The trouble with the booze industry

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.What would a deal for Brown-Forman Corp. mean in Louisville? We chat about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.Louisville-based spirits giant Brown-Forman and Paris-based Pernod Ricard have confirmed they're in discussions about a potential merger. LBF Bourbon reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on this week's show to talk about the size of the company this would create and how it would stack up in the industry. Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) is Greater Louisville’s fifth-largest public company, with most recent annual revenue of $3.98 billion. It's key brands include Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard, which had net sales of €10 959 million in fiscal 2025 (roughly $12.6 billion) has more than 200 brands, including Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet just to name a few.We also talk about the philanthropic and sponsorship impact that Brown-Forman has around Louisville. And check in with how Wall Street is thinking about the news.After the bourbon discussion we talk about the closure of Louisville-based Goodwood Brewing and Spirits local taprooms. The company is undergoing an ownership transition while grappling with mounting financial problems, including multiple lawsuits alleging nonpayment of rent, services and taxes, as LBF's Michael L. Jones reports.Late in the show we also chat about a new speakeasy coming to Hotel Distil and the upcoming They're Off luncheon, which will feature University of Louisville alum and Detroit Lions backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.