To be fair, having fish soaked in Jim Beam sounds heavenly. In fact, it definitely feels like it belongs somewhere in a menu at a Kentucky restaurant.
However, instead of it being a neat Southern staple, these Jim Beam-soaked fish isn’t actually supposed to be eaten. It’s actually a part of a current crisis in the Kentucky River.
Why You Shouldn’t Eat Jim Beam-Soaked Fish
In early Summer, an accident happened at two Kentucky Jim Beam warehouses after lightning apparently struck one of the facilities. At least 45,000 barrels of whiskey were destroyed in the fires.
Fortunately, Beam Suntory (Jim Beam’s parent company) has reported that no employees were injured or killed in the fire and that the unfortunate accident won’t have an impact on the availability of their products.
The water used to put the fire has leaked and contaminated the Kentucky River. It is now creating problems for local wildlife.
Despite all the efforts of firefighters, thousands of fish are potentially turning up dead in the Kentucky River.
The Jim Bean-contaminated water is expected to soon flow into the Ohio River as well, though the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet expects the alcohol to have less of an impact since it is a larger body of water.
The Cabinet has since updated on the status of the Kentucky River.
“Here is Wednesday’s update on the Jim Beam fire and fishkill:
With the emergency phase of the project over, the Cabinet’s focus is on overseeing the remediation of the Jim Beam property. The alcohol plume is fully in the Ohio River, where it is dissipating as it moves along. We are seeing no new reports of fishkills. However, remnant fish killed in the Kentucky River are being spotted.”
According to WDSU News, the river cleanup process is expected to take weeks.
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