A Wisconsin brewery whose owner once promised to give away free beer if President Donald Trump dies is set to lose its alcohol permit, state officials confirmed to USA TODAY on July 29.
Minocqua Brewing Company, owned by outspoken progressive activist Kirk Bangstad, will have its alcohol permit revoked Aug. 4, according to the state’s Department of Revenue.
The action follows a June raid in which state officials seized canned beer from Bangstad’s company, alleging it had been transported into Wisconsin from Illinois without the required permits and taxes, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY Network.
“The Wisconsin Division of Alcohol Beverages is dedicated to the fair and consistent enforcement of alcohol beverages regulations in Wisconsin,” the agency said in a statement. “The division is required to follow and implement state law, including ensuring permit holders and licensees follow all applicable laws and regulations.”
Brewery owner vows legal fight
Bangstad, who describes Minocqua Brewing Company as “the state’s most progressive brewery,” blasted the state’s decision in a newsletter and asked supporters to contribute to a legal defense fund.
“We’re going to fight the state of Wisconsin tooth and nail, and once again, they’ll have to pry me out of my taprooms before I stop selling beer to thirsty progressives who come to visit us,” Bangstad wrote July 26.
He called the revocation “heavy-handed” and said he intends to challenge the decision.
FBI interview added to controversy
The permit revocation comes about three months after FBI agents interviewed Bangstad over a social media post that appeared to reference an alleged assassination attempt against Trump following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 25.
Authorities said Cole Allen tried to force his way through a security checkpoint and fired a shotgun outside the ballroom where Trump and members of his Cabinet were gathering.
In a Facebook post from the brewery’s account, Bangstad wrote: “Well, we almost got #freebeerday. Either a brother or sister in the Resistance needs to work on their marksmanship or he faked another assassination to get a positive news cycle.”
Video later posted by Bangstad showed FBI agents questioning him and his attorney about the comment, including whether he or anyone he knew intended to harm Trump or Vice President JD Vance or supported groups with that goal.
Bangstad and his attorney told agents they neither planned nor wished harm on Trump or Vance and did not support any groups advocating violence against them.
Long-running disputes
Bangstad has frequently made headlines for blending political activism with his brewery business, often using his platforms to criticize Trump and other Republicans. The permit fight is the latest chapter in a dispute with state regulators that has played out in courtrooms, government offices and the public arena for years.
With the Aug. 4 deadline approaching, Bangstad says he plans to challenge the revocation in court as state officials move forward with pulling the brewery’s permit.
Contributor: Molly Beck, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the USA TODAY network
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.
