When you think of Bourbon connoisseurs … craftsman … and consumers alike … you probably think of a guy that looks, well … kind of like me (and there are plenty of us old guys out there to prove your point). We all get to thinkin’ that Bourbon is a man’s business…

But today, I’m here to set the record straight.

In honor of Mother’s Day this past Sunday, I’m proud to share with you just a few of the finest women in this business – who know more about Bourbon making, barreling, aging, bottling, tasting, smelling and innovating than most people I know – and I’m proud to call them part of my family right here at Jim Beam. Take for example …

MaryKay Bolles, our Vice President of Research and Development at our Global Innovation Center. MK (as we like to call her) and her leadership of the R&D team, have helped us enjoy new products like Devil’s Cut, Jim Beam Honey and Jacob’s Ghost.  A true innovator!

Kim Bennett, Director of our Heritage and Innovation Centers. This entire Jim Beam American Stillhouse experience?  She runs the show! And she’s got more than a few whiskey women on her team who welcome our visitors every day.

Marsha Beam, one of our finest Bottling Managers here in Clermont. She sure has good genes for the Bourbon business … and chances are that the Jim Beam bottle in your cabinet or at your favorite neighborhood bar passed under Marsha’s watchful eye first.

And who could forget the one woman who’s made this generation of the Beam family possible? My mom, Annis Noe. You know the saying “Behind every great man stands a great woman”? Our family, and our Jim Beam legacy, wouldn’t be what it is today without her – and I couldn’t be more proud to call her Mom.

To all of the mothers out there, including my very own, here’s to you. And to all the women blazing trails and doin’ what they love – well, that’s the Beam way of doing things. We raise a glass to you this weekend and always.

Be good now,

Fred

What a week! Derby time always brings out the very best in Kentucky … great racing, a real excitement in the air and cocktails with as much history as the Derby itself (I even got to show my friend Al Roker from the TODAY Show how to make the perfect Mint Julep … don’t forget to spank the mint, now!).

But my favorite part about Derby time isn’t any of those things … it’s the people that come to visit our great Commonwealth.  We welcomed visitors from just about everywhere around the world last week! And that’s exactly what we love to do here at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse.  Our house is the first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail … and it’s true when we say that when visitors come to Clermont as friends, they leave our house as family. Our visitors experience everything there is to experience about bourbon … from how it tastes … to how it’s made … to the way my family’s been doing it for more than 218 years. A real insider’s look.

What makes it even more special is when someone shares that excitement about our home. The folks over at Thrillist loved our Stillhouse so much they decided to make a video about it and have been encouraging all their fans and travelers to stop by (and believe me, they only make good recommendations … it even says so on their website). You can check it out here. Thanks for spreading the word, Thrillist!

Take a look at what we’re all about … and then come see for yourself. We’d love to have you.

Be good now,

Fred

May is just around the corner, which means only one thing in Kentucky. It’s Derby time! Here at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, we’re celebrating the occasion with some fun of our own – and you’re invited!

Here at Jim Beam, our visitors come as friends, and leave as family. And there’s no better time to experience that than Derby time, when Kentucky comes alive with the spirit of rich tradition, heritage and fun. So whether you’re a Kentucky native or Derby visitor, stop by on Friday, May 3 for “Kentucky Derby Fun at Jim Beam.” The day will be filled with live music from 12 – 4 p.m., half-priced tours and, of course, plenty of Jim Beam, the world’s #1 Bourbon.

It’ll be the perfect kick-off to a memorable Derby weekend.

And while you’re here, don’t forget to get your hands on some of our most exclusive liquid in the form of Jim Beam® Distiller’s Masterpiece, an extra-aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrel finished in sherry casks. It’s only available here at the American Stillhouse for a limited time as we celebrate Derby season.

We can’t wait to see you before it’s off to the races!

Kim Bennett
Director, Beam Heritage Center

Dear Friends,

When we built our new American Stillhouse visitors’ experience at the home of the world’s #1 Bourbon – Jim Beam – we went “green” every step of the way. Jim Beam is proud of the 217 years of Beam family heritage that the Stillhouse embodies and that we are a USGBC LEED “Gold” certified building.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification consists of an array of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of energy efficient buildings that have lower impact on the environment. Since Beam prides itself on promoting social responsibility, participation in the LEED certification process for this building was a natural fit.  Here are some of the highlights:

RECYCLING: More than 25% of the materials used in the construction of the Stillhouse consist of recycled content.  More than one-quarter of the materials utilized are regional construction materials, meaning they were either harvested or produced within a 500-mile radius of the site.  And, 43 tons, 79% of the construction debris, was diverted from landfills and sent to be recycled.

WATER: With the low flow fixtures, faucets and flush valves we installed, the Stillhouse actually reduces our water usage by 50%.

LIGHTING: 100% of the lighting in the building is controlled either by an occupancy sensor mounted in the ceiling or by the lighting control panel with built-in timers. Along with the lighting control, compact fluorescent or LED lights are utilized to also reduce power consumption.

These are just a few of the many environmental highlights when you come visit us at Jim Beam. And with Earth Day upon us, April 22, it’s the perfect time for all of us to recommit to doing a little something helpful for the environment not just this week … but always. We’re awfully proud to make a small difference. Going Green. It’s the Beam Way!

Warmest Regards,

Jim Beam Noe, Craft Distillery Manager

I don’t know if there is a higher compliment than to be called an “icon.” Jim Beam has earned the title after more than two centuries of making Bourbon in Kentucky … and I couldn’t be more proud to be a part of it all.

But, you know, we aren’t the only icon here in Kentucky. This time of year offers up the rare opportunity to see another Kentucky icon at its finest – horse racing. It’s the perfect time to celebrate the occasion and a fellow icon here in the Commonwealth … and we’re doing it by releasing some of our most exclusive liquid in the form of Jim Beam® Distiller’s Masterpiece, an extra-aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey barrel finished in sherry casks.

The catch is … you’ve got to come out to Kentucky and see us to get a bottle.

It truly is Bourbon at its best … our most exclusive, highest quality offering within the Beam family. And it’s only available right here at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse in Clermont, KY. Our Distiller’s Masterpiece is extra-aged in the most optimal rack-house position, and then finished in Pedro Ximénez (“PX”) sherry casks, adding a dynamic to its taste that other bourbons can’t offer.  It’s smooth, rich, full-bodied and mature, packaged in a luxury wooden case (pretty classy, if I do say so myself).  At 100-proof, it’s priced at $199.99.

To me, it’s worth every extra-premium penny. But don’t take just my word for it. As part of our family, you deserve to stop on by and taste something truly “iconic” for yourself – before we run out! I’ll see you soon.

Be good now,

Fred Noe

Halloween is a long way off, but the ghosts are already comin’ out to play in Clermont.

Not the scary kind of ghosts though…the kind of ghosts you want to have a drink with. I’m talking about Jacob’s Ghost™, our brand new aged white whiskey that we just released. I figure since y’all are family now, you should be among the first to know that Jacob’s Ghost™ is now in stores and ready for you to enjoy.

Jacob’s Ghost™ is unlike any whiskey we’ve ever created before. If you ask me, I think it’s unlike any whiskey any distillery has made before.

It’s a special white whiskey – not the hair-raising moonshine or un-aged white dog that have been crowding the liquor shelves lately. Jacob’s Ghost™ is aged for at least one year in white oak barrels and crafted with more than 200 years of Beam tradition behind it. We named our new bourbon after my great-great-great-great grandfather and founder of our distillery, Jacob Beam.

The beauty of Jacob’s Ghost™ is that you can drink it any damn way you please (pardon my French). You can enjoy it straight like bourbon. Or you can mix it into cocktails like you would with any other whiskey. And Jacob’s Ghost™ is especially delicious in cocktails traditionally made with clear spirits like vodka or rum. For example, as a ghostly twist on a Bloody Mary, if that’s what suits you.

Enough of my rambling … it’s time for you to get out there and try it! To get your hands on Jacob’s Ghost™, head on over to jimbeam.com and check out the “Find Beam” box on the homepage. And if you still need some convincing, you can learn more about how Jacob’s Ghost™ is made and find more cocktail recipes on our website.

These are exciting times in Clermont. Wish you were here. But wherever you are, why not raise a glass of Jacob’s Ghost™ to toast the new member of the Jim Beam® Bourbon family?

Be good now,

Fred Noe

A couple weeks back, I received more than my fair share of tweets, posts, cards and phone calls from family, friends and folks around the world, all wishing me a happy birthday. Well, you sure know how to make a guy feel special (and thanks for the letter, Mom).

I got to thinking though … in the grand scheme of things, 56 is nothin’! Not when it’s among some pretty impressive milestones like 218 years in the Bourbon business (my family’s been doing this since 1795!)  … and as of today, 78 years of making the world’s finest Bourbon right here at the Clermont Distillery. Now, that’s a birthday to celebrate.

You see, back in the early 1900s, the Bourbon business in Bardstown was booming. There were 17 major distilleries operating in the area, and times were good. But then Prohibition was enacted in 1918, and by the time the law was repealed on December 5, 1933, most of our fellow distilleries had closed up shop for good.

But thanks to some good ol’ family stubbornness (and some business smarts, I suppose), we survived. As soon as Prohibition was repealed, my great-granddad Jim Beam picked up right where he left off. He was pushing 70 by that point, but that didn’t stop him. He put on his suit and tie … applied for re-instatement of his distiller’s license … got his finances in order … and then rolled up his sleeves in December 1934 with a few other Beams to build the James B. Beam Distilling Company, from scratch, in less than four months.

Just like that, our first barrel of Bourbon after Prohibition was filled on March 26, 1935 … right here in Clermont where we work every day to keep the Jim Beam legacy going strong. I couldn’t be more proud to be part of that legacy – thanks for 78 years!

Be good now,

Fred Noe

If you’ve got a case of spring fever, you’re in luck. Because there’s no better time to make a trip down to Clermont and our Jim Beam American Stillhouse than spring. Our great Commonwealth wakes up from winter with color and spirit. The temperatures rise until they’re just right, the legendary bluegrass fields start to glow, and the air fills with that sweet, rich scent we know and love – bourbon.

It’s a time of year in Kentucky that makes me want to just sit on the back porch, a glass of bourbon in hand, and take it all in. And I’m not the only one who thinks so. Our friends at National Geographic just named the Kentucky Bourbon Trail one of the Best Spring Trips of 2013 (and they know their stuff!). Competing with the likes of exotic festivals and feats of nature around the world, it’s quite the honor that our fair state, the heartland of Bourbon, made the list. Check out all the reasons National Geographic thinks the Bourbon Trail is a must-see here.

Me, I’ve got some reasons of my own. The best one? The Bourbon Trail kicks off right here at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, which takes it to the top of the list in our book.

So, come on down for a visit this spring, and see for yourself. I promise you that we’ll start your Bourbon Trail experience off right.

Be good now,

Fred Noe

If you make the trip down to Clermont, you’ll see that we’ve got this custom Jim Beam motorcycle parked on display outside our distillery. Back in 2008, the king of bike designers, Ralph Randolph, built it for the Country Music Television show Chopper Challenge. We wanted him to dedicate it to our military veteran support organization, Operation Homefront.

Ralph only had one month to build the bike from scratch, but things got even more difficult from there. By the time he was finally able to get all the materials he needed, he only had two weeks left to finish building the whole chopper. Well, if you ask us, he couldn’t have done a better job.

Come on down to the Jim Beam American Stillhouse and check it out for yourself.

Be good now,

-Fred Noe

March 9, 1957.

I’ll never forget the day. Our tiny bundle of joy, Frederick Booker Noe III, came into this world at Baptist Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Booker and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to have a son to call our own. The next generation to carry on the historic Jim Beam legacy. The next generation of family distillers.

We drove home from the hospital in a brand new 1957 Ford Fairlane that Booker spent our last nickels and dimes on. It had me worried that we only had $21 left in our savings account after that purchase … especially with a little one on the way. But somehow I knew we were going to be okay. Booker always took care of things and, now that we had our very own son to worry about, it was time to get serious about raising a family and taking good care of the family legacy.

Fred was quite the adventurous child. I’m sure you can find that hard to believe.

He was always getting into all sorts of trouble as his curiosity at times would get the best of him. But through it all … through all the talks with his teachers … through his time at boarding school in Tennessee … through his year upon year getting through college (Booker and I thought he would never finish!) … through his first jobs outside of the family business … and eventually through his first job at the Jim Beam distillery on the nightshift of the bottling line … I always knew Fred was up to the challenge of carrying on the great traditions started by his great, great, great, great grandfather Jacob Beam.

Tall order? You bet. But Fred has always had it in him, even if it didn’t know it back then. Fred knows what “hard work” means. He also knows all about doing things with dignity, respect and integrity. And lucky for us, he sure loves what he does.

As his mother, I couldn’t be more proud. I know Booker would be awfully proud of his son, too. I guess we raised him just right.

Happy Birthday, Fred … thanks for 56 years of being such a blessing to me, your Dad and our entire Beam family around the world.

Love, Mom