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Jim
Beam said the decision to pause bourbon making at its Clermont
location in 2026 will give the company time to invest in
improvements at the distillery. The bottling and warehouse at
the site will remain open, along with the James B. Beam
Distilling Co. visitors center and restaurant.
The company's larger distillery in Boston, Kentucky, will
continue to operate, the company said.
“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer
demand,” the company said in a statement.
Employees at the distillery are being reassigned within the
company and right now Jim Beam plans no layoffs, according to
the local United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
chapter that represents the workers.
Bourbon makers have to gamble well into the future. Jim Beam's
flagship bourbon requires at least four years of aging in
barrels before being bottled.
Whiskey makers are dealing with back-and-forth arguments over
tariffs in Europe and in Canada, where a boycott started after
the Trump administration suggested annexing the country into the
U.S.
Overall exports of American spirits fell 9% in the second
quarter of 2025 compared to a year ago, according to the
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. The most
dramatic decrease came in U.S. spirits exports to Canada, which
fell 85% in the April-through-June quarter
Bourbon production has grown significantly in recent years. As
of January, there were about 16 million barrels of bourbon aging
in Kentucky warehouses — more than triple the amount held 15
years ago, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
But sales figures and polling show Americans are drinking less
than they have in decades.
About 95% of all bourbon made in the U.S. comes from Kentucky.
The trade group estimated the industry brings more than 23,000
jobs and $2.2 billion to the state.
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