Jim Beam to Pause Kentucky Distillery Operations in 2026

Jim Beam, a leading bourbon producer owned by Suntory Global Spirits, announced plans to pause distillation operations at its main facility in Clermont, Kentucky, starting January 1, 2026, for at least one year. The decision, aimed at allowing investments in site enhancements, comes amid broader challenges facing the whiskey industry, including declining domestic demand and trade tensions affecting exports.

The Clermont distillery, part of the James B. Beam campus in Bullitt County, will halt production to align output with current market conditions. Bottling and warehousing operations at the site will continue uninterrupted, as will the James B. Beam Distilling Co. visitors center and The Kitchen Table restaurant, which attract over 100,000 visitors annually. Distillation will persist at two other locations: the smaller Fred B. Noe craft distillery in Clermont and the larger Booker Noe distillery in Boston, Kentucky, in Nelson County. Suntory Global Spirits employs nearly 1,500 people across its Kentucky operations, and the company has not announced any layoffs. However, it is in ongoing discussions with the United Food and Commercial Workers union representing the workforce...