Designing a new Product: Picking Proofs

At Doc's, our head blender, Jesse Parker, is constantly experimenting. As a result, we often find ourselves with something unique and exciting that is worthy of release. Some of these products come with an interesting question: What proof is best for this product? 

Some of them are easy, like our 15-year Kentucky bourbon; barrel proof is the proper proof! For all the rest of our products, the four tastemakers here at Doc's go through a process of picking the proof. In what follows, we want to take you all on the journey with us.

The process is simple and focused on the taster's palate. Looking like a mad scientist, Jesse Parker, the master blender, will procure a sample batch of the product from his lab. From that one batch, he breaks the spirit up into tiny bottles. Each bottle is then set at a different proof and left unlabeled except for a small scribble on the bottom of the bottles to tell them apart. Finally, a glass of each is poured and sampled without knowing what proof each sample is. 

THE GOAL: WE HAVE ONLY OUR SENSE OF TASTE AND SMELL TO GUIDE OUR DECISION, WHICH ALLOWS US TO FIND THE BEST-TASTING VERSION WITHOUT BIAS.

We like to do this after hours. Generally, while proof testing, we prefer a comfortable environment. Often, this is at one of our houses, where we'll put on vinyl, grill up some delicious food, and take our time working through the different options. A critical component of this process is accounting for the fact that a fresh palate will pick up various flavors differently than one that has become acclimated to the spirit. 

Food and time have a similar effect. While we taste, we make notes about what flavors we're experiencing out of the different glasses. At this point, no one talks about what they're experiencing with the spirit. The power of suggestion is genuine and extremely strong. Little banter takes place, but sometimes the room is just filled with the sound of glasses touching down on a wood table while we taste. Once all four of us have had enough time to form opinions (this can take hours), the discussion begins.

Inevitably each of us will have opinions about how certain flavors are brighter and bolder in a range. Even more rarely, we might find that two different glasses are equally as tasty even though they have additional attributes. At this point, we're still unaware of what the actual proof points are. Only when each of us has landed on a favorite after a discussion do we reveal the proof. At times, it can feel like a test of your palate. Were you able to distinguish the higher poof glasses from the lower-proof ones?

Once the proof of the product has been revealed, we laugh at our misplaced expectations. However, there are rare occasions where we shift it after the fact, and that is when we pick the highest or lowest proof of the samples. We'll likely do another test with a new range of proofs assuming that the correct one could be slightly higher or slightly lower. At times we'll even do another test with more granular changes, down to the 0.1% ABV level.

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