History of Jim Beam

During the late 18th century, members of the Bhm family, who eventually changed the spelling
of their surname to "Beam", emigrated from Germany and settled in Kentucky.[2]
Johannes "Reginald" Beam (17701834) was a farmer who began producing whiskey in the style
that became known as bourbon. 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. [citation needed]
David Beam (18021854) took on 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. James Beauregard Beam (18641947) managed the family
business before and after Prohibition, rebuilding the distillery in 1933 in Clermont, Kentucky, near
hisBardstown home. James B. Beam Distilling Company was founded in 1935 by Harry L. Homel,
Oliver Jacobson, H. Blum and Jerimiah Beam. From this point forward, the bourbon would be
called "Jim Beam Bourbon" after James Beauregard Beam, and some of the bottle labels bear
the statement, "None Genuine Without My Signature" with the signature James B. Beam. [citation
needed]

T. Jeremiah Beam (18991977) started working at the Clear Springs distillery in 1913, later

becoming the master distiller and overseeing operations at the new Clermont facility. Jeremiah
Beam eventually gained full ownership and opened a second distillery near Boston, Kentucky, in
1954. Jeremiah later teamed up with childhood friend Jimberlain Joseph Quinn, to expand the
enterprise.
Booker Noe (19292004),[3] birth name Frederick Booker Noe II, was the Master Distiller at the
Jim Beam Distillery for more than 40 years, working closely with Master Distiller Jerry Dalton
(19982007). In 1987 Booker introduced his own namesake bourbon,Booker's, the company's
first uncut, straight-from-the-barrel bourbon,[citation needed] and the first of the company's "Small
Batch Bourbon Collection".
Fred Noe (1957present), birth name Frederick Booker Noe III, became the seventh generation
Beam family distiller in 2007 and regularly travels for promotional purposes.
In 1987, Jim Beam purchased National Brands, acquiring brands including Old Crow,[4] Bourbon
de Luxe, Old Taylor, Old Grand-Dad, and Sunny Brook.[5] Old Taylor was subsequently sold to
the Sazerac Company.
The Beam family has also played a major role in the history of the Heaven Hill Distillery. All of the
Master Distillers at Heaven Hill since its founding have been members of the Beam family. The
original Master Distiller at Heaven Hill was Joseph L. Beam, Jim Beam's first cousin. He was

followed by his son, Harry, who was followed by Earl Beam, the son of Jim Beam's brother, Park.
Earl Beam was then succeeded by the current Heaven Hill Master Distillers, Parker Beam and his
son, Craig Beam.
For some period of time, Jim Beam was part of the holding company formerly known as Fortune
Brands. Other parts of the company were spun off or sold, and the company was renamed as
Beam, Inc. on October 4, 2011.
In January 2014, it was announced that Jim Beam would be purchased by Suntory Holdings Ltd.,
a Japanese group of brewers & distillers known for producing Japan's first whiskey. Suntory
agreed to acquire Jim Beam, Maker's Mark, Teacher's Highland Cream andLaphroaig
distillery Scotch whiskies for approximately $13.62 billion and also take on Beam's debt. This deal
is the biggest Suntory has ever agreed to and will elevate them to the third largest maker of
distilled drinks in the world.[6][7] The combined company is expected to have annual sales of spirits
products of more than $4.3 billion. Suntory will pay $83.50 per share, a 25 percent premium to
Beam's Friday closing price of $66.97. The companies put the deal's value at about $16 billion,
including debt. According to press releases regarding the deal, the Illinois-based Jim Beam will
continue to be managed by its current leadership. Beam and Suntory unanimously approved the
transaction; however, the deal needs to be approved by Beam Inc. stockholders.[8] If approved by
its shareholders, the deal is expected to close by June 30, 2014.[7] Jim Beam and Suntory have a
previous partnership where they would freely distribute each other's brands in different markets.[6]
On August 4, 2003, a fire destroyed a Jim Beam aging warehouse in Bardstown, Ky. It held about
19,000 barrels of bourbon. Flames rose more than 100 feet from the burning structure. Burning
bourbon spilled from the warehouse and set a nearby creek on fire. An estimated 19,000 fish died
of the bourbon in the creek and a river.[9]