The new bourbon blend will be released on April 3.
In a move that continues to blur the lines between the once separate beer and liquor industries, Molson Coors is launching a 92-proof bourbon whiskey—which it intends to market to its beer drinkers.
The brewer’s Coors Whiskey Co. subsidiary will release the new bourbon blend, called Barmen 1873, on April 3.
Barmen 1873 is named after the Coors family’s German hometown and the year Coors Brewing was launched.
In some store locations where it is permitted, Barman 1873 will be cross-merchandised with Coors Banquet beer, highlighting a “family bond” between the brands and encouraging a “Banquet and Barmen” pairing in bars, the company stated. The bar call was based on company research showing that nearly 30% of Banquet drinkers also drink whiskey, and nearly 15% of those prefer bourbon.
“We’ve got a great opportunity to connect two unique brands that represent the Coors legacy,” Kim Fox, Molson Coors’ marketing manager for full-strength spirits, said in a blog post. “We know consumers are looking for flavor. We know they’re looking for quality. Banquet and Barmen make a perfect pair.”
Molson Coors has been looking to expand beyond beer to diversify and “premiumize” its offerings at a time when beer growth has slowed. The company entered the full-strength spirits business in 2021 with its Five Trail blended American whiskey. In addition, Molson Coors has released an energy drink called ZOA, a non-alcoholic cocktail line called Roxie, and made partnerships with Coca-Cola Co. on products such as Simply Spiked lemonade and Top Chico hard seltzer.
The company intends to showcase Barmen 1873 at key events during the year including Aspen Food & Wine, Whiskey Fest Chicago and the Bourbon Women SIPosium.
The launch will also be supported by social, PR and influencer partnerships. Marking the expansion of Coors Whiskey Co.’s product line, Molson Coors has rebranded its whiskey social handles from @FiveTrail to @CoorsWhiskeyCo.
“With all of our products at Coors Whiskey Co., we’re building on generations of skills, capabilities and passion to develop something people can know and love,” David Coors, founder and head of Coors Whiskey Co., said in the blog post. “Our entry into whiskey started in 2021, but Barmen 1873 gives new meaning to our 150-year legacy in the beverage business.”
Barmen is a blend of straight bourbon whiskies bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, in collaboration with Master Taster Peggy Noe Stevens. It has a suggested retail price of $39.99 to $42.99, putting it in what Molson Coors called the “approachable” super-premium price tier. By contrast, Five Trail retails for $59.99 in the ultra-premium price tier.
“We’re meticulous about quality, and Barmen 1873 reflects the care we put into each one of our blends,” said Coors. “Barmen plays in the space of sweet on the front and a long, lingering spice finish on the end, and it’s available at an approachable price point for bourbon fans.”
Barmen will be for sale in the same 13 states where Five Trails is currently available: Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.
