Bernheim Original

Thanks for the responses. Everything posted is about want I expected but I wanted to check with everyone to be sure.

I now have two additional thoughts. 1. A Parker Beam Heritage collection straight wheat that would equate to Bernheim Original on steriods would be very interesting. 2. It just seems strange to me that Heaven Hill would go to all the trouble to introduce a new product and then the marketing goes virtually silent once the introduction phase is over. Maybe their target was a few people buying a few bottles every now and then all along and they're happy with that. I would think there's some leverage with "the first straight wheat whiskey since prohibition"

Judging from the other threads, maybe a similar issue to ri(1) -- put it out there as a premium product and let it fizzle if it doesn't take off?

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Originally Posted by miller542

Thanks for the responses. Everything posted is about want I expected but I wanted to check with everyone to be sure.

I now have two additional thoughts. 1. A Parker Beam Heritage collection straight wheat that would equate to Bernheim Original on steriods would be very interesting. 2. It just seems strange to me that Heaven Hill would go to all the trouble to introduce a new product and then the marketing goes virtually silent once the introduction phase is over. Maybe their target was a few people buying a few bottles every now and then all along and they're happy with that. I would think there's some leverage with "the first straight wheat whiskey since prohibition"

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The price cut in Michigan had me wondering the same thing. I wonder if they've stopped producing it entirely. Supposedly when Saz took over Barton they found some wheat whiskey. According to our tour guide at Tom Moore last April, they were, up until last year, still making corn and wheat whiskey as a sort of warm-up to making bourbon. She seemed to imply that it was all sold off for blending.

Saw 4 bottles for $32 at a local grocery store last night. I see it all over anywhere from $30 - $40. Sipped a glass last night also... Very pleasant.

The PH is very good IMO... Pricey though.

The HH national sales reps were at my local retailer just recently. They were promoting the Bernheim Wheat at the lower $30 price. This is a nationwide push.

Has anyone followed Bernheim's flavor profile from the first releases to the recent bottlings?

I've still got an unloved bottle from it's initial west coast rollout (2006?) and wonder if it's improved or stayed on its initial course. I find it highly likely there's been a learning curve on how to optimize the high wheat content of this unique (for a macro-distiller) product.

Most of all, I disliked the hay-ish, wet cardboard nose and the slightly uncooked grain flavors (like unconverted mash, for you homebrewers). I imagine the very mild character and the short finish are part and parcel of being a wheater, but the nose and palate seem improvable.

I know that everyone has different tastes and some have probably loved it all along, but has it won over any early doubters?

Roger

My current bottle is recent and I've had it from time to time since it was introduced. I like it for a change of pace. It hasn't evolved very much, in my opinion, but I wouldn't expect it to because that's the profile they're going for.

Companies like Heaven Hill don't give their products very much support, which makes it hard to grow a brand, especially one that's in a league of its own. But they can do some things, like adjust the price. They're probably making a little more of it every year, so if they can sell more by selling it for less they can still make the same or more profit.

I don't hear much about it but it might be going exactly according to plan.

Bernheim was introduced in 2005.

The Bernheim web site confirms that the suggested retail price is $29.99. (Go to the FAQ.)

It got somewhat deeper in flavor after (probably the barrels getting older) but not a whole lot, I'd agree.

Gary

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Originally Posted by dgonano

The HH national sales reps were at my local retailer just recently. They were promoting the Bernheim Wheat at the lower $30 price. This is a nationwide push.

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Not a bad deal there. I'll have to pick some up next time I'm out of state.

somewhere around May is when i first started seeing the Bernheim in the PA/DE/MD area. now i see it all the time for $30, at almost every store. it was good to experience once. but its too sweet for my tastes.