Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. Commends The Century Council's Efforts to Educate Parents and Teens on the Dangers of Drunk Driving and Underage Drinking.

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)], a global leader in premium spirits, is pleased to support The Century Council's recent announcement that they will underwrite a multi-year research effort with George Mason University. The Century Council, a not-for-profit organization funded by distillers and dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, is sponsoring "Understanding Teen Drinking Cultures in America." This research is designed to provide a foundation for future efforts to fight underage drinking and to better understand the psychological and sociological factors that affect youths as they make decisions regarding whether to engage in alcohol-related behaviors.

Beam Global is also pleased to support The Century Council in the launch of additional educational programs in March, including:

* "Girl Talk," an interactive program designed to educate mothers and daughters about underage drinking and to improve the dialogue mothers should have with their teenage daughters about alcohol. A survey commissioned by The Century Council revealed that nearly half of all mothers think underage drinking is acceptable under some circumstances. The survey found that mothers of teenage daughters underestimate the occurrence of underage drinking among their own daughters and misjudge the seriousness of the issue. To combat these findings, The Century Council created the "Girl Talk" program, which was launched this month in Little Rock with the support of Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and in Boise with Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. The Century Council has produced a website for mothers, www.girlsanddrinking.org, and a website for daughters, www.grltlk.org, with additional information on how to start the underage drinking conversation.

* "Brandon Tells His Story," an educational program aimed at teens and their parents. Shortly before his high school prom, Brandon Silveria was involved in a near-fatal crash after drinking a few beers at a high school party. Brandon and his father Tony speak to local communities throughout the country and share this tragic story of drunk driving and underage drinking. In March, Brandon spoke to students in Los Angeles, California with Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA).

"We are committed to supporting The Century Council and their important mission to educate communities about the dangers and repercussions of drunk driving and underage drinking," stated Matt Stanton, vice president of corporate affairs, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. "We commend The Century Council for its support of George Mason University's research efforts to help us all understand how we can work towards a solution to eliminate underage drinking. Beam Global understands the importance of The Century Council's programs to our community, and we are honored to work with them to help start the dialogue between parents and their kids regarding the dangers of drunk driving and underage drinking."

Beam Global Spirits & Wine has an extensive history of supporting programs that help fight drunk driving and underage drinking. Through its drink smart[R] responsibility platform, Beam Global educates consumers on how to make responsible decisions about alcohol and reminds them of these basic principles: 1) if you're under 21, don't drink; 2) if you're of legal purchase age and choose to drink, do so in moderation; 3) never drive drunk and 4) if you can't drink responsibly, don't drink at all.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam[R] Bourbon, Sauza[R] Tequila, Canadian Club[R] Whisky, Courvoisier[R] Cognac, Maker's Mark[R] Bourbon, Laphroaig[R] Scotch Whisky, Larios[R] Gin, Whisky DYC[R], Teacher's[R] Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper[R] Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek[R] Bourbon and Starbucks[TM] Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

(c) 2008 Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., Deerfield, IL

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