Beam, Straight Up: The Bold Story of the First Family of Bourbon

Beam, Straight Up: The Bold Story of the First Family of Bourbon

Beam, Straight Up

The Bold Story of the First Family of Bourbon

By Fred Noe,

Seventh Generation Jim Beam® Bourbon Master Distiller and Global Brand Ambassador 

The evolution of bourbon in American history is a rich and complex one, and the seven (and counting) generations of the Jim Beam family have been right there at the forefront of its storied transformation for the past 217 years to experience it in all its glory.

In his delightful new book, Beam, Straight Up: The Bold Story of the First Family of Bourbon (Wiley; $22.95; September 2012, 978-1-118-37836-6), seventh generation Beam family member Frederick “Fred” Booker Noe III chronicles how the First Family of Bourbon – the Beams – molded the bourbon industry into what it looks like today, and even reveals his own individual journey towards marking his footprint in the family business.

Back in the day, every Bourbon distiller in Kentucky was a relative of the Jim Beam family, but with the release of this new book, Noe has become the only family member ever to author a book about the Beams’ illustrious role in the distillery industry. His effortlessly fun, but honest demeanor shines through in the process, providing a fresh new perspective on how to survive in an age-old business.

In Beam, Straight Up, Noe not only offers valuable business insights and takeaways for any business person, he also shares his personal story of coming to terms with and reflecting on his own life, defining life milestones as colored by his family’s line of work, and eventually touching on his personal relationship with his character of a father, Booker Noe.  Besides this, however, he also opens up about:

• His life on the road, spreading the bourbon gospel
• The legacy behind creating the world’s No.1-selling bourbon, Jim Beam Bourbon
• His long journey to becoming the face of one of America’s most iconic brands
• Special cocktail and food recipes
• The bourbon industry today, and how the Jim Beam family helped shape it
• The various sponsorships, charities and events that the company supports

Part biography and part business book, this entertaining yet sincere account presents a spirited lesson on how to live up to your potential, and perhaps even more importantly, how to enjoy your whiskey along the way.

For more information about Jim Beam, visit www.jimbeam.com or find Fred Noe on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jimbeam.