The Booker Noe Distillery

[cowdery]

Jim Beam's Booker Noe Distillery is not open to the public and is out in the middle of nowhere (near a wide spot in the road called Boston). It is, however, close to I-65, making it easy for trucks to get in and out. They distill, barrel and age there, but don't bottle. I guess they dump where they bottle (Clermont and Frankfort), but they might dump there and take the product out in tankers. Loading, hauling, and unloading full barrels is something to be avoided. Most of the whiksey made at Boston becomes Jim Beam White Label. So does most of the whiskey made at Clermont too, but it's even more true at Boston.

Boston has been the focus of most of Beam's recent Kentucky investments. They have increased capacity there across the board. They have a lot of land and few neighbors.

The trio in the last picture live nearby.

[mozilla]

Great pictures Chuck! Is that the taste approval board for Beam white label in picture 5?

[craigthom]

I have a question about this distillery. I had to go here for work today (and am, in fact, sitting in the parking lot with my laptop). The sign out front says Booker Noe Plant DSP-KY 230. How can this plant and the one in Clermont have the same DSP number?

[cowdery]

I can't explain why, but Beam seems to be able to operate Boston and Clermont on the same permit. According to the TTB, they have three permits in Kentucky, registered to Clermont, Frankfort and Loretto (Maker's), respectively. There's no bottling at Boston, which there is at the other three, but I don't know if that's the explanation.

There are many anomolies in the current TTB list.

Looking at Cecil, 230 was the Old Murphy Barber plant's number, which was the original distillery at Clermont.

Boston was originally Churchill (RD #13). Barton owned it from 1951 until 1953, then sold it to Jim Beam. Booker was distiller there from the time Beam bought it until he retired in 1992. It's much bigger than Clermont.