MM Proof Change

[michaelturtle1]

I know the whiskey monger fairly well at the "best" store around here and for the last year he has complained about MM availability, especially in the 1.75 size. I don't look for it when I am shopping but if it was enough of a problem for him to bring it up out of the blue there must be something to it

[squire]

I'll believe the shortage story when they share the love by lowering the price on the lower proof.

[Josh]

Is that code for "my brain is getting old"?

Yes! Having a wife and a two year old with a stomach virus in the same week does things to the brain too.

I don't understand why Josh is seeming to treat this as a 'look on the bright side' opportunity. Dilution equals paying the same for less actual product. It's just like ice cream cartons going from 1/2 gal. to some fraction thereof with no price reduction, or candy bars getting lighter and lighter [and still seeing prices go up]. I guess it's all just a ploy to make us healthier, eh?

If I may be so bold as to answer for Josh:

He doesn't buy it, so he doesn't care what they do to it.

I think that was supposed to be #5.

[TheOakMonster]

I still don't get it. I've said this before: I have never seen a less than plentiful supply of MM in every single liquor store that carries it in Massachusetts and the surrounding states. Ever. I see shelves of it everywhere I travel.

Is it possible that the "shortage" is just marketing BS?

Or, they're getting out ahead of the shortage, instead of waiting to they're completely sold out. Just because Makers is plentiful today doesn't mean it will be tommorrow, next week, or next month. MM knows how many barrels they have coming online in the next year and, clearly, it won't meet current demand levels, let alone account for future growth. And if people don't believe Makers is a growing brand, I'll just mention that our store's sales increased over 50% in 2012 over 2011. No other bourbon even came even close to that growth.

[smokinjoe]

Why wasn't one of the options: increase the price until supply/demand reaches an equilibrium?

Exactly, Rock. If one claims to be a "Premium" brand, act like one.

[HighHorse]

Agree with Josh .. if it's only a 3% change in ABV .. how much is it going to impact SB's purchasing habits? From the posts so far .. not a huge favorite of big bourbon drinkers anyway. Makers, for me is a choice when .. as someone else once said .. I want a bourbon I don't have to think about. It's just an easy, relaxing bourbon .. and 3% won't change that much at all. I'm also guessing that the vast .. and I mean vast .. majority of purchasers are mixing it with coke or ginger ale anyway so .. what the hell??

[squire]

Wonder about the 84 , you know Beam chose that proof for the Jacob's Well line, must be something numerical about the average number of bottles they can get out of a six year old barrel.

[smokinjoe]

Agree with Josh .. if it's only a 3% change in ABV .. how much is it going to impact SB's purchasing habits? From the posts so far .. not a huge favorite of big bourbon drinkers anyway. Makers, for me is a choice when .. as someone else once said .. I want a bourbon I don't have to think about. It's just an easy, relaxing bourbon .. and 3% won't change that much at all. I'm also guessing that the vast .. and I mean vast .. majority of purchasers are mixing it with coke or ginger ale anyway so .. what the hell??

Agreed, (or hoping) that 3% won't make a big difference. But, "Premium" brands should not do this. My rudimentary math figures that the decreased proof will amount to another 840,000 750ml bottles available world-wide (based on current sales of 1 million 9-liter cases per year = 12,000,000 750's) BTW, if my numbers are FUBAR'd, just shoot me now.

Total increase in availability is nil. No reason to do it. Total revenue increase is what (if that's what this is about?)? $15 million? Peanuts to them. No reason to do it.

I love the whiskey. I hate the move.

[T Comp]

A thread open to the public for reading, that has 49 posts and 1,039 views since 12:10 today, on a bourbon that isn't otherwise mentioned much here says something. I'm going with what VAGentleman says.

JD went from 90 proof to 86 then to 80 and it hasn't hurt their sales. I doubt the sales of MM will be hurt. The regular consumer won't notice or really care.

[kickert]

JD went from 90 proof to 86 then to 80 and it hasn't hurt their sales. I doubt the sales of MM will be hurt. The regular consumer won't notice or really care.

I think you are spot on here and it is exactly what I was thinking. There aren't that many whiskey purists who have MM and JD as their go to whiskey. The people I know who always reach for it will probably agree that it the best part of the change is the less alcohol burn (it will make it smoother!!).