Why did David M. Beam move the family distillery in 1856? Learning of the planned Springfield extension to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad rail line, David M. Beam made a momentous decision to move his family distillery from its birthplace in Washington County to Nelson County. When the new line opened in 1860, the D.M. Beam & Company Distillery was close by and ready to start shipping.

Jim Beam® Heritage

Timeline

1800s
1864
1933
1946
1960 - 1965
2005

1800's

The early 1800s

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Jacob Beam handed over the business to his son David, "a chip off the old block." The industrial revolution allowed David to increase distilling capacity and sell the family bourbons beyond Washington County. After David's death in 1852, David M. Beam, Jacob's grandson, moved the business to Nelson County and renamed it "D.M. Beam & Company."

1864

Jim Beam is born. Literally.

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In 1864, in a nation divided by Civil War, David M. and Margaret Beam gave birth to James Beauregard Beam. Not James. Not JB. Jim Beam. And in 1888, young Jim Beam took over, guiding the family business through Reconstruction, WWI and the biggest challenge of all for the spirits industry: the Prohibition era. While it lasted only 14 years (1920-1933), it felt like an eternity.

1933

That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger

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Prohibition was the ONLY time that Jim Beam wasn't distilling bourbon. Instead, he tried his hand, unsuccessfully, at mining and farming. When the Volstead Act was repealed in 1933 (HOORAY!!), 69-year old Jim Beam, along with his son T. Jeremiah Beam, rebuilt the distillery in 120 days.

1946

Jim Beam® goes global

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In 1946, T. Jeremiah Beam took over the James B. Beam Distilling Company. Having guided the distillery through WWII, he shipped cases of Jim Beam® to American servicemen stationed overseas. As a result, European pubs and restaurants began stocking Jim Beam® Bourbon in their establishments. And the prosperous post-war era forced the expansion of the distillery.

1960-1965

The tradition continues

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Booker Noe earned the title of Master Distiller in 1960, not because he was Jim Beam's grandson, but because of his tireless dedication to the Beam family's bourbon. In 1965, Booker oversaw the filling of the one-millionth barrel of Jim Beam®. And despite being outsold by vodka and gin, Booker remained steadfast in his craft, increasing production and posting record sales for Jim Beam®, while also developing his own small batch bourbon, what is now "Booker's®."

2005-present

The seventh generation... and beyond

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Frederick Booker Noe III, Booker's son, is the seventh generation to continue the family legacy. Fred grew up in Bardstown, in the same home Jim Beam lived in. Fred now lives next door to that home, which his mother, Annis, still calls home. Once again, as all the Beams did, Fred learned the ropes by working every part of the bourbon making process. From the third shift of the bottling line right down to protecting the secret family jug yeast recipe, even occasionally bringing it home on weekends. Just in case.

1800s
1864
1933
1946
1960 - 1965
Present

217 years was a long time ago.

Think colonists with powdered wigs and wooden teeth who had to drink alcohol in the hopes that it would combat the effects of unsanitized water and poor living conditions and fortify their diets.

During this time, immigrants from Germany named Boehm came to America. They later changed the spelling to Beam, and fortunately for us, seven generations of Beams would—and still do—ensure that their name would remain synonymous with the world's finest and best-selling bourbon.

1750 - 1850
1850 - 1900
1900 - 1950
1950 - 2000


THE GENERATION	THE STORY	THE TIMES

	1770s Corn farmers of the Kentucky region of Virginia distill their excess crop into a sweeter whiskey. Bourbon is born. 1788 Jacob Beam relocates to central Kentucky. 1789 Father Elijah Craig is believed to have been the first one to use a charred barrel to ship his bourbon. The benefit to the whiskey was that by the time it reached customers downriver, it had mellowed and taken on a slightly caramel-colored hue from the caramelized sugars in the charred barrel wood. 1795 Jacob sells his first barrel of whiskey. A legend is born.	1791-1794 Whiskey Rebels in western Pennsylvania fight federal taxation of distilled spirits. Many relocate to Kentucky. 1792 Kentucky becomes a state.
	1820 Jacob hands the family business over to his whip-smart son, 18-year-old David.


THE GENERATION	THE STORY	THE TIMES
	1850 David M. Beam, like his father before him, takes the reins of the family business.	1850 Louisville, KY, and Nashville, TN, are connected by railroad. 1860/70 There's some mystery surrounding the introduction of the Manhattan. Possibly developed by a bartender in Greenwich Village. Made popular by a successful party at the Manhattan Club. Have your own successful party. Serve Manhattans.
	1880 Beam bourbon-bottled as Old Tub-becomes a national bourbon brand thanks to the telegraph, railroad expansion and Beam family perseverance. 1894 Jim Beam takes over the family distillery from his father, David M.	1880 U.S. population exceeds 50 million. 1895 Of the growing temperance movement, Mark Twain writes, "Temperate temperance is best. Intemperate temperance injures the cause of temperance, while temperate temperance helps it in its fight against intemperate intemperance. Fanatics will never learn that, though it be written in letters of gold across the sky." And, "In fact, the more things are forbidden, the more popular they become."

THE GENERATION

THE STORY

THE TIMES

1920

Jim Beam sells the family distillery.

1933-34

Jim Beam rebuilds the distillery in 120 days and is back in business.

Jim Beam was so protective of his bourbon's yeast strain, he'd take a jug home with him on weekends. It's a tradition that continues three generations later with his great-grandson, Fred Noe.

1933

1946

T. Jeremiah "Jere" Beam, Jim Beam's son, officially takes over the family business. And he also takes Beam global, shipping cases of bourbon to U.S. servicemen stationed overseas.

1920

Prohibition begins.

1920

1933

Game on. Prohibition is repealed.

1938

The Mint Julep is introduced as the traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby. A position it's held since.

1938

1946

European pubs and restaurants began stocking Jim Beam®.


THE GENERATION	THE STORY	THE TIMES
	1954 A second distillery begins production in Boston, KY 1960 F. Booker Noe II, Jim Beam's grandson, becomes Master Distiller at the Boston plant, setting the stage for the sixth Beam family member to head the business. 1965 The 1 millionth barrel of Jim Beam® is filled. 1988 Booker Noe introduces Booker's®—the first small-batch bourbon. It's made the way bourbon used to be made: handcrafted, uncut and unfiltered. 1992 Baker's®, Basil Hayden's® and Knob Creek® join Booker's-creating The Small Batch Collection®. These bourbons are handcrafted in small batches. There's a flavor for every taste. And Knob Creek® is the world's top-selling super-premium bourbon. Sharing a podium with the world's finest bourbon, Jim Beam®.	1964 Bourbon is recognized as America's Native Spirit by the U.S. Congress.
	2005 Frederick Booker Noe III, Jim Beam's great-grandson, fills the 10 millionth barrel of Jim Beam® at the Clermont distillery. Also, the Beverage Testing Institute rates Jim Beam Black® highest among leading North American whiskeys for its overall nose, depth of flavor and finish. 2007 Fred Noe III, Jacob Beam's great-great-great-great grandson, is added to the Jim Beam® label. His association with Jim Beam® makes him the seventh generation Beam family member to distill Jim Beam® Bourbon.	2003 Wine Enthusiast Magazine rates Jim Beam Black® "Superb (90-95)/Highly Recommended" in the American Whiskey category of the Top 60 Spirits. 2007 Congress declares September 2007 "National Bourbon Heritage Month" in celebration of America's Native Spirit.