Attention Bourbon Fans - Maker's Mark Cutting ABV

[gorcorps]

Hmm... sort of off topic, but I wonder how they calculate that.

When you mix alcohol and water, it isn't straight. 2 quarts of ethanol and 2 quarts of water make less than a gallon of ... vodka, becuase.. something.. inter-molecular. 'volume contraction'.

So, when they say 50% v/v, are they saying 50% etoh relative to the *total* mixture? or before mixing (i.e. 1:1 ratio). if it's the first, that's slightly less than 50%, because the total volume is less than that of it's members.

if that makes sense.. :awe:

Hmmm... I wonder what quantity it would take to even be noticeable though?

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Hmm... sort of off topic, but I wonder how they calculate that.

When you mix alcohol and water, it isn't straight. 2 quarts of ethanol and 2 quarts of water make less than a gallon of ... vodka, becuase.. something.. inter-molecular. 'volume contraction'.

So, when they say 50% v/v, are they saying 50% etoh relative to the *total* mixture? or before mixing (i.e. 1:1 ratio). if it's the first, that's slightly less than 50%, because the total volume is less than that of it's members.

if that makes sense.. :awe:

According to Wikipedia's article on volume percent:

In the case of a mixture of ethanol and water, which are miscible in all proportions, the designation of solvent and solute is arbitrary. The volume of such a mixture is slightly less than the sum of the volumes of the components. Thus, by the above definition, the term "40% alcohol by volume" refers to a mixture of 40 volume units of ethanol with enough water to make a final volume of 100 units, rather than a mixture of 40 units of ethanol with 60 units of water.

 

[Hugo Drax]

Schlitz used to be the top selling beer until they decided to water down the formula to meet demand. History repeats.

 

[KK]

The government just needs to go ahead and ban alcohol, or tax it severely like they have done to cigarettes.

 

[lxskllr]

The government just needs to go ahead and ban alcohol, or tax it severely like they have done to cigarettes.

That would be intellectually honest, and a start towards consistency, but when has the government been intellectually honest, or even generally honest?

 

[Gibsons]

The government just needs to go ahead and ban alcohol, or tax it severely like they have done to cigarettes.

It's taxed pretty heavily as is.

They tried the ban thing once, it didn't work out too well.

 

[spidey07]

It's taxed pretty heavily as is.

They tried the ban thing once, it didn't work out too well.

Close to 50% of the price you pay for spirits is taxes.

 

[phucheneh]

From their PR:



Except how they make their product (different ABV == different craft production). Way to lie to your customers.

...no. They make it the same way. Same distillation, same aging.

All that changes is the water added at the end. And liquor generally always has water added at the end so that they can reach the proper ABV. Every barrel doesn't come out exactly the same.

I assume they also mix the barrels before diluting. AFAIK only really high end stuff comes from one barrel (dunno if they still dilute); it's not desirable for most mainstream stuff because the product would not be consistent.

 

[uclaLabrat]

The government just needs to go ahead and ban alcohol, or tax it severely like they have done to cigarettes.

Uh, they tax the ever loving shit out of it already? Did you not know this?

 

[KK]

Uh, they tax the ever loving shit out of it already? Did you not know this?

Compared to cigarettes though? They need to control our usage of alcohol thru taxation. If people still buy it in the quantities they do now, evidently the taxes are not high enough.

 

[Gibsons]

Compared to cigarettes though? They need to control our usage of alcohol thru taxation. If people still buy it in the quantities they do now, evidently the taxes are not high enough.

No, they don't.

You'd likely see similar results to prohibition. Lots of moonshining and bootlegging, more home brewing and distilling.

 

[momeNt]

Can't they use trees to up their production? It ferments into alcohol really fast I heard.

 

[StrangerGuy]

What's there to stop them from spiking it back to 40% with 95% grain ethanol.

 

[momeNt]

What's there to stop them from spiking it back to 40% with 95% grain ethanol.

It's highly likely that they considered that already as a scenario. It must have compromised their flavor too much.

 

[spidey07]

What's there to stop them from spiking it back to 40% with 95% grain ethanol.

Then it couldn't be called straight bourbon whiskey. Grain neutral spirits have a funny medicinal taste and no distiller of bourbon would use it. Otherwise it would be a "blend".

 

[spidey07]

Can't they use trees to up their production? It ferments into alcohol really fast I heard.

The mash and yeast used for each distiller's bourbon is where a lot of the taste and texture comes from. Plus the mash has to be 51% corn to be bourbon. Most of them have yeast strains that are 100+ years old and are kept closely guarded in a safe.

 

[torpid]

I assume they also mix the barrels before diluting. AFAIK only really high end stuff comes from one barrel (dunno if they still dilute); it's not desirable for most mainstream stuff because the product would not be consistent.

Huh? What is your definition of really high end? Many bourbons under $30 are single barrel.

 

[ElFenix]

Consumerist has a story that points out liquor with an ABV of 42% or less is allowed to be sold in Ohio grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations (otherwise sales are limited to liquor stores). The new MM is 42%.

I wonder if it's possible that having more sales outlets could have been a motivation for this move.

the ohio law is 42 proof, not percent.

 

[phucheneh]

Huh? What is your definition of really high end? Many bourbons under $30 are single barrel.

...under $30 for what?

 

[torpid]

...under $30 for what?

For a standard 750ml bottle of single-barrel bourbon.

Wathen's, Eagle Rare, Evan Williams, Elmer T. Lee, etc.

 

[momeNt]

The mash and yeast used for each distiller's bourbon is where a lot of the taste and texture comes from. Plus the mash has to be 51% corn to be bourbon. Most of them have yeast strains that are 100+ years old and are kept closely guarded in a safe.

Yea nobody got the joke. Trees end up making methanol, make you go blind.

Oh well.

 

[lxskllr]

For a standard 750ml bottle of single-barrel bourbon.

Wathen's, Eagle Rare, Evan Williams, Elmer T. Lee, etc.

I was amazed at the cost of bourbon after being into scotch for awhile. It's almost a two tier shift in quality/price. IOW, you can get a lower high end bourbon for the cost of a lower mid range scotch.

 

[torpid]

I was amazed at the cost of bourbon after being into scotch for awhile. It's almost a two tier shift in quality/price. IOW, you can get a lower high end bourbon for the cost of a lower mid range scotch.

Yeah. Even the typically expensive stuff (e.g. Pappy Van Winkle 20) is not very expensive by Scotch standards.

 

[phucheneh]

I had no idea Evan Williams was single barrel. I thought most of the more common, well-known/advertised brands were blended.

I'd say my line for 'expensive' whiskey/bourbon (blah scotch) lies somewhere in the Jack Daniels range, which is blended. Yes, I know that's not expensive by snob standards; I just don't taste a difference in the upper tier stuff, so it's pointless to me (emphasis on 'to me.' people can drink what they want.)

 

[uclaLabrat]

Compared to cigarettes though? They need to control our usage of alcohol thru taxation. If people still buy it in the quantities they do now, evidently the taxes are not high enough.

Why the hell do they need to control it? I'm pissed they tax ciggs as much as they do. People have the right to smoke if they want to, just don't do it around me.