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Jim Beam pausing main Kentucky distillery for 2026

Jim Beam bottles are displayed at Rossi's Deli in San Francisco, July 9, 2018. (Jeff Chiu/AP)
Jeff Chiu/AP
Jim Beam bottles are displayed at Rossi's Deli in San Francisco, July 9, 2018. (Jeff Chiu/AP)

The Kentucky bourbon brand Jim Beam will pause operations at its main distillery in January 2026, with no clarity on whether it will be a long or short term move.

In a statement The company said in a statement it would close its distillery in Clermont until it took the “opportunity to invest in site enhancements.” Industry experts are pointing to the White House tariff wars as a cause.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong turns to Susan Reigler, a bourbon historian and contributing writer for American Whiskey Magazine.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2025 WBUR

Here & Now Newsroom