Wisconsin brewery loses license after promising free beer on Trump’s death
Minocqua Brewing Company’s liquor license was revoked by state officials months after it advertised a free-beer giveaway for the day President Donald Trump dies.
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages sent Minocqua Brewing Company a notice on July 15 canceling its alcohol permit, forcing the brewery to stop sales by the following Tuesday. The move follows a social-media post by owner Kirk Bangstad that pledged a free-beer day when President Donald Trump dies, using the hashtag #freebeerday. State officials claim the revocation is due to the company’s sale and transport of beer brewed in Illinois without the required Wisconsin permits and unpaid excise taxes.
Bangstad, who bought the brewery with his late wife Elizabeth Smith in 2016 and repositioned it for progressive patrons, contends the action is retaliation by beer distributors and Republican officials. He announced plans to fight the decision “tooth and nail” while keeping his taps filled for “thirsty progressives.” The brewery, located in Minocqua, Wisconsin, markets beers named after figures such as Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Kamala Harris, and operates in a swing state currently led by Democratic Governor Tony Evers.
Why it matters
The case highlights how political expression can intersect with regulatory enforcement in a closely contested state.
How the sides frame it
LOW AGREEMENTLeft-leaning coverage frames the revocation as politically motivated retaliation, while right-leaning coverage emphasizes the brewery’s regulatory violations and the state’s enforcement action.
LEFT
Portrays the license cancellation as retaliation against a progressive brewery for its anti-Trump stance
RIGHT
Presents the revocation as a straightforward consequence of illegal beer transport and unpaid taxes
The left emphasises
- owner claims the action is retaliation by beer distributors and Republican officials
- the brewery was positioned for progressive patrons
- state officials cite illegal sale and transport of Illinois-brewed beer without permits
The right emphasises
- permit revoked due to transporting beer across state lines without proper paperwork or tax payments
- the Wisconsin Department of Revenue cited lack of required permits and unpaid excise taxes
- owner is described as a progressive activist who politicized the brewery
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