Old overholt vs Jim Beam Rye?

[trumpstylz]

Can anyone comment on the differences and which they like better? Same distillery, so they're probably close.

[ethangsmith]

There's not much difference. I've had both, but I prefer the Overholt since it's a traditional PA whiskey name. The Overholt also may be a tad older since it's aged 4 years. I think the Beam rye is only 3 years.

[jburlowski]

I thought Jim Beam Rye is four years old.

[ethangsmith]

Could be. I thought it was 3, but I certainly could be wrong.

[White Dog]

Beam is an NAS, so it has to be at least 4yrs old. Plus, as the 2 most widely distributed Ryes, I'm sure they're both only 4 years old.

Same mashbill, same age, same price. These are the same damn products. Although some will say they could be from different parts of the warehouse.

I would be curious as to whether Rye is made at Clemont, Boston, or both. Then an actual argument could be made as to a difference.

(This should be in the Rye forum.)

[ebo]

I dislike them both, equally well. :grin:

[Enoch]

I dislike them both, equally well. :grin:

[trumpstylz]

I just figured it'd be good for mixing.

[camduncan]

Moved to the Rye forum guys...

As for the topic, I like them both when I'm looking for a not too complex, simple Rye drink. I also use both for mixing either Rye and coke or making Old Fashioned...

[tmckenzie]

They are pretty much the same now. When I first got to try both in the mid 90's both were way better products and they were totally different from each other. I read some where they each use a different yeast.

[Enoch]

They are pretty much the same now. When I first got to try both in the mid 90's both were way better products and they were totally different from each other. I read some where they each use a different yeast.

I agree. I have a 1993 bottle of Old Overholt and several bottles of 1983 Jim Beam Rye. They don't taste anything alike and don't taste anything like the current offerings.

[cowdery]

I believe all Beam rye is the same off the still and made at Clermont.

[White Dog]

I just figured it'd be good for mixing.

I love mixing Rye, and when I do, I want the highest proof. My favorite Manhattans were made with either Handy or Willett Rye. I only made 2 with the Handy, as I'm not made of money, but the Willett Rye is cask strength, and can be had for $35. Not the cheapest in the world, but damn good.

If I'm being frugal, I would rather mix OGD 114 than use OO or Beam Rye. Much better IMHO.

[chasking]

Jim Murray, in his book The Complete Guide to Whiskey (Triumph 1997), discussing rye whiskeys (this is back when there were only a handful of them), states regarding mashbills and production,

. . . Jim Beam's is 51 percent rye. The big boy is Old Overholt with an impressive 61 percent rye. * * *

n the case of the Beam brands, either their Claremont or Boston distilleries will be called into action, depending on which is available.

Now, that was at least 15 years ago, but Old Overholt was established as a Beam product at that point, and he must have gotten that information from somewhere.

[boneuphtoner]

I've sampled two recent bottles of these back to back and they were almost indistinguishable. The Overholt might have had just a touch more bite, but it was very subtle. I like both of these better than Pikesville Rye, which saddens me as a Marylander. Although the Pikesville isn't made in Maryland, but in Bardstown by Heaven Hill!

[chasking]

About ten years ago when I was first getting into whiskey, I had bottles of both Beam and OO, and I thought they tasted different. I preferred the OO, so that's what I tended to keep around for casual consumption and mixing. I ran out a while back and haven't picked up a new bottle. I suppose it might have changed over time. Perhaps I'll get one each of the JB and OO and blind taste them.

[cowdery]

Jim Murray, in his book The Complete Guide to Whiskey (Triumph 1997), discussing rye whiskeys (this is back when there were only a handful of them), states regarding mashbills and production,

. . . Jim Beam's is 51 percent rye. The big boy is Old Overholt with an impressive 61 percent rye. * * *

n the case of the Beam brands, either their Claremont or Boston distilleries will be called into action, depending on which is available.

Now, that was at least 15 years ago, but Old Overholt was established as a Beam product at that point, and he must have gotten that information from somewhere.

I like Jim, but he gets some of his information from his vivid imagination.

[weller_tex]

Old Overholt was something I could not even finish. Poured about half the bottle out. After that experience I did not bother trying the JB Rye since I figured they had to be the same stuff.

[smokinjoe]

I neither like, nor dislike OO and Beam Rye. These ryes are so flat That they border on being comatose. I feel that any discovery effort put into comparing and contrasting them would be about as scintillating as doing the same with Aquafina and Dasani water.

[boneuphtoner]

[/

I've sampled two recent bottles of these back to back and they were almost indistinguishable. The Overholt might have had just a touch more bite, but it was very subtle. I like both of these better than Pikesville Rye, which saddens me as a Marylander. Although the Pikesville isn't made in Maryland, but in Bardstown by Heaven Hill!

QUOTE]

After doing more tasting of the OO, Beam Rye, and Pikesville, I'm reversing my earlier statement. I now think Pikesville is my favorite of the three. And it also happens to be the cheapest in my area, less than $8 per bottle if you buy it by the case.

None of these are as flavorful as Rittenhouse, Sazerac, Handy, Bulleit, etc. But for my taste, for an inexpensive pour, I think I now would prefer these low cost ryes to almost any of the lower cost bourbons like EW black, Ancient Age, Beam White, etc.

[Brisko]

None of these are as flavorful as Rittenhouse, Sazerac, Handy, Bulleit, etc. But for my taste, for an inexpensive pour, I think I now would prefer these low cost ryes to almost any of the lower cost bourbons like EW black, Ancient Age, Beam White, etc.

Bingo. I've made no secret of the fact that I don't mind the Beam ryes, and it's not that they're stellar, by any means, rather it's that for $10 I can get a bottle of Overholt and for $16 I can get the Beam yellow label, and I do like them for a cheap, everyday sort of pour. Plus I like variety which is why I try to have several different ryes on hand. And, for the most part, I find bottom shelf ryes to be more palatable than bottom shelf bourbons.

Also I've posted elsewhere that I've had OO and Beam that were practically indistinguishable but continued (continuous?) sampling of more bottles leads me to believe that they may be selecting these to meet different profiles (which is Chuck Cowdery's opinion, I believe). If anything OO seems a bit thinner and more tannic, maybe a little spicier, where Beam has a little more structure and slightly more of a candy-sweetness. I also have had OO that was lighter colored than Beam, for what it's worth.

Now whether Beam has two profiles or if they are putting their "best" rye into the yellow label and the rest into OO, I don't know.

I know a lot of people don't like Beam in general, and their ryes specifically, and I get that-- but I'm not one of them. I'm not fond of their younger bourbons, though.

[stiffchainey]

Overholt all the way. I had both, and I like them both, but I personally think that there is a difference between the Beam Rye: the Overholt is more mellow.

Ah, maybe just a placebo or oldschool myth. I like them both anyway...