Reviews of American Still Life
"Barrel proof and unfiltered! As usual Pacult has delved deep, and revealed many hitherto unknown facts about the Beams. Best of all, though, this is a fascinating, page-turning, look into America's royal family of whiskey."
Gary and Mardee Haidin Regan: authors of The Book of Bourbon, publishers of ardentspirits.com.
"With his 'Old Jake Beam Sour Mash', Jacob Beam launched a whiskey dynasty. It's a superb story, and no one spins a great story better than F. Paul Pacult, America's most respected authority on distilled spirits."
Robert Whitley: Wine & Spirits Columnist, Copley News Service
"This is a stellar piece of documented history written in a most accessible style. With legions of disciples, F. Paul Pacult is a legend in the making."
Robert Plotkin: Spirits Author, BarMedia
"Highly regarded as America's pre-eminent authority on spirits, Paul Pacult relates a fascinating story of authentic pioneer and entrepreneurial endeavor, intertwined in a family saga spanning generations, all in the background of creating one of the most enduring and recognizable global brands, Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey. Pacult portrays figures larger than life up against the major events of our country's history, with a cast of characters and style that reads like a novel."
David Talbot: Associate Publisher, Wine Enthusiast Magazine
"An epic American story told with passion and insight.
Anthony Dias Blue: Wine & Spirits Editor, Bon Appetit
"How does a sour mash corn whiskey brand go from being a Kentucky family's 'adjunct farming activity' to founding a corporation that ships over five million cases worldwide each year? Pacult extensively researched the story of the Beam family, which is just as much a 19th-and 20th-century American history. The young country's struggles with slavery, Prohibition and war, its sociopolitical maturation and its shift from the agricultural to an industrial economy all come into play. A prolific spirits writer, Pacult has an expert's grasp on the topic..."
Publishers Weekly