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

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.