Jim Beam White Label
Clermont, Kentucky
Made at Beam's Clermont distillery and aged four years. Bottled at 80 proof, the legal minimum for straight bourbon. Mashbill figures are those reported by retailers and reviewers rather than a Beam datasheet.
- Age statement
- 4 years
- Aging
- New charred oak, 4 years
- Mashbill
- Corn 75%Rye 13%Malted barley 12%
- Grains
- corn, rye, malted barley
- Congeners
- Moderate
- Histamines
- Moderate
- Polyphenols
- Moderate
- Sulfites
- Very Low
- Tannins
- Moderate
- Sugar
- Very Low
- Additives
- Very Low
- Calories
- 98
- Sugar
- 0g
14g ethanol at 40% ABV. No sugar, so every calorie here is alcohol.
In its favor
- ✓Four years in the barrel, light oak extraction for a straight bourbon
- ✓80 proof means a smaller ethanol dose per pour
- ✓No additives permitted in straight bourbon
What to watch
- !Barley and rye in the mash = gluten grains
- !Still a new charred oak congener load
Factor by factor
Congeners Moderate ▾
Byproducts of fermentation (methanol, acetaldehyde, fusel alcohols). Strongly linked to hangover severity; darker, less-distilled spirits carry more.
Histamines Moderate ▾
Produced by bacteria during fermentation/aging. Trigger flushing, headaches, congestion in sensitive drinkers. High in red wine, beer, aged spirits.
Polyphenols Moderate ▾
Plant compounds with antioxidant activity. Slightly protective at low doses but at high concentrations may worsen hangover via tannin/quercetin reactions.
Sulfites Very Low ▾
Preservatives (SO₂) added to wine and some beers. Common trigger of headaches, asthma, and allergic-type reactions.
Tannins Moderate ▾
Astringent polyphenols from skins, seeds, barrels. Bind proteins, slow alcohol clearance, and aggravate dehydration-style symptoms.
Sugar Very Low ▾
Residual sugar amplifies hangover via blood-sugar swings and dehydration. Liqueurs and cocktails are the main offenders.
Additives Very Low ▾
Colorants, flavorings, glycerin, propylene glycol, sorbates. Cheap spirits and ready-to-drinks often hide these in trade-secret formulas.
White Label is the low end of the bourbon chemistry range for the plain reason that it is young and bottled at the minimum strength. Four years in new charred oak extracts far less than the eight to ten years behind pricier bottles, and 80 proof puts about a fifth less ethanol in a pour than a 100 proof bourbon.
Jim Beam White Label questions
How many calories are in a shot of Jim Beam White Label? ▾
About 98 calories in a 1.5oz shot at 40% ABV. All of them come from the alcohol, since there is no sugar.
Does Jim Beam White Label have sugar? ▾
No. Jim Beam White Label has 0g of sugar per 1.5oz serving.
Is Jim Beam White Label gluten-free? ▾
Not by label. Jim Beam White Label is distilled from rye and barley, so US rules bar it from claiming gluten-free. Distillation does remove the gluten protein, and the Celiac Disease Foundation considers distilled spirits safe for most coeliacs. If you would rather avoid the question, pick a spirit distilled from corn, potato, grape or agave.
What is Jim Beam White Label made from? ▾
Jim Beam White Label is made from corn, rye, malted barley, with a mashbill of 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley.
What proof is Jim Beam White Label? ▾
Jim Beam White Label is 80 proof, which is 40% alcohol by volume.
Does Jim Beam White Label give you a bad hangover? ▾
Jim Beam White Label scores 5/10 on the SpiritFacts Hangover Index, against 7/10 for bourbon overall. It is low on every hangover factor we track, so most of the morning after comes down to how much ethanol you drink.
Is Jim Beam White Label vegan? ▾
Yes. Jim Beam White Label is listed as vegan, with no animal-derived ingredients or fining agents.