Damn this news.
So, according to a recent Gallup poll, Americans who drink has fallen to a record-low of the only 54%. Which is down from 67% in 2022 and 62% in 2023. Sit down, because it’s getting worse here. Apparently young adults, are reportingly only 50% reported to drinking alcohol. Then there’s a majority of all those surveyed reporting that their belief is that even moderate drinking is bad for your health. It looks like young people are trying to be healthy. Which is a first.
The survey found that the ones who are still drinking were actually drinking less too. The average number of drinks consumed in a week was only 2.8, which is another record low. I mean that’s down nearly 50% from the 5.1 drinks per week reported back in 2003.
Of course the trend is coming at a time when marijuana use has also been in the rise. A 2024 study found that 22.3% of Americans reported having used cannabis within the past year…and that percentage is up from around 11% in 2002.
Now Jim Beam announced that it will be pausing production at their distillery in Clermont, Kentucky on January 1, and it will remain closed through the end of 2026. On the plus side, the visitors center will remain open and the company will continue production at their Freddie Booker Noe craft distillery, as well as their Booker Noe distillery in Boston.
Sadly, 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.
According to a statement from the company, it sounds like they’ve got plenty of Beam to make through a pause for a year and still meet worldwide demand. They’re also planning to use the time 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.”
Guess I’ll be stocking up on Jim Beam. Just in case.