Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail has become something of a pilgrimage for whiskey connoisseurs across the country and world. Now, thanks to HB 400 which just passed the Senate and is awaiting Governor Bevin’s signature, it’ll be possible to ship bourbon home from a trip to your favorite distillery. This is great for consumers, and for Kentucky’s booming network of distilleries.
That’s not all, the bill will also allow liquor stores to ship limited quantities of alcohol out of state to people over 21 years of age, as well as allow monthly subscription services. This would allow Kentucky to capitalize on the new subscription box trend, and give distilleries the ability to offer ‘Bourbon of the Month’ clubs and the like.
The Kentucky Bourbon industry is widely known, but it is still being stifled by export difficulties that this bill helps to ameliorate. This will make Kentucky bourbon more competitive with other spirits, and spur the growth of this iconic industry. The industry employs nearly 18,000 Kentuckians and already adds $8.5 billion per year to the state’s economy. This bill, which would eliminate unnecessary government barriers, will encourage further growth and job creation.
Ultimately, this is a common sense, free trade move that is good for consumers and producers alike. So let’s raise a glass, and sip on some good old fashioned regulatory reform.