Jim Beam Releases Statement on Warehouse Fires That Destroyed 45,000 Barrels

Jim Beam brands. Photo courtesy Justins' House of Bourbon.
Jim Beam brands. Photo courtesy Justins' House of Bourbon.

Late last night, a fire at two Jim Beam warehouses in Woodford County, Kentucky was sparked, destroying 45,000 barrels of bourbon aging inside. This morning, Jim Beam released a statement on the fire, thanking first responders on the scene and assuring consumers that the accident wouldn’t affect the availability of Beam bottles they love.

The statement, given by Beam spokesperson Dan Cohen, is re-printed below in its entirety.

“We are thankful that no one was injured in this incident, and we are grateful to the courageous firefighters from multiple jurisdictions who brought the fire under control and prevented it from spreading. Initial reports suggest that the fire resulted from a lightning strike, and we will work with local authorities to confirm the cause and to remediate the impacts.

We have a comprehensive warehouse safety program that includes regular inspections and rigorous protocols to promote safety and the security of our aging inventory. We operate 126 barrel warehouses in Kentucky that hold approximately 3.3 million barrels for our brands, and the warehouse that was destroyed contained 45,000 barrels of relatively young whiskey from the Jim Beam mash bill. Given the age of the lost whiskey, this fire will not impact the availability of Jim Beam for consumers.

We appreciate the support of our neighbors and the Kentucky Bourbon community as we manage through this incident.”

Jim Beam produces popular brands like Knob Creek, Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s in addition to their namesake Jim Beam bottlings. McCracken Pike in Woodford County remains closed while crews are at the scene.

Caroline Paulus
Caroline Paulus is the Senior Editor for The Bourbon Review. She lives and writes in Lexington, Kentucky. Follow her on Instagram @misswhiskeyhistorian to keep up with her latest in bourbon news - and a few old finds, too.