Coors Is Releasing Its First True Bourbon: Barmen 1873

Coors is in the bourbon business. Coors Whiskey Co. which is part of the Molson Coors empire, just announced the release of their very first bourbon, Barmen 1873, adding a second whiskey to the company's portfolio. Barmen 1873 — the date commemorates the year Adolph Coors began brewing beer in Colorado — is a 92-proof blended Kentucky bourbon expected to retail for around $40.

Barmen 1873 joins its sibling whiskey, Five Trail, which was released in 2021 and was Molson Coors' first foray into the full-strength spirit category. Both spirits were bottled in Bardstown, Kentucky, but Five Trail is an American whiskey, blending Colorado whiskey made from Coors malt with Kentucky and Indiana bourbons that are brought to proof with water from the Rocky Mountains. On the other hand, Barmen 1873 is pure Kentucky, a blend of bourbons, proofed with Kentucky water. The new Coors bourbon will be available in 13 U.S. states beginning on April 3, 2023.

Barmen 1873, according to a press release, boasts a complex flavor profile, with notes of "caramel, vanilla, grilled peach, raisin, apple, traces of coffee and dark chocolate and even hints of dill and mint. It finishes with notes of ginger, cinnamon and baking spice." Peggy Noe Stevens, notable both for being the very first female master bourbon taster and also for her bourbon family connections — she's a cousin to Jim Beam distillers Booker and Fred Noe — helped develop the new Coors bourbon.

The new offering, blending the heritage of the Coors family with the traditions of Kentucky bourbon, is a source of pride for Molson Coors. "With all of our products at Coors Whiskey Co., we're building on generations of skills, capabilities and passion to develop something people can discover and love," said Vice President of Molson Coors Next Generation Beverages, David Coors. The company continues its trend of pushing beyond the boundaries of beer, adding the new Barmen 1873 bourbon to its growing category of non-beer options like Topo Chico hard seltzers, Simply Spiked Lemonades, and Golden Wing Barley Milk.