10 Facts About The Trader Joe's Alcohol Department You Never Knew

Who among us hasn't been to a party where the wine list was entirely Charles Shaw? At least, if you've been to college any time this century, "Two Buck Chuck" has probably touched your lips. Trader Joe's proprietary brand of inexpensive wine is more than just a cheap gimmick, it's actually pretty good. Because we're in the wine aisle, why not grab some Trader Joe's bourbon, too? It's a private label, and it's cheaper than many of the major name brands. As it turns out, the store that you'd normally go to for low prices on bananas and stunningly good frozen fried rice also has a well-stocked alcohol department, with bargain booze that actually tastes good.

Now, Trader Joe's official claim to fame probably isn't private-label brands and inexpensive wines, but those things are near the top of the list. In recent years, the chain has made strides in its beer and liquor departments, too. How did the grocery chain with tiki stuff on the walls become its own specialty liquor store? The answer involves a little business savvy, some creative thinking, and a passion for wine from Joe himself.

When building Trader Joe's image, founder Joe Coulombe wanted to cater to the new class of G.I. Bill beneficiaries. These were middle-class people who had traveled the world, gotten an education, and (in Joe's mind) would want grocery store items that reflected their erudition. Coulombe realized that wines are not sold by brand but by vintage. Wines taste different depending on the vintage, meaning consumers would need to rely on the expertise of the wine shop owner. So Coulombe set out to design a store where food quality was not measured by brand name but decided by store workers' expertise.

Compared to most major grocery stores, Trader Joe's has a small product selection. The thought process is that a smaller selection encourages customers to develop preferences based on discerning taste, rather than name brands. Coulombe figured this appeal to thoughtfulness would give him a way to compete with stores selling established brands. Big-name brands are constantly advertising on TV and in print with images and messaging that bludgeons consumers into new buying habits. Joe Coulombe, in what he would call his most important decision as a marketer, put his trust in both his workers' and customers' tastes.

On an episode of the Inside Trader Joe's Podcast in which hosts Tara Miller and Matt Sloan take a tour of California wine country, the wine producers interviewed refuse to reveal their names on air. That's because TJ's gets incredibly low prices from their partners. Were other businesses to know that it was these places giving TJ's these costs, the thinking goes, there would be a mass demand for vineyard-killing low prices from everybody. The low prices that Trader Joe's gets from vineyards are partially because other brands factor things like marketing into the cost of the wine, whereas the grocery chain takes on all of the branding and marketing themselves.

Other solutions like automated production processes and getting grapes from areas outside Napa Valley help keep costs low. Bronco Wine Company, who makes Charles Shaw, owns a number of huge tracts of land that grow lots of grapes. Having grapes from multiple sources allows for blending and making otherwise bad grapes shine. When mass-producing cheap wine, some grapes get used that might otherwise not. The onus is on the winemaker to compose a good wine. 

Sometimes, Trader Joe's announces which distiller or brewer will be making a private-label product. Sometimes, that partner remains a mystery. The Kentucky Bourbon released in 2015 was bottled by Buffalo Trace. When a limited-edition 125-proof bourbon was released in 2021, many thought it might be another Buffalo Trace product, but it was actually made by Barton. The current offering, Kentucky Best, is made by Heaven Hill.

This means that the bourbon you get here won't always be the same. If, say, you buy Jack Daniel's because you like that it always tastes like Jack Daniel's, then liquor shopping at TJ's will be an adjustment. The bourbon at this grocery chain is more like how wine varies according to vintage. That can be good news, though. Because Trader Joe's contracts its spirits out to distillers, there is always a chance you are buying a slightly lesser version of a top-shelf spirit for a considerably lower price.

Espada Pequeña, Trader Joe's private-label mezcal, has all the smokiness and citrusy notes you want when consuming the spirit. That's because when Trader Joe's decided to get into the mezcal game, the company went right to the source. The state of Oaxaca, Mexico, is the largest producer of mezcal in the world, and TJ's mezcal is both distilled and bottled by experienced mezcaleros in Oaxaca. The agave plant — from which mezcal is made — is roasted in underground pits, both as a way to uphold tradition and to get that signature smoky flavor that mezcal demands.

Mexico has increased mezcal exports in the 21st century, and the spirit has only grown in popularity. Having a private-label mezcal is in keeping with the company's desire to be perceived as a grocery store for the well-traveled. Going to Oaxaca for mezcal is sort of like going to Kentucky for bourbon or making wine out of your favorite French grape.

Not every component of an alcoholic beverage is alcohol. Without mixers and garnishes, you wouldn't be able to make wine spritzers, Micheladas, or Cuba Libres. Thanks to Trader Joe's multitude of private-label products, you can make TJ-specific cocktails.

What kind of creative paths does it open up if you try to make mixed drinks using only Trader Joe's-specific ingredients? The website has recipes for spiked cider and mezcal limeade. You can come up with your own private-label-containing recipes, too. Maybe there's a specific flavor of TJ's sparkling water that you think makes a great wine spritzer. The mellow spice of the chain's brewed ginger beer makes for a great Moscow Mule, as well as a good mixer for whiskey. Turn your clock to island time by mixing white Rum of the Gods and TJ's cold pressed pineapple juice over ice. The possibilities are endless, and the tastes are one of a kind.

The idea for a good brew can come from anywhere. Maybe most brewers wouldn't think to look for fan favorites from the candy aisle to make a beer, of all things, but that's exactly where TJ's went to make this porter. Turning dark chocolate peanut butter cups into beer is a culinary feat for the wildest of dreamers, and the chain had a crucial assist. The company tapped Virginia brewery Hardywood Park, which has previously won awards for its various types of gingerbread stout, to lend a helping hand in crafting this ambitious brew.

Porters and stouts are already considered dessert beers thanks to their depth and richness. These beers often have lactose to add thickness and creaminess. They also incorporate longer boiling times than most beers, which helps create more complex sugar chains. Toss in the special treat flavors of chocolate and peanut butter? First of all, that's an indulgent beer, as well as a testament to the creativity of the TJ's booze developers. Second, it means you don't have to sneak your kids' Halloween candy when they're not looking anymore.

Speculoos Cookie Butter is one of Trader Joe's most popular products. It stands to reason that the butter should flavor a beer, doesn't it? Turns out, that's easier said than done. On the Inside Trader Joe's podcast, a Trader Joe's product developer claimed that developing the Speculoos Cookie Butter Beer was an arduous process. After two years and around 18 batches, the recipe was finally settled. Apparently, the delay was due to the intense pressure brewers were putting on themselves to make a good beer, since Trader Joe's Speculoos Cookie Butter is so popular.

The end result is a decadent blend of toasted coconut, milk, and vanilla beans combining to form one tasty beer. Cookie Butter Beer is also brewed in partnership with Hardywood Brewing, a company that has previously won awards for its dessert beers. Like with all desserts, though, moderation is key: Speculoos Cookie Butter Beer clocks in at 9.5% ABV.

Private-label brands invite the question of who's really making this stuff. The brewers that shepherd Trader Joe's beers from barrel to shelf are sometimes announced, like when Hardywood Park made the Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. If the brewer is a mystery? A little detective work and beer knowledge can provide some clues. Reputable craft breweries like Golden Road, Goose Island, and Shipyard Brewing have been linked to TJ's beer.

Labeling is important in the world of craft beer. There are endless options in the beer aisle, but the right label or a fun name can be reason enough for a customer to pick up a six-pack that they've never tried before. Slapping on a private label that fits TJ's branding is yet another way that the grocery chain can build an image of discerning taste. The product has to back that up, though, which is why partnering with the right craft breweries is key.

Perhaps the most famous alcoholic product at Trader Joe's, Charles Shaw wine — aka Two Buck Chuck — had something of a journey to take before it became a household name. The man himself, Charles Shaw, founded a vineyard in Napa Valley based around the French Gamay grape. Shaw was obsessed with Gamay grapes and saw the potential in Napa Valley, but the rest of the world wasn't ready to see either yet. His vineyard went bankrupt and his wife divorced him before he could see how thankful college students would be for his work. The Bronco Wine Company swooped in, bought the vineyard, partnered with the grocery chain, and became the vineyard behind Trader Joe's wine.

Once Charles Shaw Wine had a low price tag and a catchy nickname — even if inflation means the Two Buck Chuck nickname needs updating — it became a hit. Being touted as tasty by the taste-making grocery store didn't hurt, either. Charles Shaw Wine is now a staple for wine drinkers, budget-conscious or otherwise. If you're keeping score at home, Shaw established his winery in 1974, but it wasn't until 2002 that the Trader Joe's version of Two Buck Chuck launched. Sometimes, it takes a while for a good thing to catch on.

Let's say you've been buying Trader Joe's wines for a while. Enough to get in a groove, to know you like this type of chardonnay on fish night and that type of pinot noir on steak night. On this grocery run, though, you want to change things up a bit. Surprise your beloved, maybe. Well, those special displays at the end of aisles? They're actually a strategic position for putting the fast-selling wine in front of your eyeballs. If you want what's hot now, look for those displays, because they were created purposefully.

Other supermarkets might sell that in-store space, letting big brands put well-known products even more front and center. At TJ's, what goes on display is up to the store's workers. Trader Joe's crew members are pretty meticulous about which products go where. If you see a wine on special display, you can bet that either an employee really likes it, customers really like it, or both are true.