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NEW YORK — Next week, Budweiser and Jim Beam Bourbon will recognize and celebrate a historic day in America – Repeal Day – the official end of Prohibition. December 5th will mark the 85th anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition, and the iconic brands, each with impressive Prohibition survival stories, are calling on drinkers 21 and up to celebrate responsibly on this momentous day.
“Prohibition is not only a part of Budweiser’s longstanding history but America’s too,” said Monica Rustgi, vice president of marketing for Budweiser. “Each year, we use December 5th as an opportunity to appreciate the right to drink in America and we’re excited to extend the celebration to drinkers across the country.”
On December 5th , Budweiser and Jim Beam are rallying the industry and the country for Repeal Day, from office-wide events to local bar takeovers. Budweiser will start with inviting employees to end the day early to celebrate, while both brands will encourage employees to toast their right to enjoy America’s two iconic beverages at 5:32 pm – the exact minute Repeal was ratified 85 years ago. The two brands will also host Prohibition-era celebrations across the country.
People across New York City will enjoy Repeal Day alongside the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales as they march through the streets delivering beer just like they did in D.C. to deliver the first legal batch of beer post-Prohibition. The Budweiser Clydesdales were first gifted to August A. Busch Sr. from his sons to celebrate Repeal and serve as a reminder of the prosperous days the company enjoyed prior to prohibition. Budweiser will also deploy Out of Home displays across the country, inviting fellow brewers in the industry to join in the Repeal Day celebration, while also calling upon beer drinkers everywhere to wear red bow tie as they enjoy their right to drink on December 5th.
Jim Beam, a brand that dates back to 1795 but paused production during Prohibition, will commemorate the holiday with a range of retail programming including speakeasy parties across the country.
“Jim Beam’s been doing things the right way in Kentucky for over 200 years – even during Prohibition, when my great-granddad James B. Beam waited until Repeal to rebuild our distillery and continue producing bourbon,” said Jim Beam’s 7th generation Master Distiller Fred Noe. “We figure the anniversary of Repeal may not be a national holiday, but it’s still grounds to celebrate. And we’re thrilled to raise a glass alongside our friends at Budweiser to honor this historic moment.”
The World’s most valuable beer brand and the World’s No. 1 bourbon brand share impressive histories of persevering through Prohibition while they were unable to produce their signature products. Both brands have thrived in the decades since Repeal; and earlier this year, Budweiser Brewmasters and Jim Beam’s 7th Generation Master Distiller Fred Noe came together to create a first-ever collaboration brew, Budweiser Reserve Copper Lager, to celebrate the Repeal of Prohibition. Copper Lager, the third installment in Budweiser’s successful Reserve Collection, is on shelves now and the drink of choice for this occasion.
To learn more about Repeal Day and Budweiser Reserve Copper Lager, visit Budweiser and Jim Beam.
