Gov. Beshear Proclaims September as Bourbon Heritage Month in Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. – In recognizing the Commonwealth’s centuries-old distilling trade, its direct ties to agriculture and its monumental financial and tourism influence, Gov. Andy Beshear has proclaimed September as Bourbon Heritage Month in Kentucky.
The Governor on Tuesday offered the formal proclamation to Kentucky Distillers’ Affiliation President Eric Gregory through the Kentucky Bourbon Corridor of Fame® induction ceremony in Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the WorldⓇ.
The proclamation, out there right here, highlights the state’s $9 billion Bourbon and distilling trade, the way it drives tourism throughout the Commonwealth and sustains greater than 22,500 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1.23 billion.
And, it cites Kentucky Bourbon as a chief a part of Kentucky’s agricultural, agritech and agritourism industries, with distillers buying greater than 13.5 million bushels of corn and different grains yearly from native farm households – a quantity that continues to develop.
Gregory welcomed the proclamation and lauded the trade’s progress and influence.
“With continued rising curiosity and world demand in our historic and homegrown distilling trade, Kentucky Bourbon gives extra important jobs and income streams for our Commonwealth and native communities than ever earlier than,” he mentioned.
“We’re proud and honored to hold ahead the wealthy distilling traditions which were a defining agricultural and industrial endeavor since earlier than Kentucky was a state, whereas including numerous tourism {dollars} to native coffers via our Kentucky Bourbon Path® experiences.”
The distilling trade is presently in the midst of a $5.2 billion, 10-year constructing growth with $3.3 billion of introduced funding coming throughout the subsequent 4 years, together with greater than $100 million in tourism capital investments.
Bourbon manufacturing has skyrocketed greater than 435% for the reason that flip of the century. Kentucky now boasts greater than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon growing old in warehouses throughout the Bluegrass, probably the most in its revered distilling historical past.
Distillers crammed greater than 2.4 million barrels in 2020 alone, the third yr in a row that manufacturing topped the 2 million mark.
Vacationers made greater than 1.5 million stops at Kentucky Bourbon Path® and Kentucky Bourbon Path Craft Tour® distilleries in 2021, a milestone that continues to develop and rebound from COVID and subsequent closures in 2020.
Nonetheless, the trade faces a lot of challenges – each at dwelling and across the nation.
Because the variety of distilleries in different U.S. states continues to develop – now greater than 2,200 throughout 49 states – Kentucky is vulnerable to dropping its historic trade dominance. This yr alone, Kentucky fell from eleventh to twelfth within the variety of licensed distilleries.
Virtually all the states forward of Kentucky have a considerably decrease tax burden on spirits. In Kentucky, about 60% of each bottle of spirits goes in the direction of taxes and charges. Kentucky additionally is just one of two states with a wholesale tax along with excise and gross sales taxes.
Bourbon is the best taxed trade in Kentucky, paying $285 million in native and state taxes yearly, in addition to $1.8 billion in federal alcohol taxes – extra federal taxes than some other state within the nation.
The Bluegrass State continues to be the one place on this planet that unfairly taxes growing old barrels of spirits. This discriminatory tax – the topic of a present legislative process drive – punishes progress and pushes startup distilleries to competitor states.
“Different states have made it blatantly clear – they need what Kentucky has in distillery jobs, tourism and funding,” Gregory mentioned. “If Kentucky goes to keep up its distilling dominance, policymakers should reform these extreme alcohol taxes to take away limitations to entry and incentivize extra progress.”
In delivering the proclamation to the KDA at this week’s Kentucky Bourbon Corridor of Fame occasion, Gov. Beshear additionally thanked the affiliation and the Bourbon neighborhood for stepping up in occasions of want.
The KDA and its companions raised practically $5 million in separate “Kentucky Bourbon Profit” auctions of uncommon bottles and personal barrel alternatives for aid efforts after the catastrophic Western Kentucky tornadoes and Jap Kentucky floods.
Each auctions had been the most important single donations to the Staff Kentucky aid funds, the Governor mentioned.
“As a signature trade, it’s each incumbent and vital that we give again to our fellow Kentuckians in occasions of nice tragedy and wish,” Gregory mentioned. “We’re grateful for the Governor’s ongoing help for Bourbon, the backing of the state and its communities, and the fervent curiosity from fanatics and vacationers world wide.”
Based in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Affiliation is a 501(c)(6) non-profit commerce affiliation that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits trade. Its various and rising membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, world manufacturers to rising micro distilleries which can be fostering the subsequent era of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured financial engine. The KDA maintains an open membership coverage, champions a powerful dedication to the accountable and average consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage consuming and drunk driving.
KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®,, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®,, ORDER OF THE WRIT®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE®are logos/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Affiliation.
Please take pleasure in Bourbon like a real Kentuckian – Responsibly.
