Another shrinking product - lite bourbon?

Most customers won't even notice the change as a price increase...even though it's the same thing. Like you note, widely practiced consumer marketing 101.
 
Does this affect the taxes and bond required for the bottling and transport as well?
 
First Twizzlers got smaller and now this... my happiness is besieged from all sides.
 
Midpack said:
Most customers won't even notice the change as a price increase...even though it's the same thing. Like you note, widely practiced consumer marketing 101.
Click to expand...
I think lowering the alcohol content is even sneakier than the common practice of reducing the weight per package, while leaving the size of the container the same. Shame on them!
 
kyounge1956 said:
I think lowering the alcohol content is even sneakier than the common practice of reducing the weight per package, while leaving the size of the container the same. Shame on them!
Click to expand...
It's yet another way to introduce inflation that doesn't find its way into the CPI. Yay.
 
Maybe I'm the only one who thought about this 25 years ago when so-called "light" beers became widely available. "No alcohol" beers (for folks who don't tolerate it) I could see. But selling beer with less alcohol and, (no matter what they say) less "taste" for premium prices always struck me as the height of the flim-flam marketing complex. Give me one "real" beer and you can have your two light beers. Had some German beer (in Germany) and it was amazing stuff. True, you had to keep it to a couple or three in an evening (not the sort of stuff you chug as it was over 10% v/v alcohol).

I feel the same way about "low cal" stuff in general. I understand the concept. I'm sure these products work for some folks. Still, I would argue that the items you eat for the pure enjoyment (think cheese cake and potato chips) do not taste nearly as good once you take the fat out. Most of these food items cost more than their full bodied (full flavored) "equivalents". I think I can just eat less of the "good" stuff. End of rant. YMMV
 
kyounge1956 said:
I think lowering the alcohol content is even sneakier than the common practice of reducing the weight per package, while leaving the size of the container the same. Shame on them!
Click to expand...

Yeah - I completely agree. It's sort of like getting into your moms sherry and then replacing it with water so she won't notice. The forthright thing to do is to raise the price.
 
kyounge1956 said:
I think lowering the alcohol content is even sneakier than the common practice of reducing the weight per package, while leaving the size of the container the same. Shame on them!
Click to expand...
I agree, but they know all too well that most customers won't notice a small change in proof, most (regular) customers would notice a price increase. Same thing the cereal companies have done as you noted. First they reduce weight/package and "we" don't notice at least on the shelves (many probably open the box when we get home and notice the package is no where near full). And then in a few years when everyone has forgotten what the former weight was, they will reduce the size of the box to save on freight and tell us "new improved, green packaging." but the customer will compare weights before and after and conclude, "good, we're still getting the same weight."

Ain't marketing grand?
 
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MM is good stuff, but I'm mainly a cold beer guy. When I'm in the mood for bourbon, I buy the cheaper stuff like Old Forester. I asked my nephew once(owns a restaurant) if many order Old Forester. He said a few......mainly old guys.:LOL:
 
Midpack said:
Most customers won't even notice the change as a price increase...even though it's the same thing. Like you note, widely practiced consumer marketing 101.
Click to expand...

Worse than a price increase - these guys are watering down their product. You can't undo that by paying extra. Had they raised the prices, you could still enjoy (uncut) Makers, just by paying more.
 
I don't much care for MM (much prefer anything made by Heaven Hill), but I sure hope this does not start a trend among bourbon makers.
 
jon-nyc said:
Worse than a price increase - these guys are watering down their product. You can't undo that by paying extra. Had they raised the prices, you could still enjoy (uncut) Makers, just by paying more.
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All true, but again they're betting (from experience) that most customers won't notice any difference...
 
I agree that "watering down" is the appropriate term here. They're apparently adding a few gallon(s) of h20 to every barrel, which of course also reduces alcohol content, and flavor.

I was a Heaven Hill fan back in my college days, since it was cheap. Tasted just fine.
 
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I keep hearing that I have to try Pappy Van Winkle, one of these days...
 
As an aside, bourbon is usually "watered down"...

Bourbon whiskey - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

After maturing, bourbon is withdrawn from the barrel, usually diluted with water, and bottled to at least 80 US proof (40% abv).[4] Most bourbon whiskey is sold at 80 US proof. Other common proofs are 86, 90, 94, 100, and 107, and whiskeys of up to 151 proof have been sold. Some higher-proof bottlings are marketed as "barrel proof", meaning that they have not been diluted or have been only lightly diluted after removal from the barrels.
Click to expand...
 
Midpack said:
I agree, but they know all too well that most customers won't notice a small change in proof, most (regular) customers would notice a price increase. Same thing the cereal companies have done as you noted. First they reduce weight/package and "we" don't notice at least on the shelves (many probably open the box when we get home and notice the package is no where near full). And then in a few years when everyone has forgotten what the former weight was, they will reduce the size of the box to save on freight and tell us "new improved, green packaging." but the customer will compare weights before and after and conclude, "good, we're still getting the same weight."

Ain't marketing grand?
Click to expand...

Well said...
The "Twizzler" effect... ;)
And yet... our friends seem not to notice:confused::confused:?? When prices go up at our Aldi's, it's usually by about 15% to 20%... and they're still well below Walmart, and the other Majors.

It was just two years ago, when I could buy a 30 pack of Miller's for $9.99. Don't drink beer any more, but the current $15.95 price for 24, was a shocker.

The 1.75L Seagrams Gin was $12.99 in 2011... Is now $18.95 at Walmart... and the vermouth went from $1.99 to $4.97.

One of the LBYM great things about growing older, is that the single 2 oz. martini is enough. :dance:
YMMV
 
OK, never mind: Maker's Mark to stop watering down its whiskey

After backlash from customers, the producer of Maker's Mark bourbon is reversing a decision to cut the amount of alcohol in bottles of its famous whiskey.

Rob Samuels, Maker's Mark's chief operating officer, said Sunday that it is restoring the alcohol volume of its product to its historic level of 45 percent, or 90 proof.
Click to expand...
 
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