# Poll on Alcohol Prices **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 25, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855 "2007-08-25T01:03:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/1 "2007-08-25T01:03:32Z")
I recently bought a 1.75 liter bottle of Maker’s Mark and was shocked at a nearly $10 price hike. Previously, it had been 35.99 and now it is 44.59. When I asked the store owner, he claimed it had to do with the bad crop season this summer, which I do not believe. But, it got me to thinking: How much do people in other states pay for alcohol? I’d be particularly interested in the Maker’s Mark price for the 1.75 liter bottle, but would like to know other prices as well. I would also be interested in knowing how your liquor stores are run: state-owned, privately owned or some other way I don’t have any idea of? It may be a few days until I get back to this thread, but I will get back to it. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/2 "2007-08-25T01:23:34Z")
I don’t know about Maker’s Mark, but if I remember the ad in the liquor store I was in earlier today, a 1.75 L of Kettle One vodka was running about $45. The cheap vodkas (Popov, 5 O’ Clock, Fleishmann’s) run between $9 and $11. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/3 "2007-08-25T01:27:31Z")
I bought a 1.75 of Makers Mark a few weeks ago. Cost me $39, roughly. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/4 "2007-08-25T01:29:00Z")
Booze always seems to me to be pretty cheap in the States. ---
**Author:** ![MissMossie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MissMossie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissMossie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/5 "2007-08-25T01:43:46Z")
According to the [VA ABC’s](http://www.abc.state.va.us/Pricelist/STRAIGHT_BOURBON_WHISKEY.html) website, a 1.75L bottle of Maker’s Mark would cost $52.95 in Virginia. Hmmm…I’m moving to North Carolina tomorrow; I better check the prices [there](http://www.ncabc.com/pricing/pricebook.aspx) too. Looks like it’s $57.70 in North Carolina. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/6 "2007-08-25T01:45:33Z")
I don’t drink hard liquor, but a twelve pack of Dos Equis Amber usually costs me thirteen or fourteen dollars. From the SDMB wine club, the wine prices here are within a buck or so of what everyone else is paying ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/7 "2007-08-25T03:12:25Z")
$55.98 in Washington, $14.99 of that is sales tax. ---
**Author:** ![Annie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/858c86/32.png) [@Annie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/8 "2007-08-25T16:56:28Z")
BC doesn’t have the 1.75l bottle. The 750ml is $44.95 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/9 "2007-08-25T18:19:04Z")
$33.99 at [Bev-mo](http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp?sku=00000007154&Dn=166+168&Nr=Store%3A99&Ntt=makers+mark&N=168+0&Nty=1&D=makers+mark&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=All). What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soul)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/10 "2007-08-25T18:23:06Z")
I live in Athens, GA with a bunch of privately owned liquor stores. Our prices are notoriously low, although I can’t give an exact number since I’m back home for the weekend. If I recall correctly, Maker’s Mark is in the mid 30’s for a 1.75 at the place near my apartment. My most frequent purchase is a 12-pack of Newcastle Brown Ale, which runs between $13 at the liquor stores and about $16 at Kroger. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/11 "2007-08-25T19:03:02Z")
The 1.75-liter of 8-yr old Old Charter (bourbon) is right at $25 here in Jackson, Miss. The price has been steady for about 3 years, IIRC. ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/12 "2007-08-25T19:35:04Z")
In Michigan the state sets the prices,I think. The booze is spose to be the same price wherever you buy it. Is it the same in other states? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/13 "2007-08-25T20:01:37Z")
[QUOTE=MadTheSwine] In Michigan the state sets the prices,I think. The booze is spose to be the same price wherever you buy it. Is it the same in other states? [/QUOTE] It certainly is in Ontario, but then, liquor is only available in Ontario government stores. No private liquor stores. Makes things less confusing though, at least price-wise. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s price for 750 ml (26 oz) of Maker’s Mark, from the [LCBO site](http://www.lcbo.com/main/en.shtml): $44.25 (Canadian dollars) across the province, all taxes and deposits included in the price. A 1.75 liter size does not seem to be available. Here in Alberta, I have no idea. No Alberta liquor store seems willing to list its products and prices online; at least, none I could find. Stores are privately-run, some include tax and deposit in the price while some don’t, some offer a small discount per bottle of liquor or wine if you buy three or four or more bottles, and so on. Prices don’t seem to be uniform as they are in Ontario. But prices on liquor generally do not seem to vary widely between provinces in Canada so I’d guess we’d be about in the same ballpark as Ontario and BC: probably somewhere between $43 and $46 total for a 26 oz bottle of Maker’s Mark, depending on retailer markup. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/14 "2007-08-25T20:17:15Z")
There would be open revolution in California if the State tried to monopolize alcohol sales. Just bought a 1.75 an hour ago. $35.99 at Bevmo. Plus tax. Minus 5% Bevmo Reward. Call it $36.89 out the door. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/15 "2007-08-25T21:31:35Z")
> [@](#): > > When I asked the store owner, he claimed it had to do with the bad crop season this summer, which I do not believe. Since Maker’s is aged about four years, a bad crop season this summer should have dick all to do with the bourbon they’re selling right now. I haven’t heard anything about a price hike, but I haven’t bought any bourbon in a while. ISTR that a handle of Maker’s runs about $36 in Lexington and about $42 out here in the sticks. > [@](#): > > The Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s price for 750 ml (26 oz) of Maker’s Mark, from the LCBO site: $44.25 (Canadian dollars) across the province, all taxes and deposits included in the price. Note to self: if visiting Ontario, take my own bourbon. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/16 "2007-08-25T22:25:24Z")
[QUOTE=MadTheSwine] In Michigan the state sets the prices,I think. The booze is spose to be the same price wherever you buy it. Is it the same in other states? [/QUOTE] In California we have this thing called free enterprise. Your state should try it. ---
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/17 "2007-08-25T22:31:07Z")
39.99 at Spec’s in Houston, less 5% for cash/debit card. ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/18 "2007-08-25T22:58:51Z")
700 ml Maker’s Mark is about $60 in Sweden. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2007, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/19 "2007-08-25T23:17:04Z")
750 ml in Omaha is 25.99 at the grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855/20 "2007-08-26T01:08:55Z")
In Connecticut, it’s interesting, because we don’t have state stores but I don’t know of any chain liquor stores around. My town has at least 5 liquor stores all small and privately run. Constrast to NJ, where we had Shop Rite Liquors, or CA with Bevmo. So that’s kind of weird. You would think there would be economies of scale. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-on-alcohol-prices/416855.md?page=2)