Kentucky Bourbon Barrels Overflowing: Jim Beam Takes a Break

Jim Beam, a big name in Kentucky bourbon, is taking a pause. Starting January 1, they will stop making bourbon at their main distillery. This isn't because they're in trouble. It's because they have too much bourbon aging in barrels. Kentucky has a record number of barrels, over 16 million, sitting in warehouses. That's a lot of bourbon! This pause isn't just about too much bourbon. It's also about money. Kentucky charges taxes on those aging barrels. This year, distillers paid $75 million in taxes, which is a lot more than last year. Jim Beam is owned by Suntory Global Spirits. They say they're using this time to improve their main site. But they'll keep making bourbon at their smaller distilleries.Jim Beam has over 1, 000 workers in Kentucky. They haven't said if anyone will lose their job. They're still talking with their workers and the union to figure things out. Bottling and storing bourbon will still happen in Clermont. Bourbon makers are also dealing with trade problems. The U. S. and other countries have been fighting over taxes on goods. This has made it harder to sell bourbon overseas. Canada even banned American spirits from some stores. The European Union thought about raising taxes on American whiskey but decided to pause for now. Making bourbon is a long process. It takes years before it's ready to drink. That makes it hard to plan ahead. The head of the Kentucky Distillers' Association said they need stable trade rules to help bourbon grow.