General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJim Beam Shutting Down Bourbon Distillery in Kentucky
Jim Beam, one of the largest makers of American whiskey globally, is shutting down bourbon production at one of its Kentucky distilleries for a year.The move comes amid President Donald Trumps trade war with Canada, which has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales after the country ushered in a boycott of American booze, and as more young adults are cutting back on drinking.
Jim Beam, owned by Suntory Global Spirits, is one of Kentuckys biggest bourbon producers.
The Bluegrass states $9 billion whiskey bourbon industry has been struggling to manage its abundant supply of liquor against the drop in demand.
Industry group Distilled Spirits Council of the United States said that U.S. spirits exports plummeted 85 percent, falling below $10 million in the second quarter of 2025, which CEO Chris Swonger blamed on persistent trade tensions.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/foodanddrink/other/jim-beam-shutting-down-bourbon-production-at-kentucky-distillery/ar-AA1SKFYQ?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=6947d2912b4a400a9877774167417a66&ei=17
hatrack
(64,268 posts)Should I start with the oatmeal cookies or the spiced pecans? Decisions, decisions . . .
Roy Rolling
(7,422 posts)Dont bogart the raisins.
hatrack
(64,268 posts)GentryDixon
(3,128 posts)GoneOffShore
(17,980 posts)Then they're fat drunken dead flies.
Easterncedar
(5,535 posts)Roy Rolling
(7,422 posts)IronLionZion
(50,830 posts)bourbon can go well in spiced pecans
catchnrelease
(2,133 posts)are almost my favorite cookie...only surpassed by oatmeal choc chip, mmmmm!! (And raisins are gross in cookies imo)
mahatmakanejeeves
(68,264 posts)Reposted by Mike Masnick
https://bsky.app/profile/mmasnick.bsky.social
@brianpjcronin.bsky.social
Holy crap, Trump Take Jim Bean
Karl Bode
@karlbode.com
· 21h
so much winning
Major Kentucky bourbon maker Jim Beam shuttering distillery for 2026
The move comes as Kentuckys $9 billion bourbon industry is dealing with a glut of supply and slipping sales.
www.kentucky.com
8:46 AM · Dec 20, 2025
Holy crap, Trump Take Jim Bean
— Brian PJ Cronin (@brianpjcronin.bsky.social) 2025-12-20T13:46:00.128Z
@karlbode.com
so much winning
Major Kentucky bourbon maker Jim Beam shuttering distillery for 2026
The move comes as Kentuckys $9 billion bourbon industry is dealing with a glut of supply and slipping sales.
www.kentucky.com
8:41 AM · Dec 20, 2025
so much winning
— Karl Bode (@karlbode.com) 2025-12-20T13:41:50.773Z
Pototan
(2,998 posts)mgardener
(2,298 posts)They voted for him.
They got exactly what they voted for and apparently wanted.
Botany
(76,419 posts)Under Biden America had the #1 economy in the world and Canada bought lots of
Kentucky Bourbon under Trump and citizens from around the world are actively work-
Ing to boycott U.S. made products.
Trump. Harris
Popular vote 1,337,494 704,043
Percentage 64.47% 33.94%
progressoid
(52,599 posts)ShazzieB
(22,222 posts)Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election_in_Kentucky
It's about what I expected. Kentucky is blazingly red.

meadowlander
(5,097 posts)Lovie777
(21,782 posts)shithole continues with destroying what makes USA great. That crap about make America great is total gaslighting.
BeyondGeography
(40,817 posts)Makes for a great cocktail. Theres Four Roses too but JB is cheaper. After that its pretty much either 20 bucks for Jim Beam or 50 or 60 for some small-batch deal. So, I hope they survive with their price points intact.
Old Crank
(6,674 posts)And get a Huuuge subsidy check.....
3Hotdogs
(15,035 posts)airport terminal in Queens, New York, and get a $3 billion subsidy to carry 'em over the hump.
Oh --- and I hope the "memorial" part of all of this happens soon. My, soon to be favorite record, "Dancin' In The Streets."
TurboDem
(355 posts)twodogsbarking
(17,589 posts)It will make you, well, Presidential. Like an alcoholic.
Jack Valentino
(4,375 posts)SamKnause
(14,706 posts)Last edited Sun Dec 21, 2025, 03:50 PM - Edit history (1)
Trump, his administration, and his supporters are responsible for this major fuck-up.
Elbows up and thank you again Canada and Canadians.
tavernier
(14,273 posts)I had an amazing Manhattan at their on site restaurant. Lovely memory strolling the grounds. I imagine most of the residents of Kentucky voted for piggy, but still it makes me sad to see it close. BTW, a good deal of the employees, including our strikingly beautiful hostess, were people of color. So the business appeared to be non discriminatory.
Omnipresent
(7,308 posts)This just gave aunt clara the vapors, while the colonel is spinning in his grave!
tavernier
(14,273 posts)littlemissmartypants
(31,676 posts)tavernier
(14,273 posts)Daniels was taught the process by a black man named Nearest Greene and both families still work there together earning same wages. Its a great book called Love and Whiskey. But you can bet that this is uncommon.
littlemissmartypants
(31,676 posts)The same thing that the white men get for comparable work, is what youre saying?
tavernier
(14,273 posts)Its an interesting piece of history unlike any other in Tennessee. Read the book. They were all so poor that they knew no other way than treating each other like equals. The book was on sale at the fabulous art museum in Indianapolis, Indiana, and once I read it, I had to do as much research as possible about the subject matter. Its really interesting.
littlemissmartypants
(31,676 posts)Abolishinist
(2,888 posts)In the same article,
"Better news was found in the controlled pay gap, a comparison of pay for black and white men with the same experience and education doing the same job in the same geographic location. This approach showed that black men earned 98 cents for every dollar earned by white men with the same qualifications."
I agree there are wage disparities, but for this discussion being more job/location specific makes for a better comparison.
littlemissmartypants
(31,676 posts)Appears to be suggesting that it's the existence of brotherly love and history that excuses the racial pay disparity. Ask a group of black women what they think.
Pay disparity based on anything not covered by education and experience is inexcusable, imo. Period.
IronLionZion
(50,830 posts)so they're not completely red at the state/local level.
wolfie001
(7,100 posts)....he's badly damaged the US's reputation in Europe. All thanks to tRUMP, the fat orange imbecile.
John1956PA
(4,833 posts)My consumption of liquor and other alcohol beverages is light. I think the same goes for the younger generations.
Drinking alcohol is not in vogue anymore. The younger generations are moving on from it.
Dr. T
(513 posts)Nearly every scene in a home or office environment features a mini bar. Cocktails are made as soon as someone walks through the door. I get a laugh out of that.
catchnrelease
(2,133 posts)Husband and I have long time friends who we've gotten together with every Thanksgiving for years. That's about the only time we see them these days. Last year we happened to go to their house one afternoon to drop off something. Chatting and catching up we ended up there later in the day and the wife happened to mention that 'We have a cocktail every night at 6'. I was surprised as this seems like such an old fashioned or out dated thing to do. Maybe lots of people do it, I have no idea. We really only have wine at a holiday dinner so it's definitely not our thing. Your post made me think of our friends. (They don't have a mini bar anywhere in sight)
Jacson6
(1,770 posts)Disgusting even with a sweetened drink.
John1956PA
(4,833 posts)Scrivener7
(58,366 posts)durablend
(8,898 posts)Raven123
(7,559 posts)IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,281 posts)... totally ignored the bourbons. I don't drink, but once in a while a person needs a shot of good whisky to ... well you know. Nerves and things...
Paladin
(32,299 posts)My sympathy to those distillery workers who were wise enough to not vote for trump.
IronLionZion
(50,830 posts)I guess it's because of the supply glut.
Clermont is one of their 4 distilleries in Kentucky.
I like Jim Beam Black. Knob Creek and Basil Hayden are also good.
Joinfortmill
(20,097 posts)'non-woke' to finally wake the fuck up.
Aristus
(71,658 posts)Woodinville bourbon. Heavenly. The only bourbon I drink.
I wish this turn of events would get Kentuckians to regret voting for Herr Schitzenpantz. But it wont. Theyll just blame Joe Biden, as usual. Some people cant be taught.
C Moon
(13,474 posts)Wow, I didn't know they had a whiskey.
Visited them once, too.
ProudMNDemocrat
(20,630 posts)It remains my favorite Bourbon. My mother used it on my gums when I was teething as I did when my children were.
I recently bought a bottle to nurse over the next year. But I also see that Trump closed the door for exports to the world that hurts US sales. He doesn't understand when doors are closed, they're unlikely to reopen again.
Emile
(40,656 posts)destroyed their business in 11 months.
Disaffected
(6,166 posts)and see what happens.
Jacson6
(1,770 posts)Beartracks
(14,363 posts)It's not Canada's fault. If Trump's America is purportedly allowed to "defend" itself in matters of trade by levying tariffs on imported goods, then Canada is allowed to enact trade policies to defend itself as well. They're not obligated to "buy American."
====================
erronis
(22,677 posts)is unique to the brand/blend/etc. Colorants and flavors.
The rest is water (H2O) and ethanol (C5H2OH).
Amazing what people will pay for a label, fancy bottle, and some perfume.
mahina
(20,433 posts)But I am sorry for the horrible situation
IthinkThereforeIAM
(3,281 posts)... and at my latest check up, my PSA was 0.41. I best friend is going in for prostate surgery on Jan 13, his PSA was 12+, using RSO the past few months it has gone down to around 11.
kimbutgar
(26,823 posts)Unnecessary Tariffs The pretzel twisting will be interesting and probably soooooo stupid!
Bev54
(13,207 posts)a couple of provinces have kept the booze on the shelves but Canadians are not so inclined to buy it. Most provinces have a liquor control board which uses its purchasing power to buy alcohol and sell through government stores and other merchants, including restaurants. Two provinces have made the decision to sell off the American booze (and not re-order) and give the proceeds to charity, including food banks. Ontario, who holds the largest amount has not yet made a decision but said if they were to do that, it would not be during the holiday season as he did not want to hurt our domestic markets during their busy season. I hope he will make the same decision to give proceeds to charity.
patphil
(8,733 posts)They make a a variety of whiskys, wines and spirits.
https://www.suntoryglobalspirits.com/
Read their history on the Suntory site. They're a very wide ranging company, with many brands you've heard of, and probably drink if you're into Scotch, Canadian Whisky, several types of Bourbon, Gin, Vodka, or Japanese Whiskey.
I use to drink Yamazaki, an excellent Japanese single malt whiskey, but it's gone up in price over the past 5-6 years to the point where it's out of my reach.
It's too bad we have such an incredible shithead in the Oval Office. So far, his tariff debacle has cost our economy 10's of billions of dollars, and hundreds of thousands of jobs. And that's just the start of it. The longer it goes, the worse it will be for us. Since the tariff is essentially a tax, what's happening is that the middle and lower classes are actually paying a larger percent of the tax burden than they used to. A tariff is designed to shift the tax burden off the corporations and ultra rich, while pretending that it both protects and creates jobs in the United States.
But, in practice, it's costing jobs, while also costing us a whole lot of money.
Remember the "big beautiful bill" gave the rich a huge tax break.
The end result is that the rich get richer and we get poorer.
RandySF
(81,197 posts)QueerDuck
(1,033 posts)Gee. Elections have consequences. It's sad to see that innocent people must pay for the ignorance, hate, greed and bigotry of others. But for everyone else, I hope they suffer greatly.
Clouds Passing
(7,017 posts)underpants
(194,960 posts)When I drank bourbon my favorite was Beam and RC cola. I guess I had a bit of a sweet tooth for it.
underpants
(194,960 posts)Popular Kentucky bourbon maker Jim Beam plans to pause production at its main distillery on January 1, according to the James B. Beam Distilling Co.
The decision comes as Kentucky faces an increasing supply of aging barrels and uncertainty over President Donald Trumps trade wars.
Kentucky has an all-time high of 16.1 million aging barrels of bourbon in its warehouses, the Kentucky Distillers Association said in October. Distillers are paying for that supply, since the state charges taxes on aging barrels of spirits. Kentucky distillers paid $75 million in aging barrel taxes this year, up 27% from 2024, according to the trade group.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/21/business/jim-beam-tariffs-pause-production
Iggo
(49,662 posts)
so they could do some much needed plumbing and roofing repairs.
Nobody believed that, either.
bucolic_frolic
(54,064 posts)Older populations can't drink as much.
Plus, it's been roughly 45 years since the American diet took a carb spike. Those generations as they age are fighting or trying to prevent diabetes.
Any stats on liquor stores in the U.S.A.? State stores in states that have them, such as Pennsylvania?
czarjak
(13,442 posts)C Moon
(13,474 posts)trump's an idiot.
