Trade war with Canada has contributed to a significant decline in U.S. liquor sales
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 Donald Trump’s 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 Kentucky’s biggest bourbon producers.
The Bluegrass state’s $9 billion whiskey bourbon industry has been struggling to manage its abundant supply of liquor against the drop in demand.
I used to like Beam. But japanese whiskeys are better and cheaper here in Asia anyway.
Beam is a japanese whiskey, no?
It was bought by a Japanese company in 2014 but it’s usually considered a very American whiskey.
That’s the joke.
There is no joke. It’s a very American heritage product made in a very American style. Just because a Japanese company recognized bourbon was growing in Japan and Jim Beam was profitable doesn’t matter in the context of the comment they replied to comparing American and Japanese whiskeys. Different styles, different products
It’s okay, you don’t need to beat the poor lame joke to death just because YOU didn’t get it. It’s okay to just let it go.
I hardly ever drink anymore, but enjoyed the rare tumbler of Bourbon. After the trade-war shit I switched to Irish. One bottle of really good stuff will last me at least a year. Working my way through a Tullamore dew single malt of all things now (Tullamore Dew 13 Year Old Rouge Edition for those googling)
All I can taste in any liquor is the alcohol
For real? Can’t taste the difference between vodka and whisky?
On one hand, fuck the government of Kentucky and the people who voted for this. On the other my heartfelt sympathy for people who fought against this bullshit and are suffering.
Jim Beam me outta here!
Ain’t that a damn shame. The Blue Grass is covered in orange shit. Zero sympathy for the neo-Nazi Kentucky voters and the Japanese at Suntory should consider dumping Jim Beam from the portfolio.
Winning?
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Would it be that hard to show numbers on how much us consumption is down, and how much exports are down for this company?
News be trash.
Yeah, they’re kinda getting a double whammy, and I’m interested in seeing the breakdown. People are definitely drinking much less these days, gen z are not big drinkers in comparison with how millennials were. And I also have no doubt the economy is playing its role as well.
I feel you, i just never had any idea that this mediocre booze was a big export. You can make alcohol anywhere in the world.I’d be amazed if the old world hadn’t already set up a whole market for that stuff
Bourbon is a regionally protected name, like Champagne or Stilton cheese. There are plenty of distilleries making “bourbon-style whiskey”, but they can’t just call it Bourbon.
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I’m not a huge fan of their product either, but it’s perfectly serviceable, affordable Bourbon. For someone who likes the occasional drink but has limited income, it beats the hell out of similarly-priced products.
Jim Beam is excellent for the price. It’s priced like a plastic bottle liquor, but its a proper bourbon. Not the best, but it’s $12 a bottle.
If you’re not an alcoholic, putting a bit more for the buck is clearly worth it.
I actually like it better than the stuff one level above it like 4 roses or bullet. Buffalo Trace or Woodford are superior, I agree. But if want to spend money I’d rather go for a Islay Scotch.
I’m more of a jameson caskmate edition stout when it comes to staying in the low price range.
Danm, what a pain it will be to bring up that still in a year. Also have to take down and clean all their vats. Remind me not to buy any jim beam made in 2027.
At least maintenance will get free reign for once.
With any luck they will sell and rebrand, beam is a dead brand.
With any luck they will sell and rebrand, beam is a dead brand.
Cmon. Suntory Beam owns a shitload of brands of American Whiskey:
- Baker’s
- Basil Hayden’s
- Beam’s Eight Star
- Booker’s
- Jim Beam
- Kessler
- Knob Creek
- Legent
- Little Book
- Maker’s Mark
- Old Crow
- Old Grand-Dad
- Old Overholt
And them shutting down one of their four distilleries is not going to affect the quality. It’s a highly industrialized operation, and they’re already good at making the process invisible to the consumer, which bottle comes from which still.
Continous processes like a still of that size dont do well on long shutdowns. They could have good procedures in place but last time I visited its just a bunch of country boys doing what they know best.
I didnt know makers or knob creek was their label and youre right they are good. Except dont make me laugh with throwing in old crow. I mean if you want some bourbon flavor vodka, sure.
On most the stuff your probably right. I dont drink much bourbon anyway but shutdowns are always a nightmare.
I’m just saying that these huge conglomerates aren’t going to let something like a reduced production change the end product. They’re a holding company for a bunch of different brands, including Canadian, Irish, Scottish, and Japanese brands, and they will run whatever stills they need at whatever percent of capacity they need to meet their projected demand. Their other three American distilleries will still be churning out product, and if they do resume production you wouldn’t be able to know which bottle comes from which distillery.
beam is a dead brand
Kind of a shame. Out of the big bourbon names, Jack, Jim, Evan, I think Beam has the best taste. Not like there isn’t much better bourbon out there, but it’s more expensive.
Give me tequila over that stuff any day though.
Jack doesn’t get the bourbon label.
No mention of the annexation threats and “51st state” rhetoric coming from the Trump administration, which I suspect is a bigger driver of the boycott than economic disputes.
They never mention the real reason. They talk about tariffs but never that he literally threatened to annex us economically multiple times.
The two are very much related. We’re just in a special category with Denmark and perhaps Venezuela. But I recall him specifically saying we wouldn’t be able to survive the tariffs he was imposing. I will continue to do what I can to keep my money from going to America.
we need socialism
Jesus. So not only is trump directly hurting the American economy, he’s destroying actual American culture. I would say this event just makes trump’s literal destruction of the Whitehouse even more of an apt analogy of his relationship with America as a whole, but anything more than 100% is just excessive.
H-D was dying before Trump. They stopped development and prioritized stock buy backs and hired a shoe salesman to run the company as a premium brand.
What was that about bringing back American manufacturing jobs again? They keep saying the wealth will trickle down, yet I don’t think the wealth was supposed to be in this liquid form we’ve been getting…
Oh good, so in addition to what I mentioned it has direct economic impact overseas as well. Neat. Fun. We’re having so much fun with all the bigly winning and other buzzwords for seven year olds.
Bourbon-glazed face is the chef’s kiss
NOOOOO!!!
You voted for this!
Bon Appetit leopards 🐆
