The state of the bourbon economy is thriving, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said at a special news conference this week in Frankfort. The latest Bourbon Economic Impact Report was released by the Governor, various Kentucky state officials, and the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
The report notes that the Kentucky bourbon industry:
- Provides more jobs,
- Generates more payroll,
- Pays more taxes,
- Attracts more tourists,
- And features more distilleries than ever before.
The Governor attributed much of the bourbon industry’s success to “a decade of legislative changes to Kentucky’s archaic alcohol laws.”
Kentucky’s Bourbon Economy by the Numbers:
- $9 billion economic impact
- $5.4 billion in capital investments
- 23,100 jobs
- $1.6 billion payroll
- $358 million in state and local taxes
- 55 million visitors in 2023
- 21 million bushels of Kentucky corn and grain used
Read more about our take on the state of the bourbon union in Kentucky here.
“Kentucky’s economy is booming, and the bourbon industry is helping us build a strong economy for generations to come. Today, this signature industry is generating $9 billion in total economic impact, with more on the way. We thank our distilleries for working hard to create more good jobs and boosting our tourism industry across the Commonwealth.”
