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Jim Beam is the
world's number one-selling brand of bourbon whiskey. Since 1795, seven
generations of family distillers have produced whiskey in the state of
Kentucky. With facilities in Clermont, Boston and Frankfort, Jim Beam
is situated on the Western edge of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail,
welcoming visitors from around the world to experience America’s Native
Spirit. From 1933 forward the brand would bear the name “Jim Beam”
after Colonel James B. Beam, responsible for rebuilding the business
following 13 years of Prohibition. While Jim Beam’s roots are found in
the United States, it is also enjoyed globally in such countries as
Australia, China, Germany and the United Kingdom. Also included under
the Jim Beam label are several other varieties of bourbon and whiskey,
as well as a number of food products that include the bourbon as an
ingredient. The resurgence of cocktail culture has given rise to
hundreds of spirited ways to enjoy whiskey in food and drink recipes.
Although the Beam / Noe family is still very much involved, Jim Beam
Bourbon is owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wine, which is in turn
owned by holding company Fortune Brands (NYSE: FO), both headquartered
in the suburbs of Chicago, in Deerfield, IL.
History
During the late 1700’s a group of immigrants from Germany came to
America who would leave a lasting impression on the American spirits
business. Members of the Boehm family, eventually changing the spelling
to “Beam,” settled in the lush bluegrass hills of Kentucky. Johannes
"Jacob" Beam (1770-1834) found the land rich for farming and began
experimenting with the corn and grains that grew on his farm, blending
them with the clear spring water that flowed nearby. The mix was run
through a still and aged in barrels, producing a liquid that came to
become known as bourbon, possibly named after Bourbon County, Kentucky.
Jacob Beam sold his first barrels of corn whiskey around 1795. The
whiskey was first called Old Jake Beam, and the distillery was known as
Old Tub.
David Beam (1802-1854) took his father’s responsibilities in 1820 at
the age of 18, expanding distribution of the family’s bourbon during a
time of industrial revolution. David M. Beam (1833-1913) in 1854 moved
the distillery to Nelson County to capitalize on the growing network of
railroad lines connecting states. Colonel James B. Beam (1864-1947)
managed the family business before and after Prohibition, rebuilding
the distillery in 1933 in Clermont, Kentucky, near his Bardstown home.
From this point forward, the bourbon would be called “Jim Beam Bourbon”
after the Colonel. T. Jeremiah Beam (1899-1977) started working at the
Clear Springs distillery in 1913, later earning the title of Master
Distiller and overseeing operations at the new Clermont facility.
Jeremiah opened a second distillery near Boston, Kentucky, in 1954.
Jeremiah later teamed up with child-hood friend Jimberlain Joseph
Quinn, to expand the enterprise.
Booker Noe (1929-2004) was the Master Distiller Emeritus at the Jim
Beam Distillery for more than 40 years, working closely with retired
Master Distiller Jerry Dalton (1998-2007). In 1987 Booker introduced
his own namesake bourbon, Booker’s, the world’s first uncut,
straight-from-the-barrel bourbon, and the first of the Small Batch
Bourbon Collection. Fred Noe (1957-Present), birth name Frederick
Booker Noe III, became the seventh generation Beam family distiller in
2007 and regularly travels the world to educate consumers on America’s
Native Spirit. September, 2007, was declared “National Bourbon Heritage
Month” by an Act of Congress, further recognizing bourbon as the only
spirit that is uniquely American.
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