Jim Beam Is Shutting Down Production At Their Kentucky Distillery Through The End Of 2026

Not a good sign…

Over the past couple years we’ve heard time and time again about how Americans are drinking less alcohol.

According to a recent Gallup poll, the percentage of Americans who drink has fallen to a record-low of 54%, down from 67% in 2022 and 62% in 2023. Among young adults, only 50% reported drinking alcohol, and for the first time a majority of all those surveyed reported their belief that even moderate drinking is bad for your health.

Even among those who still drink, the survey found that they were drinking less: The average number of drinks consumed in a week was 2.8, another record low and down nearly 50% from the 5.1 drinks per week reported in 2003.

Of course the trend also comes at a time when marijuana use has also been steadily increasing, with a 2024 study finding that 22.3% of Americans reported having used cannabis within the past year, up from around 11% in 2002.

The result of all this, as well as the tough economic conditions facing Americans these past couple years and decreased international demand due to the ongoing tariffs, has been that the booze industry has taken quite a hit.

Earlier this year, numbers from the Treasury Department showed that whiskey distillers had produced 28% less product than the same period last year, the lowest total since 2018. Brown-Forman, the parent company of major liquor brands like Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve and Chambord, among others, also reported sales were down 5% in the latest quarter and 4% for the year.

And now we’re seeing companies forced to scale back in response to the decreased demand.

Jim Beam plans to pause production at their distillery in Clermont, Kentucky on January 1, and remain shuttered through the end of 2026. However, the visitors center will remain open and the company will still continue production at their Freddie Booker Noe craft distillery, as well as their Booker Noe distillery in Boston.

However, there won’t be any new Jim Beam produced in 2026, or other products that are produced at the main distillery in Clermont like Knob Creek, Baker’s, Booker’s and Basil Hayden’s.

Still, it doesn’t sound like that’s going to create a problem for anyone (like Hank Williams Jr.) who drinks Jim Beam. According to a statement from the company, it sounds like they’ve got plenty on hand to meet worldwide demand and plan to use the pause to make improvements to the distillery:

“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026. We’ve shared with our teams that while we will continue to distill at our (Freddie Booker Noe) 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.

Our visitor center at the James B. Beam campus remains open so visitors can have the full James B. Beam experience and join us for a meal at The Kitchen Table.”

Unfortunately it seems like it’s going to be a tough time for the bourbon and whiskey industry. But that also means this may be a good time for bourbon collectors to add to their liquor cabinet. I’ve already seen reports of people finding special allocated bourbons, like Pappy Van Winkle, on liquor store shelves for close to wholesale prices, so the struggles facing the bourbon industry may just mean that you could finally be able to find that special bottle you’ve been looking for.The post Jim Beam Is Shutting Down Production At Their Kentucky Distillery Through The End Of 2026 first appeared on Whiskey Riff.