Beam Inc. Opens New Jim Beam(R) American Stillhouse Visitors' Experience and Global Innovation Center

CLERMONT, KY--(Marketwire - Oct 3, 2012) - Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM)

• Company expects to more than double tourism and attract 200,000 guests annually in Clermont
• Opening marks Beam's one-year anniversary as a standalone publicly traded company

Beam Inc. (NYSE: BEAM), a leading global premium spirits company, officially unveiled its new visitors' center -- The Jim Beam American Stillhouse -- at its flagship distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.

Offering visitors both a look back at its illustrious 218-year history, as well as first-ever tours inside the world's largest bourbon distillery, the opening of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse as well as the company's new Global Innovation Center reflects a $30 million multi-year investment by Beam.

Governor Steven L. Beshear joined Beam President & CEO Matt Shattock and seventh generation Jim Beam master distiller Fredrick "Fred" Booker Noe III to officially open the doors and commemorate Beam's unwavering commitment to the bourbon industry -- an industry it helped create when Jacob Beam made his first Bourbon whiskey in Kentucky in 1795.

"Today is another great day for the Commonwealth of Kentucky," said Governor Beshear. "The Bourbon industry plays a vital role in Kentucky's economic success and the opening of the fantastic Jim Beam American Stillhouse means more tourism for our state and ultimately more jobs for Kentucky families."

"It's only fitting that we're opening the doors to our new Jim Beam visitors' experience one year to the day after becoming a publicly traded standalone spirits company named Beam," said Shattock. "Our visitors' center is a testament to both our treasured heritage and our exciting future. Jim Beam is the world's #1 bourbon, and now it has bourbon's #1 visitors' experience. We're thrilled to bring our flagship Jim Beam brand to life in an entirely new way for all the brand's fans and consumers around the world."

In addition to the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, Beam also celebrated the opening of its new 57,000 square foot Global Innovation Center on the distillery grounds that features state-of-the-art technical, R&D and design labs that will fuel the company's aggressive new-product development initiatives for all markets around the world. 

"We aim to deliver 25 percent of our company's annual sales growth from new products, and our new Global Innovation Center will help ensure our innovation capabilities remain second to none," added Shattock.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse
A replica of a 1930s stillhouse, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse showcases the centuries-old Jim Beam Bourbon-making process from start to finish. Guided tours start with Beam's natural limestone water well and take guests through the mashing, distilling, barreling, storing and bottling lines. A total whiskey immersion engages the senses, while also offering guests a historical look at The First Family of Bourbon.

"Jim Beam is Kentucky, and Kentucky is Jim Beam," said Noe. "Our new center highlights our close relationship and greets visitors with open arms into our history and heritage. The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is a place where guests come as a friend and leave as family."

Special features of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse include:

• An original staircase from the historic Jim Beam distillery circa Prohibition;
• A signature "stillevator" which elevates guests to the center's second floor just like a new born spirit rises during distillation;
• Self-guided walking tours (complimentary), as well as in-depth guided tours ($8);
• A one-of-a-kind retail experience offering branded items featuring the world's No.1-selling Bourbon Jim Beam, Knob Creek^® Bourbon, Red Stag by Jim Beam^™, Devil's Cut^™, Basil Hayden's^® Bourbon, Old Tub^® and Old Grand Dad^®, as well a variety of exclusive bottlings, including:
  
  
  • Jim Beam^® American Stillhouse 2012 Clermont Limited Edition Bourbon - Hand-numbered and signed by seventh generation Jim Beam family Master Distiller Frederick "Fred" Booker Noe III, only 2,400 bottles of this seven-year-old whiskey are available (SRP: $34.99 )
  • Old Tub Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - Prior to Prohibition, Jim Beam Bourbon was called Old Tub. Aged four years at 100 proof bottled in bond, Old Tub is being offered in 375ml flasks (SRP: $16.99)
  • Jim Beam American Stillhouse Decanters - A nod to the grand opening of the Jim Beam American Stillhouse, this commemorative decanter brings back a piece of Jim Beam history for all to enjoy. Since the early 1950s, hundreds of Beam decanters have celebrated history, sports, politics and more. Each decanter retails for $199.99.

The Jim Beam American Stillhouse is located approximately 30 minutes southeast of Louisville and is open weekdays and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Closed on Sundays in January and February, as well as New Year's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day). 

For more information or to order your reservation tickets online, visit the Jim Beam American Stillhouse online at www.AmericanStillhouse.com or under the "distillery" section of www.JimBeam.com. Or like Jim Beam Bourbon on Facebook and follow the brand on Twitter via #AmericanStillhouse to get announcements about the Distillery.

About Beam Inc.
As one of the world's leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company's brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker's Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher's Scotch Whisky, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, EFFEN Vodka, Pucker Flavored Vodka, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC, DeKuyper Cordials, and Skinnygirl Cocktails. Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,300 passionate associates worldwide generated 2011 sales of $2.8 billion, volume of 34 million 9-liter cases and some of the industry's fastest growing innovations.

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index. For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

© 2012 Beam Inc., Deerfield, IL