The Shortage That Could Ruin the Bourbon Industry
On this episode of Odd Lots, we discuss how its supply chain may be threatened by a lack of wood used in making the barrels.
Some supply chain crises are acute, like bottlenecks at ports or a shortage of semiconductors. These can get fixed, to some extent, with concerted policy choices. But other prroblems are slower moving and don’t have an easy fix. Like what’s happening to bourbon.
In the coming years, the bourbon supply chain could be under threat due to a shortage of the type of wood used in making barrels used for aging it. On this episode of Odd Lots, hosts Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway speak with Penn State forestry Professor Calvin Norman about a looming shortage of critical white oak. He explains why the industry is potentially facing a shortage of this wood, why nothing can be used to replace it, and what it would take to ensure that this critical tree remains abundant.