Coors Releases Its Second Whiskey, Barmen 1873

Coors Whiskey Co., a division of Molson Coors that launched its first full-strength spirit, Five Trail, in 2021, has released its second brand. Barmen 1873 is a blend of straight bourbon whiskeys and finishes at 92 proof. A sweet bourbon, it has notes of caramel, vanilla and baked apples, along with a lasting spicy finish that includes cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

The idea to start Coors Whiskey Co. came over twenty years ago, when David Coors was in college. He took the idea to his father, Pete Coors, but his hopes were quickly dashed. "Dad basically said, 'We do one thing, and we do it well.' So I sort of stuck my tail between my legs and didn't bring it up again," David recalls.

But the seed was planted, and by 2019, Molson Coors was looking to get into other areas in the beverage world outside of beer. David needed to first make sure that whiskey was something the Coors brand could sell. "Over 80 percent of our consumers said that they would trust a whiskey from us," he says. Additionally, according to a recent press release, nearly 30 percent of Banquet beer drinkers also drink whiskey, and nearly 15 percent sip on bourbon.
For its debut whiskey, David Coors had originally picked out a blend himself, but then a friend from Kentucky's Bardstown suggested he visit the distillery. After a bit of arm-twisting, including a lunch at the Cherry Cricket, David made the trip and never looked back. Coors knows the brewing side, which is essentially the first part of the process of making whiskey, and it made sense to bring in an expert distillery as a partner for the complete product.

The blending involved in the final batches for both whiskeys is done by a team that includes David, Coors Whiskey Co. employees, master brewers from Coors Brewing and experts from Bardstown. In addition, Coors Whiskey Co. has brought on Peggy Noe Stevens, who comes from the bourbon industry's legendary Noe family, as a consultant. Along with being a master taster, Noe Stevens is also an author and a full brand consultant, working with some of the major players in the industry, including Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniel's, Jim Beam, George Dickel, Maker's Mark, Bulleit and Michter's.

At $39.99 to $42.99, Barmen 1873 is available at a lower price point than Five Trail, which retails for $59.99. The name refers to the Coors family's hometown in Germany, and 1873 is the year that the company began brewing beer in Golden.
The Coors Whiskey Co. team hopes that Barmen 1873 will follow in the footsteps of Five Trail in the competition circuit as well. Five Trail picked up a laundry list of awards right out of the gate with the Flagship Batch 0001, from Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition to Platinum at both the SIP Awards and the Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards. The whiskey also received Double Platinum at the American Spirits Council of Tasters.

Barmen 1873 has been submitted to a number of competitions, and the team is anxious to see how it fares.

It can be found in markets where Five Trail is currently distributed, including Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin.

The empty bourbon barrels from Five Trail and Barmen 1873 are being utilized by the beer industry and within the Coors network as well, with Colorado Native making use of some recently.

Barmen 1873 is designed to be a versatile bourbon — able to stand out in a cocktail, but also hold up on its own straight. "One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is in a highball glass," says David. "With a little bit of soda and ice on a hot summer day."