“Kentucky’s $9 billion bourbon industry is grappling with a massive supply and a slump in demand, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.” Not in my house. No slump in demand.

The James B. Beam Distilling Co. said in a statement that it is “always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand.” It added that there was a recent discussion of its 2026 volumes.
“We’ve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our FBN craft distillery in Clermont and at our larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, we plan to pause distillation at our main distillery on the James B. Beam campus for 2026 while we take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements,” the company said in its statement.
“We continue to assess how best to utilize our workforce during this transition, and conversations with the union are ongoing,” it added.
Tourists looking to explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail will still be able to go to the visitors center at the James B. Beam campus, which will remain open despite the production pause, “so visitors can have the full James B. Beam experience,” the company wrote. It added that its restaurant, The Kitchen Table would also remain open during this time. Additionally, bottling and warehousing will still be operational at the Claremont facility, the Lexington Herald Leader reported.

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