly, where Maker’s Mark isn’t just a drink of choice – it’s a blood type.
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36 comments
Since the company believes the change would not change the taste of their product, why didn’t they just change the alcohol content and not tell anyone?
Oh, I forgot those pesky government regulations. Another incident of anti-business government meddling.
Jan’s right. Government regulates what whiskey you can actually call whiskey by enforcing strict laws about what qualifies as such. Russia does the same with vodka and then some, and for good reason. Bootleg vodka can be very questionably produced and can be contaminated, causing those who drink it to get extremely sick or even die from it. That’s not even mentioning what it does to private businesses. And yes, Russians have SWAT-like police task forces bust illegitimate vodka production operations.
In any other product, shrinkage happens quietly and isn’t bitched about by the consumer base. Fast food does it all the time. Ever wonder how a dollar menu stays a dollar menu when the dollar isn’t what it was worth a decade or more ago? Because they shrink the size of what they sell and fill it with all kinds of nasty shit, like pink slime.
Here’s an interesting practice in Australia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ydzIlKJmwV4#!
Keep in mind, this is to trick consumers into buying “high quality cuts” by using lesser quality meat. This can actually lead to someone not thoroughly cooking lower quality meat and getting sick from it. Yay, free market!
People will eat almost anything, the secret is being allowed to put whatever the hell you want into it and not telling them what they are stuffing into their mouths. And they’ll pay the same or more for less as long as you don’t tip them off to it.
I think some overestimate the power of the free market. People can be ridiculously stupid and uninformed and will generally put up with a lot of shit before they do something about it, and anyone of a selfish nature can take advantage of that in a New York minute. That’s true when it comes to shitty politicians and government, and it is true to any sleazy businessman or corporation.
Leave it to a libertarian to use an example government regulation protecting the consumer as evidence of how well the free market works. I assure you in the “free market” no one would ever have known about the change in alcohol content.
Excuse me, “an example of government regulation protecting the consumer”
Since the company believes the change would not change the taste of their product, why didn’t they just change the alcohol content and not tell anyone?
Oh, I forgot those pesky government regulations. Another incident of anti-business government meddling.
Jan’s right. Government regulates what whiskey you can actually call whiskey by enforcing strict laws about what qualifies as such. Russia does the same with vodka and then some, and for good reason. Bootleg vodka can be very questionably produced and can be contaminated, causing those who drink it to get extremely sick or even die from it. That’s not even mentioning what it does to private businesses. And yes, Russians have SWAT-like police task forces bust illegitimate vodka production operations.
In any other product, shrinkage happens quietly and isn’t bitched about by the consumer base. Fast food does it all the time. Ever wonder how a dollar menu stays a dollar menu when the dollar isn’t what it was worth a decade or more ago? Because they shrink the size of what they sell and fill it with all kinds of nasty shit, like pink slime.
Here’s an interesting practice in Australia:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ydzIlKJmwV4#!
Keep in mind, this is to trick consumers into buying “high quality cuts” by using lesser quality meat. This can actually lead to someone not thoroughly cooking lower quality meat and getting sick from it. Yay, free market!
People will eat almost anything, the secret is being allowed to put whatever the hell you want into it and not telling them what they are stuffing into their mouths. And they’ll pay the same or more for less as long as you don’t tip them off to it.
I think some overestimate the power of the free market. People can be ridiculously stupid and uninformed and will generally put up with a lot of shit before they do something about it, and anyone of a selfish nature can take advantage of that in a New York minute. That’s true when it comes to shitty politicians and government, and it is true to any sleazy businessman or corporation.
Leave it to a libertarian to use an example government regulation protecting the consumer as evidence of how well the free market works. I assure you in the “free market” no one would ever have known about the change in alcohol content.
Excuse me, “an example of government regulation protecting the consumer”
YES, YES, YES, A thousand times YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I wanted watered down Whiskey I’d drink Black Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, or Canadian Club. All of which would make a good mixed Whiskey drink. But, for Heaven’s sake, never, ever, ever, put water in your Makers Mark. Or, ever use it for a mixer. People who put Coke-a-Cola in Makers Mark pure American Bourbon: should be legally shot, for high crimes and treason to America. Drink it Straight, or neat, like a man. If you can’t run with the big dogs, then stay on the porch: you wimps!!
Three ice cubes is a gracious plenty of water to add. Drink within 3 minutes.
whiskey stones son, keep it cold and dont add water
Neat does not mean shoot it.
YES, YES, YES, A thousand times YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If I wanted watered down Whiskey I’d drink Black Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, or Canadian Club. All of which would make a good mixed Whiskey drink. But, for Heaven’s sake, never, ever, ever, put water in your Makers Mark. Or, ever use it for a mixer. People who put Coke-a-Cola in Makers Mark pure American Bourbon: should be legally shot, for high crimes and treason to America. Drink it Straight, or neat, like a man. If you can’t run with the big dogs, then stay on the porch: you wimps!!
Three ice cubes is a gracious plenty of water to add. Drink within 3 minutes.
whiskey stones son, keep it cold and dont add water
Neat does not mean shoot it.
The clue that Maker’s Mark is pretentious is spelling their product as “whisky” , This is normally only used for single-malt liquor made in Scotland, while US and Irish producers spell it “whiskey.”
Try Woodford Reserve sometime. Just checked bottle 9080 of batch 651 — 90.4 proof.
Woodford Reserve, amazing elixir. I’m a big fan.
The clue that Maker’s Mark is pretentious is spelling their product as “whisky” , This is normally only used for single-malt liquor made in Scotland, while US and Irish producers spell it “whiskey.”
Try Woodford Reserve sometime. Just checked bottle 9080 of batch 651 — 90.4 proof.
Woodford Reserve, amazing elixir. I’m a big fan.
Twas a mave to sell Maker’s Mark at a higher price. There is a much larger move on another group of products, think back to Econ. 101. Suppy and Demand.
Twas a mave to sell Maker’s Mark at a higher price. There is a much larger move on another group of products, think back to Econ. 101. Suppy and Demand.
It is a very good bourbon. If supplies are low the price will go up simply due to market demand. Every CEO of a consumer product should always remember two words that are now taught in all the top business schools. “New Coke” . The time tested concept of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fuck with it”
It is a very good bourbon. If supplies are low the price will go up simply due to market demand. Every CEO of a consumer product should always remember two words that are now taught in all the top business schools. “New Coke” . The time tested concept of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fuck with it”
Rob Samuels, grandson of the founder of Makers Mark and the current COO of the company, is an alumni of the University of South Carolina (Class of 1996). Knew him well then and was a great guy…..never mentioned the family business
Rob Samuels, grandson of the founder of Makers Mark and the current COO of the company, is an alumni of the University of South Carolina (Class of 1996). Knew him well then and was a great guy…..never mentioned the family business
Jan and “Smirks” engage below in a dialogue about booze and regulation. Alcohol has been regulated since biblical times. Federal regs–and the consumer’s voice–are what keep distillers and vintners and brewers honest. Look at what happened to Jack Daniels: from 90 proof to 86 proof after the Reagan tax reform in 1986; then to 80 proof. Not a word about it in public. Retailers were too stupid to notice either. Bourbon distillers like Jim Beam and Evan Williams have done the same thing. It’s what American capitalism is all about: off-shoring production, devaluing brands, lowering content–all the while raising executive compensation to exorbitant egregiously.
I’m glad Maker’s Mark buyers caught it’s sleazy management in the act. Can’t say the same for 14-ounce Hagen-Dazs or 30-ounce Hellman’s–except that, like Jack Black, I don’t touch the products anymore.
Jan and “Smirks” engage below in a dialogue about booze and regulation. Alcohol has been regulated since biblical times. Federal regs–and the consumer’s voice–are what keep distillers and vintners and brewers honest. Look at what happened to Jack Daniels: from 90 proof to 86 proof after the Reagan tax reform in 1986; then to 80 proof. Not a word about it in public. Retailers were too stupid to notice either. Bourbon distillers like Jim Beam and Evan Williams have done the same thing. It’s what American capitalism is all about: off-shoring production, devaluing brands, lowering content–all the while raising executive compensation to exorbitant egregiously.
I’m glad Maker’s Mark buyers caught it’s sleazy management in the act. Can’t say the same for 14-ounce Hagen-Dazs or 30-ounce Hellman’s–except that, like Jack Black, I don’t touch the products anymore.
Makers Mark is alright. Stickler is correct about the pretentious spelling of “whisky” I also think the fake “red wax” is kind of hokey, too — its plastic. Woodford Reserve is damn good. I’m knocking back Buffalo Trace at the moment.
Back in the day it was Old Crow. I bought some the other day for old times’s sake and to be honest, it was rough. I think the formula has changed. Somehow, I picture Sic as a Captain Morgan kinda’ guy. Goes good with Dunhill cigs.
Makers Mark is alright. Stickler is correct about the pretentious spelling of “whisky” I also think the fake “red wax” is kind of hokey, too — its plastic. Woodford Reserve is damn good. I’m knocking back Buffalo Trace at the moment.
Back in the day it was Old Crow. I bought some the other day for old times’s sake and to be honest, it was rough. I think the formula has changed. Somehow, I picture Sic as a Captain Morgan kinda’ guy. Goes good with Dunhill cigs.
Blanton’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNknFH6asAs
Blanton’s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNknFH6asAs
I had the pleasure of visiting their distillery in KY. They gave a great tour, I had a chance to hand dip my own bottle, and I have received a small Christmas gift from them ever since.
I had the pleasure of visiting their distillery in KY. They gave a great tour, I had a chance to hand dip my own bottle, and I have received a small Christmas gift from them ever since.
Woodford all day.
I mean, I’ll drink Maker’s but…well, I’ll drink lots of things. But Woodford holds a special place.
Woodford all day.
I mean, I’ll drink Maker’s but…well, I’ll drink lots of things. But Woodford holds a special place.