Jim Beam is an American brand of bourbon whiskey produced in Clermont, Kentucky, by Beam Suntory. It is one of the best-selling brands of bourbon in the world. Since 1795 (interrupted by Prohibition), seven generations of the Beam family have been involved in whiskey production for the company that produces the brand.
The brand name became “Jim Beam” in 1943 in honor of James B. Beam, who rebuilt the business after Prohibition ended. Previously produced by the Beam family and later owned by the Fortune Brands holding company, the brand was purchased by Suntory Holdings in 2014.
Like so many other American foods, Jim Beam whiskey is a product of immigration, hard work, and a determination to make old traditions in a new land. According to the Jim Beam website, Jacob Beam – formerly Boehm, which became Americanized to Beam – was a farmer of German descent whose family migrated from Deutschland to colonial western Pennsylvania. Once settled in the so-called new world, the Beam family began making rye whiskey with their imported recipes.
In the late 1700s, the United States government incentivized families to migrate Westwards to grow corn. Corn farmers, of course, have an excess of their product, so the entrepreneurial Jacob Beam used the ears of corn to distill into a sweeter type of whiskey. Beam sold his first barrel in 1795 and cemented himself into whiskey history for the next couple of hundred years and counting.
The company also produces a small batch bourbon, Jim Beam Small Batch, which is made from a selection of the finest barrels of whiskey. Jim Beam bourbon is a versatile spirit that can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. Some of the most popular cocktails made with Jim Beam bourbon include the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, and the Kentucky Derby. Whether you’re a bourbon lover or just looking to try something new, Jim Beam bourbon is a great choice.
According to en.wikipedia.org; ward3.com. Source of photos: internet
