Old Grand-Dad facts for kids

An advertisement for Old Grand-Dad from 1894.

Old Grand-Dad is a well-known brand of bourbon whiskey. It is made at the Jim Beam Plant in Clermont, Kentucky, in the United States. This brand was created by Raymond B. Hayden. He named it after his grandfather, Meredith Basil Hayden Sr., who was a famous distiller. You can see a picture of Hayden Sr. on every bottle. Today, a company called Beam Suntory owns and makes Old Grand-Dad.

As of December 2015, Old Grand-Dad and Old Overholt are both brands owned by Beam Suntory. They are often sold together and called "The Olds."

The Story of Old Grand-Dad

How It Began

The Hayden family started their first business distillery in 1840. A distillery is a place where alcoholic drinks are made. Old Grand-Dad whiskey has been made since that time. The company has changed owners several times over the years.

In 1899, the Wathen family bought Old Grand-Dad. This family had many interests in the whiskey business. Their companies later formed the American Medicinal Spirits Company. This company became part of the National Distillers Group.

During Prohibition

During a time called Prohibition, it was against the law to make or sell most alcohol in the United States. However, some companies were allowed to make "medicinal whiskey." This special alcohol was for people who needed it for medical reasons. Old Grand-Dad was one of the brands made during this time.

National Distillers had factories in different cities. These included Cincinnati, Ohio, Frankfort, Kentucky, and Louisville, Kentucky. They also made other famous brands like Old Crow, Old Overholt, and Old Taylor. In 1987, the National Distillers Group sold its alcohol business. It was bought by a company that later became Beam Inc..

Different Kinds of Old Grand-Dad

Old Grand-Dad is still one of the top ten best-selling straight whiskeys in the USA. It comes in different strengths, which are called "proofs."

• One version is 80 proof.
• Another is 100 proof, which is called "Bottled In Bond."
• There is also a very strong 114 proof version. This one is called "Barrel Proof" and comes in a special package.

In 2013, the 86 proof version was changed to 80 proof. Since 1992, Beam has also made another bourbon called Basil Hayden's. This brand is named after the same person, Meredith Basil Hayden Sr.