A behind the scenes look of how Jim Beam is made - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

A behind the scenes look of how Jim Beam is made

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By Sarah Eisenmenger - email
Alan Cunningham Alan Cunningham
Fred Noe signing an autograph. Fred Noe signing an autograph.

CLERMONT, KY (WAVE) - Jim Beam is the number one selling bourbon in the world, and now their stepping it up. For the first time ever, you can take a behind the scenes tour of how it's made, or you can visit the stillhouse, which provides a little bit of the past with the present.

Kentucky is the bourbon capital of the world. Master distiller, Fred Noe is responsible for the Beam product. He's also the great grandson of Jim Beam.

"Over the years, the secrets have been passed down from generation to generation," Noe explained.

His goal is to keep the same quality, add more choices, and educate people about the process, "It's something that people are doing more and more, coming here to Kentucky to see how Bourbon is made."

To give people a better understanding, Fred decided to build a new stillhouse, blending the history of the past with technology of today.

There's even a "stillevator,"  which is an elevator inside a giant still.

Fred said, "We've upgraded our whole experience to where people can actually do a tour, can see how bourbon is made. We have a tasting panel room, where you can go in and taste different products."

Although he's blending the new and the old, some things never change, like a handshake, picture or an autograph.

Alan Cunningham came across the pond to see the facility, "We're from the U.K., England."

The Cunningham's are spending their vacation in the bluegrass state, to learn about their favorite whiskey.

"The range of things in here and the fact that it gives you a sense of the history of the product and the family, it gives you an understanding of the roots, where it all comes from," said Cummingham.

Their first stop, Clermont, Kentucky, "Booked it over a year ago, been waiting ever since. It's great, Jim Beam being the first distillery; it's great to be here and the new centers impressive."

To learn more about the facility, click here.

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