Jim Beam Honey's Press Release:

Jim Beam® Honey On A Mission To Save Bees From A Serious Issue By "Suing" Bears

DEERFIELD, Ill., Aug. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Jim Beam® Honey, a new Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey infused with real honey and liqueur, is distressed by the current plight of the honey bees. A condition called Colony Collapse is causing honey bees to die at alarming rates. Fewer bees means less honey. Something needs to be done.

As passionate honey lovers and bee advocates, Jim Beam Honey has hired legendary "Seinfeld" attorney, Jackie Chiles, to "sue" honey's other biggest fan – the bears. That's right – it's time for bears to cease and desist from their rampant honey theft.

"Bears are egregious, devious, and just plain mischievous!" says Chiles, who has not represented a case since his "Seinfeld" days. "I'm here to go on the record – with Jim Beam Honey as my witness – to ensure that sweet, mouth-watering justice is served!"

This frivolous fight – a legal first – is something everyone can join. Fans 21 years and over can follow Jackie Chiles in his quest to sue the furry foes by using the #suethebears hashtag on Twitter. While Jackie fights the bears, Jim Beam Honey is focused on saving the bees. For every Tweet using the #suethebears hashtag on Twitter, Jim Beam Honey will donate $100 to the Pollinator Partnership (up to $25,000).

"We're excited to raise a glass of our new Jim Beam Honey and to raise awareness for the bees' plight," said Halley Kehoe, Senior Brand Manager, Jim Beam. "We know that bears love honey, and based on the excitement we've seen around our new product, it's clear that Jim Beam drinkers love it too."

Jim Beam Honey is also documenting every step and giving its fans the chance to follow along. Exclusive content will be released by Jim Beam Honey on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube along with a series of editorials on BuzzFeed.

Jim Beam Honey Donation to Help Save the Bees While Chiles handles those troublesome bears, there's another very real, mysterious and serious issue plaguing honey bees called "Colony Collapse Disorder." This winter marked among the highest death rate of bees ever documented and without bees to propel the pollination process, U.S. agriculture may face some serious threats. In fact, about one third of bees in beehives across America were reported missing or dead over the 2012/2013 winter season, according to a recent survey of commercial beekeepers.1

To support honey bees, Jim Beam Honey is funding research toward Colony Collapse Disorder through a donation to the Pollinator Partnership, the world's largest nonprofit organization dedicated exclusively to the protection of pollinators.

Get Your Paws on Jim Beam Honey "Lawsuit" and bears aside, Jim Beam Honey is a smooth whiskey experience that features the real flavor of golden honey. It's perfect for those who already enjoy whiskey or bourbon as well as those looking for a new flavor:

  • Jim Beam's inspired distillers infused our honey bourbon recipe with natural flavors that round out the edges, giving fans an incredibly smooth, 70-proof spirit with just the right amount of sweet honey flavor
  • The taste begins with complex notes of caramel, oak and vanilla and finishes with rich, sweet honey
  • It's delicious on its own, as a chilled shot, on the rocks or mixed

Jim Beam Honey is available nationwide and has a suggested retail price of $15.99 for 750mL. Prices vary by market and product size.

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, Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC and DeKuyper Cordials. 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 3,400 passionate associates worldwide generated 2012 sales of $2.5 billion (excluding excise taxes), volume of 38 million 9-liter equivalent 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.

Jim Beam® Honey, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey infused with Honey and Liqueur, 35% Alc./Vol. ©2013 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY. SEINFELD and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Castle Rock Entertainment. (s13) All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

1 http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/05/winter-honeybee-losses/

Video with caption: "Jackie Chiles is About to Get Mid-Legal on Bears." Video available at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-CG65532-20130816-1.mp4

Video with caption: "Jim Beam Honey Puts the "Class" in Class Action." Video available at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/FX-CG65532-20130816-2.mp4

Image with caption: "Jim Beam Honey and Jackie Chiles of "Seinfeld" Team Up to Sue the Bears." Image available at: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130819/CG65532

Contact

Dan Cohen
Beam Inc.
847-444-7657
Dan.Cohen@BeamGlobal.com

Heidi Chapp
Edelman
312-297-6994
Heidi.Chapp@edelman.com

SOURCE Jim Beam