Jim Beam 

Introduction:

The two Jim Beam distilleries make the world’s best-selling Bourbon. Alongside their regular products, they also offer high – quality options. One of these is Knob Creek, a premium Whiskey brand. Their collection includes a nine – year – old version, a rye variant, and a single barrel option. These bottles have a flat shape and are sealed with wax to set them apart from others. Jim Beam also presents a series of top-tier Bourbons known as small batch. This includes Booker’s, Baker’s, and Basil Hayden’s. These Bourbons, aged between six to nine years, are carefully chosen from the distillery’s large warehouses to match specific flavor profiles.

Production:

Jim Beam bottles are popular globally, leading to a significant demand that requires a substantial supply. To meet this demand, there are two large facilities near Clermont, Kentucky, responsible for producing the Jim Beam spirit. The primary facility, which also houses the tourist office and historic structures, is accompanied by a vast production complex. Another facility, the Booker Noe plant, located a few kilometers to the south, is an industrial site with replicated equipment from the original plant.

The Stills:

The initial spirit, referred to as white dog or raw Whiskey, is distilled using a tall column still. The inside of this still is made from copper, which interacts with the spirit, eliminating certain harsh – tasting elements. Once the distillate passes through the doubler, its alcohol content increases to 67.5% ABV (135 Proof). The Bourbon law dictates that the spirit must be distilled below 160 Proof to retain the original mash’s flavors. Jim Beam adheres to this requirement, distilling well below the limit.

When the Whiskey enters the barrel, its ABV is even lower, reducing the need for extensive dilution before bottling, unlike higher ABV barrels. Consequently, the resulting Whiskey gains more flavor from the oak barrel and requires less water. However, this approach necessitates the filling of more barrels to yield the same quantity of bottles. Consequently, the Beam distillery must charge higher prices due to increased barrel usage.

The Mash Bill:

The distillery employs a blend of corn, malted barley, and rye in their process. Corn contributes the primary sugar source, while malted barley supplies natural enzymes to convert starch into sugar. Rye, on the other hand, adds a touch of spiciness to the mixture. The corn undergoes cooking in the mash tun at around 105°C (220°F) with slight overpressure. Once the corn is heated, the other ingredients are introduced at various temperatures and thoroughly mixed. The barley’s enzymes break down the starch from both corn and rye, producing sugar. This resulting sweet liquid forms the foundation for the subsequent brewing of the beer.

The Warehouses:

Jim Beam manages a substantial number of barrels for storage, with around 1.9 million barrels reported in the year 2015, equivalent to approximately 380 million liters or 100 million gallons. These barrels are stored in warehouses that can be as tall as nine stories, making them some of the tallest in the industry.

The height of the barrel’s placement in the warehouse plays a role in the aging process. As the barrels are exposed to summer heat cycles, the higher floors experience greater heat. This heat prompts the barrels to expand, opening up the wood’s pores. During this phase, the Whiskey seeps into the cask’s interior and interacts with the American white oak. The alcohol in the spirit dissolves the caramelized wood sugars, imparting flavors of vanilla and caramel to the Whiskey. Additionally, the previously colorless spirit gains a golden brown hue during this maturation process.

History:

The Jim Beam distillery has a history that traces back to the late 18th century. Interestingly, it wasn’t Jim Beam who founded it, but rather Jacob and Johannes Beam (Böhm), who marketed their Whiskey as “Old Tub”. The person who lent his name to the brand, Jim Beam, was James Beauregard Beam. He played a pivotal role in managing the distillery before and after the era of prohibition.

During the time of prohibition, a destructive mob demolished the distillery, leaving Jim Beam without a business. He ventured into other industries, notably quarrying and selling stones. Although he had an entrepreneurial spirit, he found little enjoyment in the stone business. With the passage of the 21st amendment and the legalization of alcohol, Jim seized the opportunity to establish a new distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. He collaborated with fellow entrepreneurs to create the James B. Beam Distilling Company, which quickly became known as Jim Beam.

Today, the role of master distiller is held by Fred Noe, who is the seventh generation of the Beam family involved in crafting fine Bourbons.

The Visitor Centre:

Around 2012, the distillery underwent significant renovations, resulting in the creation of new visitor facilities. These upgraded facilities offer guests the opportunity to witness every stage of the production process, from mashing to bottling. A unique experience now allows visitors to purchase personalized Knob Creek bottles. These bottles feature their individual fingerprint sealed within the wax cap and their name engraved into the glass, offering a distinctive and memorable memento of their visit.

Visitor information:

Jim Beam Distillery
526 Happy Hollow Road
Clermont
Kentucky 40110
Tel: +1(502)543-9877