The maker of the popular Kentucky bourbon brand Jim Beam will pause operations at its main distillery for an indefinite period beginning in January, company officials told The Courier Journal Dec. 21.
The distillery on the James B. Beam campus in Clermont, about 25 miles south of Louisville, will remain closed while officials with Beam Suntory “take the opportunity to invest in site enhancements,” an official statement read.
“We are always assessing production levels to best meet consumer demand and recently met with our team to discuss our volumes for 2026,” company officials said in a statement provided to The Courier Journal.
The company’s Fred B. Noe craft distillery, also located in Clermont, will remain open in 2026. Operations will also continue at the Booker Noe distillery in Boston, Kentucky, about 15 miles from Clermont.
Company officials said the Clermont campus’ visitors center and a restaurant, The Kitchen Table, will be open throughout 2026.
Officials did not announce any layoffs as a result of the distillery closure. Beam Suntory employs about 1,000 workers in Kentucky.
Reach reporter Leo Bertucci at lbertucci@gannett.com or @leober2chee on X, formerly known as Twitter
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Jim Beam to pause production at main Kentucky distillery in 2026
Reporting by Krista Johnson and Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal / Cincinnati Enquirer
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