Jim Beam

Jim Beam, is the world's top selling brand of bourbon whiskey. 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. Beam is made in Clermont, Kentucky and traces its origins back to the distillery set up in 1795 by family patriarch Jacob Beam. 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. The brand is named for James B. Beam (1864-1947), who ran his family's whiskey distillery from 1892 until 1944.

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.

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®. Frederick Booker Noe III (1957-Present) 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.

Distillers

There have been seven generations of distillers from the Beam family. Retired Master Distiller Jerry Dalton (1998-2007) was the first non-Beam to be Master Distiller at the company.

Types of bourbon

Several types of Jim Beam, also commonly known as Beam, are available:

• Jim Beam White label (Aged 4 years, 80 proof) Sold in Australia as 37.5% alcohol (75 proof)
• Jim Beam White label (Aged 7 years, 80 proof, "Premium Aged 7 Years Old" across top of label, allegedly unavailable outside of Kentucky, but can be found in many states)
• Jim Beam Green label (Aged 5 years, 80 proof, "Jim Beam's Choice" charcoal filtered)
• Jim Beam Black label (Aged 8 years, 86 proof)
• Jim Beam Yellow label (Rye whiskey, aged 4 years, 80 proof)

Jim Beam also produces four premium small-batch bourbons: Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Baker's, and Booker's, named for Booker Noe.

On February 14, 2005 Jim Beam put its 10 millionth barrel into the rack for aging.

The Jim Beam distillery is part of the American Whiskey Trail.

Process

In order to be called America’s Native Spirit, a designation given to bourbon in 1964, distillers must follow government standards for production. By law, bourbon must be: produced in the United States; made of a grain mix of at least 51%, but not more than 79% corn; distilled at less than 160 proof (80% ABV); free of any additives (except water to reduce proof where necessary); aged in new, charred white oak barrels; and aged for a minimum of 2 years (to be called a “straight bourbon”).

Jim Beam starts with sweet water filtered naturally by the limestone shelf found in Central Kentucky. A special strain of jug yeast used since the end of Prohibition is added to a tank with the grains to create what’s called a “dona yeast,” used later in the fermentation process. Hammer mills grind the mix of corn, rye and barley malt to break it down for easier cooking. The mix is then moved into a large mash cooker where water and set back are added. “Set back” represents a portion of the old mash from the last distillation – a cornerstone of the sour mash process, ensuring consistency from batch to batch.

From the cooker, the mash heads to the fermenter where it is cooled to 60–70°F and yeast is again added. The yeast is fed by the sugars in the mash, producing heat, carbon dioxide and most importantly, alcohol. Called “distiller’s beer,” the mix looks, smells and tastes like a rich, light beer. The beer travels into a column still where it is heated to over 200°F, causing the alcohol to turn to a vapor. As the vapor cools and falls it turns to a liquid called “low wine” which measures 125 proof or 62.5% alcohol. A second distillation in a pot still heats and condenses the liquid into “high wine” which reaches 135 proof (67.5% alcohol).

The high wine is moved to brand new, charred American oak barrels, each of which hold about 53 gallons of liquid. A “bung” is used to seal the barrels before moving them to nearby hilltop rackhouses where they will age up to nine years. As the seasons change, Kentucky’s climate expands and contracts the barrel wood, allowing bourbon to seep into the barrel. And the caramelized sugars from the gator-charred oak flavor and color the bourbon. A fair portion of the 53 gallons of bourbon escapes the barrel through evaporation, or stays trapped in the wood of the barrel. This is known by distillers as “the Angel's Share.” Jim Beam ages for at least four years, or twice as long at the government requires. At the end of the aging period the amber liquid is bottled, packaged and sent to one of its many outlets around the world in compliance with the three-tier distribution system.

Food and Licensed Merchandise

On July 26, 2004, THANASI Foods announced the release of Jim Beam Soaked Sunflower Seeds, a snack product soaked in Jim Beam and available in 3 flavors; Original, Barbeque, and Jalapeño. The products were released in August 2004. On October 18, 2004, the company announced the addition of Jim Beam Soaked Beef Jerky to the range. Jim Beam has a licensing agreement with Vita Food Products to manufacture and sell Jim Beam BBQ Sauces, Marinades, Mustards, Steak Sauces, Hot Sauce, Wing Sauce, Pancake Syrup and Glazes. Vita Specialty Foods also produces a range of Jim Beam hot smoked and fresh, marinated salmon. Top Shelf Gourmet specializes in Jim Beam bourbon-infused fresh pork and poultry products, including Jim Beam Bourbon Barrel Ham, Pulled Pork, and Pulled Chicken. Brandmark Products produces a full range of Jim Beam branded billiard and home recreation products. Zippo produces a range of Jim Beam branded pocket and multi-purpose lighters. Bradley Smoker produces a line of smoking briquettes made from actual Jim Beam Barrels, and Jim Beam branded smokers. Silver Buffalo designs Jim Beam wall art, dartboards and accessories for home recreational use. Concept One develops Jim Beam headwear. Headline Entertainment develops Jim Beam t-shirts and outerwear. Sherwood Brands produces a full line of Jim Beam gift sets.

Motor racing

Robby Gordon drives the number 7 Jim Beam Dodge Charger as an owner/driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Steven Johnson and Will Davison drive the number 17 and 18 Dick Johnson Racing team Ford Falcons in the V8 Supercars championship, which are both sponsored by Jim Beam. Jim Beam used to sponsor the Oran Park Raceway V8 Supercar round, which was known as the Jim Beam 400. Jim Beam is also the main sponsor of Turkish Dakar Team in 2008.

 Popular culture

Jim Beam is highly prevalent in sports, film, TV, and music. It is a major sponsor of the lower grade, (Australian) New South Wales Rugby League competition played in Sydney, New South Wales, The NSWRL Jim Beam Cup, as well as the main sponsor of Turkish Dakar Team in 2008. Jim Beam was also shown in the John Wayne film, The Green Berets. According to the book Heavier Than Heaven by Charles R. Cross, Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain was drunk on half a bottle of Jim Beam during the shooting of the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit. The beverage is referenced as "Jimmy Beam" in the song "I Drink Alone" by George Thorogood, and referenced as "Ol' Jimmy Beam" in the song "Coattails of a Dead Man" by Primus. Jim Beam was heavily featured on the TV show Titus whenever hard liquor was shown, and is mentioned by Adam Sandler in the comedy sketch "The Goat" on the CD "What the Hell Happened to Me?" as old man's drink of choice and also in "The Goat Song" from the CD "What's Your Name?". Jim Beam is also referenced in the They Might Be Giants Song They'll need a Crane in which the girl finds Jim Beam handsomer than lad (her husband). In his song 'Family Tradition', Hank Williams, Jr. proclaims 'I have loved some women, and I have loved Jim Beam. But they both tried to kill me in 1973'. [Jim Beam + ice + water] is favourite cocktail of Phil Connors (Bill Murray) in movie "Groundhog Day" 1993. Jim Beam is common in the movie Kingpin (film), notably at a point where Ishmael wakes up wearing a beer can hat with a 12 oz. can of Coca-cola and a 750 mL bottle of whiskey.

• In the TV series One on One, Arnaz's mother has a drinking problem, and whenever it's brought up, it's always said that she drinks Jim Beam.

GG Allin had a bottle of Jim Beam placed beside him in his casket. Jeannie's bottle from the television series I Dream of Jeannie was in fact a Jim Beam 1964 Christmas edition decanter decoratively painted in different colors, depending on the series season.

• In an episode of the TV series Will & Grace, habitually drunk socialite Karen Walker has her maid Rosario Salazar load the minibar at Grace Adler Designs with Johnnie Walker, Jim Beam, and Glenfiddich, much to the dismay of Grace Adler.

• Jim Beam is the drink of choice for Hancock in the film with the same name.

Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon is an American whiskey, a type of distilled spirit, made primarily from corn and named for Bourbon County, Kentucky. It has been produced since the 18th century.

Legal requirements

On 4 May 1964, the U.S. Congress recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States," creating the Federal Standards of Identity for Bourbon. Federal regulations now stipulate that Bourbon must meet these requirements:

• Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.
• Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume).
• Bourbon must be 100% natural (nothing other than water added to the mixture).
• Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
• Bourbon which meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years, may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.
• Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labelled with the duration of its aging.

In practice, almost all bourbons marketed today are made from more than two-thirds corn, have been aged at least four years, and do qualify as "straight bourbon"—with or without the "straight bourbon" label. The exceptions are inexpensive commodity brands of bourbon aged only three years and pre-mixed cocktails made with bourbon aged the minimum two years.

Production Process

The typical grain mixture for bourbon is 70% corn — with the remainder being wheat and/or rye, and malted barley. This mixture, called the mash, is fermented through a process called sour mash fermentation in which mash from a previous distillation is added to ensure a consistent pH across batches. The fermented mash is then distilled to produce a clear spirit.

This spirit is placed in charred oak barrels for aging, which is what imparts color. Consequently, bourbons that have been aged longer are generally darker in color.

After aging, bourbon is withdrawn from the barrel, diluted with water and bottled. Bottling proof must be at least 80 proof (40% abv) and most whiskey is sold at 80 proof. Other common proofs are 86, 90, 94, 100 and 107, and whiskeys of up to 151 proof have been sold. Some higher proof bottlings are "barrel proof," meaning that they have not been diluted after removal from the barrels.

Geographic Origin

Bourbon may be produced anywhere in the United States where it is legal to distill spirits. Currently most brands are produced in Kentucky, where Bourbon has a strong association. Estimates are that 95% of the world's bourbon is distilled and aged in Kentucky. Other states producing bourbon include Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas, Indiana, New Jersey, and New York. In the past, bourbon has also been made in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Bardstown, Kentucky, is called the Bourbon Capital of the World and is home to the annual Bourbon Festival in the fall.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a patchwork of paths that lead to eight well-known distilleries: Buffalo Trace (Frankfort, the oldest continually operating distillery in the United States), Four Roses (Lawrenceburg), Heaven Hill (Bardstown), Jim Beam (Clermont), Maker's Mark (Loretto), Tom Moore (Bardstown, producer of the 1792 brand, added to the trail on August 27, 2008), Wild Turkey (Lawrenceburg), and Woodford Reserve (Versailles).

History

Although the invention of bourbon has often been attributed to a Baptist minister and distiller named Elijah Craig, there is no evidence supporting this assertion. As with most innovations, there may have been no single "inventor" of bourbon, which evolved into its present form only in the late 19th century.

Distilling probably came to what became Kentucky when European-American, and particularly Scottish and Ulster Scots, settlement began in earnest in the late 18th century. The spirit they made evolved and gained a name in the early 19th century.

A refinement variously credited to either Dr. James C. Crow or Dr. Jason S. Amburgey was the sour mash process, by which each new fermentation is conditioned with some amount of spent mash (previously fermented mash that has been separated from its alcohol). (Spent mash is also known as distillers' spent grain, stillage, and slop or feed mash, so named because it is used as animal feed.) The acid introduced by using the sour mash controls the growth of bacteria that could taint the whiskey and creates a proper pH balance for the yeast to work.

As of 2005, all straight bourbons use a sour mash process. Dr. Crow or Dr. Amburgey developed this refinement while working at the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery (now the Woodford Reserve Distillery) in Woodford County, Kentucky. As of today, there are no running distilleries within the current boundaries of Bourbon County due to new counties being formed from Bourbon County over time.

A resolution of the U.S. Congress in 1964 declared bourbon to be a "distinctive product of the United States." That resolution asked "the appropriate agencies of the United States Government . . . [to] take appropriate action to prohibit importation into the United States of whiskey designated as 'Bourbon Whiskey.'" Federal regulation now defines "bourbon whiskey" to only include "bourbon" produced in the United States.

National Bourbon Heritage Month

On August 2, 2007, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY) officially declaring September 2007 “National Bourbon Heritage Month,” marking the history of bourbon whiskey. Notably, the resolution claims that Congress declared bourbon to be "America's Native Spirit" in its 1964 resolution. The 1964 resolution, however, does not contain such a statement per se; it only declares that bourbon is a distinctive product identifiable with the United States in the same way that Scotch is identifiable with Scotland.

Present Day

Since 2003, high-end bourbons have seen revenue grow from $450 million to over $500 million (£231 million to over £257 million or €308 million to over €343 million), some 2.2 million cases, in the United States. High-end bourbon sales accounted for eight percent of total spirits growth in 2006. Most high-end bourbons are aged for six years or longer.

In 2007, United States spirits exports, virtually all of which are American whiskey, exceeded $1 billion for the first time. This represent a 15 percent increase over 2006. American whiskey is now sold in more than 100 different countries. The leading markets are the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Japan. Key emerging markets for American whiskey are China, Vietnam, Brazil, Chile, Romania, and Bulgaria.