this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2025
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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.

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[–] redlemace@lemmy.world 179 points 5 days ago (6 children)

Canada and the U.S. have since agreed to launch formal discussions to review their trade agreement

I don't think that's gonna make a difference anymore. Reverting the 2025 decisions will not revert things. The sentiment has changed among the common people.

[–] LordMayor@piefed.social 97 points 5 days ago (3 children)

It’s abuser logic. “If I stop hitting you, we’re cool. There’s no problem, anymore. That is until I decide to hit you again.”

That doesn’t work on everyone and eventually someone will hit back harder or gang up and take them down. Unfortunately, people let them get away with it for too long.

[–] TheJesusaurus@sh.itjust.works 55 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Trying that shit on Canada of all people was the dumbest shit imaginable. 

Ah, you've met the average MAGAt I see.

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[–] cogman@lemmy.world 35 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Yup. It's something that won't be fixed for decades. Trump has seriously damaged the ability for the US to do international trade.

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[–] ininewcrow@lemmy.ca 20 points 5 days ago (1 children)

... also the price of things.

Corporations especially grocers just got a big chance to raise prices .... even if the tariffs go away, none of them will bring the prices down again. They'll just pocket the difference and let everyone pay the new high prices which will stay in place.

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[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 118 points 5 days ago (8 children)

The funniest thing is that 'all American' Jim Beam is owned by Suntory, a Japanese company.

[–] ronigami@lemmy.world 64 points 5 days ago (4 children)

Even 7Eleven and Firestone are Japanese companies. Americans can’t run shit.

[–] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 64 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Way back in 1981, Ronald Reagan looked upon post-Vietnam America and saw too options. One was to tax the rich heavily, institute massive government controls on energy production, and push a renewal of America's aging heavy industries. The other was to cut taxes for the upper classes and encourage wild speculation.

[–] krashmo@lemmy.world 31 points 5 days ago (2 children)

You say that like Reagan had some grand economic plan. He was an idiotic actor very similar to Trump. It's true that tons of terrible policies can be traced back to his presidency but he wasn't the mastermind of much of it in the same way that Trump doesn't have a coherent plan now. They are both good examples of dumb, self serving outsiders being given too much power and listening to the wrong people.

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[–] 13igTyme@piefed.social 30 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (8 children)

I occasionally travel with two people for work that love bourbon, but hate Jim Bean and call it garbage. Knowing now that it is owned by a Japanese company combined with their current understanding of blaming Biden for the current economy, really puts it together as to why they hate Jim Bean.

These are also the same people that ask me how it's like living two hours from the war torn and destroyed area known as Portland.

[–] zalgotext@sh.itjust.works 30 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Eh, Jim Beam is generally considered cheaper, kinda bottom-shelf stuff these days. Fine for a bourbon and coke, but not really intended to be sipped neat. I wouldn't really be surprised by a bourbon-lover turning their nose up at it, regardless of who owns the brand.

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[–] darkdemize@sh.itjust.works 25 points 5 days ago

It could just be they don't like drinking shitty bourbon. Jim Beam is... not great.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 21 points 5 days ago (2 children)

Jim beam was in the “cheap rotgut” category for ages. They only fairly recently started trying to make decent stuff again, regardless of ownership.

As to your colleagues… people can dislike mediocre whiskey and still be assholes.

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[–] bigfondue@lemmy.world 26 points 5 days ago (7 children)

Japan has a greater appreciation for American things like jazz and bourbon than Americans do

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[–] CircaV@lemmy.ca 40 points 4 days ago (12 children)

We don’t miss Yankee pisswater.

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[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 60 points 5 days ago (4 children)

Cue the "I didn't vote for this" gomers...

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 51 points 5 days ago (1 children)

"But I'd vote for him again"

[–] IphtashuFitz@lemmy.world 15 points 5 days ago

Well they’ll gladly vote for whoever has the “R” next to their name, no matter what. That is if there ever are elections again.

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[–] Nomorereddit@lemmy.today 21 points 4 days ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Dozzi92@lemmy.world 7 points 4 days ago (1 children)

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.

[–] Nomorereddit@lemmy.today 8 points 4 days ago (1 children)

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

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[–] kmartburrito@lemmy.world 27 points 5 days ago (1 children)
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[–] comador@lemmy.world 46 points 5 days ago (1 children)
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[–] Fedizen@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

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.

[–] WanderWisley@lemmy.world 34 points 5 days ago (2 children)
[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 36 points 5 days ago (5 children)

Only a year? Let's make it permanent Canada. Elbows up.

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[–] vividspecter@aussie.zone 31 points 5 days ago (2 children)

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.

[–] Typhoon@lemmy.ca 17 points 5 days ago

They never mention the real reason. They talk about tariffs but never that he literally threatened to annex us economically multiple times.

[–] GreyEyedGhost@piefed.ca 11 points 5 days ago

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.

[–] whitecollarcry@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago (2 children)

better without more of that piss in rotation

[–] chiliedogg@lemmy.world 11 points 4 days ago

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.

[–] curiousaur@reddthat.com 8 points 4 days ago (3 children)

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.

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[–] Bebopalouie@lemmy.ca 20 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (4 children)

Very happy that Canadians had a hand in helping this happen.

Edit removed to

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[–] TheProtagonist@lemmy.world 13 points 4 days ago

This seems to part of "making America great" (again).

[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 19 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

I guess Kentucky is getting everything they voted for. I’m happy for them.

[–] zeppo@lemmy.world 17 points 5 days ago (2 children)

I love whiskey, but fuck Kentucky. It would take a lot for the morons there to figure out Trump and republicans in general are not helping them. They did elect a Democrat governor at least, so that’s a good sign.

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[–] myfunnyaccountname@lemmy.zip 6 points 4 days ago
[–] lemmylump@lemmy.world 18 points 5 days ago

You voted for this!

Bon Appetit leopards 🐆

[–] lennybird@lemmy.world 16 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (3 children)

Anecdotal report from my area, but a retail worker I spoke with who works 2 jobs at a dollar gen and Walmart said this is the slowest holiday year they've seen since the pandemic.

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[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago

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.

[–] halcyoncmdr@lemmy.world 16 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) (9 children)

Canadians, why were you drinking so much Jim Beam? Didn't you have a minimum quality level you'd accept? There were better Canadian options available in the US, why would you settle for that swill?

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[–] Tikiporch@lemmy.world 14 points 5 days ago (9 children)

"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.”

They're going to keep making the craft bourbon, and I suspect they could coast for a decade on the barrels they have in rack houses. Bourbon doesn't really go bad.

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[–] DJKJuicy@sh.itjust.works 12 points 5 days ago (13 children)

So I know that Jim Beam is an entry level bourbon, and I know the story here is more about the tariffs and the relationship between the US and the rest of the world...

But genuine question: will 2027 Jim Beam be super good because it's aged an extra year?

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