Hasta La Creative!

Anheuser-Busch InBev is reaching back nearly 100 years in hopes of giving its struggling Budweiser brand a boost. A limited-edition brew called 1933 Repeal Reserve Amber Lager hits shelves today, claiming inspiration from a recipe used before Prohibition began in 1920.

Pre-prohibition style beers have been on the scene for years, made mostly by craft brewers that have sought to recreate the formulas of the bygone era. Of course, the craft brewers of today were not around before Prohibition hit. But Anheuser-Busch, which was acquired by InBev in 2008, has been around since 1852, giving the brewer a link to recipes its founders once used. The new brew is based on an amber lager Adolphus Busch sold in the St. Louis area before Prohibition arrived in 1920, according to the brewer. It packs a bigger punch than regular Bud6.1 percent alcohol-by-volume versus 5 percentand is described as having a “light, hoppy aroma and a rich caramel-malt taste.”

The marketing and packaging includes plenty of nostalgic nods, including a shorter bottle known as a “stubby.” In partnership with Lyft, the brewer on Wednesday will offer New Yorkers rides in five Bud-branded cars in Manhattan meant to resemble 1930s-era vehicles. The special rides, available on a first-come-first-serve basis between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. for people who sign up at Lyft’s website, will include tours of landmarks and neighborhoods with links to Prohibition. A TV ad by VaynerMedia shows the brew being poured in a modern-day speakeasy.

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