Good Morning! We hope you had a nice holiday (if you celebrate) and are taking some time to slow down and reset if possible. Since the whole world seems to be taking a moment of quiet there isn’t too much to report this week. Here’s what’s been happening since our last installment and a brief look ahead into the new year.

Jim Beam Halts Production For 2026

Why Production at the Brand’s Main Site Will Cease for the New Year

The news is everywhere now; Jim Beam is shutting down their main distillation facility for the entirety of 2026. The decision comes as a result of multiple factors but there are two main reasons: people are drinking less, and tariffs are crushing the American whiskey industry. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) had previously reported record high inventory of barrels - over 16 million - and warned that this spelled disaster for distillers. The surplus of barrels is credited to a lack of movement in the global market due to retaliatory tariffs and boycotts of American whiskey. The barrels held aging in Kentucky are also essentially bleeding money for these distilleries since the state has a special tax on aging barrels.

The closure of their main distillery doesn’t change much for consumers. The company will be keeping their two other major distilleries open along with their visitor center. The more concerning impact of this closure is on the distillery’s workforce. There haven’t been any announcements about the company’s plan for the employees that work at the facility slated for closure but they are in talks with the workers’ union currently.

Looking Back at 2025 to Predict Next Year’s Viral Trends

With the cocktail landscape evolving constantly we have seen some interesting trends emerging over the past year. The Spirits Business’ Lauren Bowes recapped some of the trends that may take center stage in the coming year. Some things on her list weren’t surprising like the rise of the “high-class dive bar” or “mini cocktails” but others were really intriguing.

Bowes had two trends in her article that I wanted to highlight: all-day concepts and clay aging. All-day concepts feels very ‘signs of the times’ to me. As we all feel the weight of prices going up and wages staying stagnant innovative minds are trying to hold out long enough for some relief. Bars and restaurants that previously only served dinner and drinks are looking to extend their business hours in order to capture a wider range of guests. Bowes references how some businesses are pivoting towards a coffee café vibe that can more easily operate all day and cater to a more diverse range of guests.

Clay aging is the trend that woke my inner nerd. I know very little about clay aging personally but I see a deep dive on the subject in my future. From her article:

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As Studio Ryecroft’s Tom Hogan explains, Georgian wines, Peruvian pisco and baijiu are all traditionally aged in clay. He says: “Unlike oak, clay doesn’t add flavour; it shapes texture. Its porous structure allows micro-oxygenation, softening sharp edges and opening up aromatics without the heavy vanilla or tannin of wood.”

Lauren Bowes, The Spirits Business

She also mentions how some bar programs are playing with aging entire cocktails in clay the way we have seen things like Manhattan’s and Old Fashioned’s aged in barrels. I am interested to see who gets in on this trend and what creative things they will come up with.

Best Video We Saw This Week

@punch_drink

This is what it’s like to prep for service at one of the world’s best bars. At Overstory, bar director Harrison Ginsberg took us behind th... See more

This video was mesmerizing to me. I am always fascinated by the meticulous nature of prep for this caliber bar. Consistency when it comes to syrups and batching isn’t a new concept but the rigorous testing and measuring in this case really stood out. I keep bees so I am familiar with using a refractometer to test the moisture levels in the honey, but the table top version used in this video is now a goal of mine.

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