Beam, Straight Up - Hardcover

by Fred Noe (Author), Jim Kokoris (Author)

An insider's look at the Jim Beam brand, from a 7th generation Master Distiller

Written by the 7th generation Beam family member and Master Distiller, Frederick Booker Noe III, Beam, Straight Up is the first book to be written by a Beam, the family behind the 217-year whiskey dynasty and makers of one of the world's best-selling bourbons. This book features family history and the evolution of bourbon, including Fred's storied youth "growing up Beam" in Bardstown, Kentucky; his transition from the bottling line to renowned global bourbon ambassador; and his valuable business insights on how to maintain and grow a revered brand.

• Includes details of Fred Noe's life on the road, spreading the bourbon gospel
• Describes Fred's journey to becoming the face of one of America's most iconic brands
• Shares a simple primer on how bourbon is made
• Offers cocktail and food recipes

For anyone wanting a behind the scenes look at Jim Beam, and an understanding of the bourbon industry, Beam, Straight Up will detail the family business, and its role in helping to shape it.

Front Jacket

Praise for Beam, Straight Up

I've known Fred for years. He's a natural entertainer--he's lived the life--and this book is pure entertainment.
--Kid Rock

Fred Noe has made us a part of the 'family' of Jim Beam since the beginning of our relationship thirteen years ago. Cheers to Fred for giving us a glimpse behind the scenes of our favorite bourbon in the world!
--Eddie Montgomery of multiplatinum country duo Montgomery Gentry

We're honored to play a part in the storied history of Jim Beam--and there's no better person to tell the story than Fred Noe himself.
--Troy Gentry of multiplatinum country duo Montgomery Gentry

If you want the inside scoop from Bourbon royalty--and my personal mentor--then read this book and enjoy firsthand the colorful stories of one of the most respected, well-traveled, and hilarious members of Beam's family . . . Fred Noe.
--Bernie Lubbers, Whiskey Professor and author of Bourbon Whiskey: Our Native Spirit

Fred Noe is more than just the scion of a famous family. He is a real guy with real stories, and reading them, you can see how it wasn't all bourbon and roses for him growing up and getting to where he is today.
--Charles K. Cowdery, author of Bourbon, Straight

Back Jacket

From the moment newborn Frederick Booker Noe III arrived home from the hospital in a spanking new 1957 Ford Fairlane that his father spent his last dime on, his family had high hopes. As the seventh generation of the world's most famous whiskey-making family, would the young Fred be up to the task of carrying on the 217-year-old legacy of the world's largest bourbon company and one of the world's best known whiskies, Jim Beam Bourbon? Beam, Straight Up chronicles Fred's long and, at times, wild and hilarious journey of doing just that, while offering an insider's look at this centuries-old dynasty.

The first member of the Beam clan to document its illustrious history, Fred shares his own tales of "growing up Beam" in Bardstown, Kentucky, the "Bourbon Capitol of the World," and dives even further into the growth of one of the world's best-selling bourbons. Starting at the bottling line where he began his career, he describes the long and circuitous route he took to become a renowned global bourbon ambassador and the face of one of America's most iconic brands. Along the way, Fred dispenses time-tested, quality business insights on how to maintain and grow a revered brand, along with a well-rounded view of the bourbon industry, the Jim Beam brand, and his role in shaping it, including:

• The making of a bourbon ambassador, from learning to speak "City-Southern" to an education in the distilling process
• A simple primer on how bourbon is made, from the effects of the American white oak barrel to the importance of the sweet limestone Kentucky water
• The art of making your own stories and establishing your reputation, and the role that reputation plays in selling your product
• How the Jim Beam family helped shape today's thriving bourbon industry

For anyone looking to build a brand or a business that lasts, Beam, Straight Up offers colorful but invaluable business advice and insights that will help you establish your own legacy.

Author Biography

FRED NOE is the great-grandson of the legendary distiller, Jim Beam, as well as Beam Inc.'s Global Brand Ambassador and Master Distiller. He is the seventh-generation distilling Beam.

JIM KOKORIS is a longtime family friend, spokesperson, and publicist for the Beams. He is also the author of three novels: The Rich Part of Life, Sister North, and The Pursuit of Other Interests.