🥃 Jim Beam
Brand of Kentucky straight bourbon from Clermont, Kentucky; the Beam family's distilling dates from 1795; owned by Suntory.
Jim Beam is a brand of Kentucky straight bourbon made by the James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont, Kentucky. According to the producer, Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of whiskey in Kentucky in 1795. The brand has been owned by Suntory since 2014. The producer says the Original is aged for four years and made from grain and limestone-filtered water.
History. According to the producer, after Prohibition Jim Beam rebuilt the distillery from scratch in 120 days, at the age of 70. The master distiller is Fred Noe, of the seventh generation of the family, and Freddie Noe is the eighth. Fred Noe says the mash bills and yeast strains used at the restarted Clermont stills are unchanged from before the production pause.
How it is made. Clermont is the main distillery and the visitor site; high-volume distillation takes place at the Booker Noe Distillery in Boston, Kentucky, which is closed to the public. About 3.1 million barrels age in around 100 rackhouses in Clermont, Boston and Frankfort. Bourbon matures in newly charred oak barrels.
Range. The producer's site lists Original, Black (45% ABV), Rye, flavoured versions such as Apple, Honey, Peach and Black Cherry, as well as ready-to-drink products and limited editions. They differ in strength and composition.
Why it matters to you. Under US rules bourbon is made from a mash of at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels; straight bourbon is aged at least two years with no colouring or flavouring added (27 CFR 5.143). The producer says the Original is aged four years, twice what the law requires. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Year founded | 1795 — Jacob Beam's first barrel (according to the producer); Clermont, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | 27 CFR § 5.143 (USA): bourbon — at least 51% corn, new charred oak barrels; straight — at least 2 years |
| EU category | 2 — whisky/whiskey, for the EU market |
| Raw material | grain (the producer does not give the mash bill); limestone-filtered water |
| Distillation method | Clermont and the Booker Noe Distillery (Boston, Kentucky) |
| Cask type | newly charred oak barrels |
| Minimum maturation | straight bourbon — at least 2 years by law; Original — 4 years (according to the producer) |
What it includes
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Jim Beam → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Suntory Global Spirits
- Packed in
- 🐝 American white oak, 🍷 Barrel toasting
- Made from
- 🥃 Rye and corn in whisky
- What it contains
- 🧪 Water, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Straight bourbon whiskey, 🥃 Whisky
- Related to
- 🌍 North America
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Maker's Mark, 🥃 Jack Daniel's, 🥃 Buffalo Trace, 🥃 Sour mash, 🥃 Kentucky Bourbon, 🥃 Old Crow Bourbon
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Jim Beam goes back to 1795?
According to the producer, yes: Jacob Beam sold his first barrel of whiskey in Kentucky in 1795.
Who owns Jim Beam?
Suntory, which acquired Jim Beam in 2014, according to the producer.
Where is Jim Beam made?
In Kentucky: at Clermont and at the Booker Noe Distillery in Boston. Barrels age in Clermont, Boston and Frankfort.
How long is Jim Beam Original aged?
According to the producer, four years, which it describes as twice what the law requires.
Is Jim Beam Original a straight bourbon?
The producer calls it Kentucky straight bourbon. Under US rules straight bourbon is aged at least two years with no colouring or flavouring added (27 CFR 5.143).
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🐝 American white oak — A North American oak that gives wine strong vanilla and coconut notes.
- 🌍 North America — US and Canada: 9.5 million US cows gave 232 billion lb of milk (2025); Wisconsin makes a quarter of US cheese; Canada runs on dairy quotas.
- 🥃 Jack Daniel's — Tennessee whiskey from Lynchburg (USA): before aging, the spirit is filtered through a three-metre layer of sugar maple charcoal.
Similar
🥃 Old Crow · 🥃 Elijah Craig · 🥃 Baker's · 🥃 Four Roses · 🥃 Michter's · 🥃 Old Forester
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- Beam Distilling: Where is Jim Beam made? (Clermont, Booker Noe Distillery in Boston, Frankfort rackhouse; ~3.1 million barrels; Jacob Beam 1795; 120-day rebuild; Suntory 2014; Fred and Freddie Noe)
- Jim Beam (official site): Jim Beam Original (Kentucky straight bourbon, aged 4 years, newly charred oak barrels, limestone-filtered water)
- Jim Beam (official site): Bourbons (product range: Original, Black, Rye, flavoured versions, limited editions)
- Jim Beam (official site): Jim Beam Black (90 proof / 45% ABV)
- 27 CFR § 5.143 Standards of identity for whisky (bourbon: mash min. 51 % corn, new charred oak containers; straight: min. 2 years), text via Cornell LII
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)