Good riddance.
A Wisconsin brewery known for years of outspoken criticism of President Donald Trump is now facing the possible closure of its Madison taproom after state officials revoked alcohol permits connected to the business.
Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad says the Madison location will likely close by the end of the year as the company challenges the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s decision.
The controversy has quickly attracted attention because Minocqua Brewing Company has built a highly political public image, repeatedly criticizing Trump and other Republican politicians.
But Wisconsin officials say the permit dispute is about alcohol regulations—not the brewery’s political views.
State Officials Move Against Brewery’s Alcohol Permits
The Wisconsin Department of Revenue revoked permits connected to Minocqua Brewing Company’s Madison and Minocqua operations following allegations involving beer transported into Wisconsin from Illinois without the required permits and tax payments, according to Fox News’ September 25 report.
Bangstad disputes the state’s case and has argued that his company is being targeted because of its political activism.
The Department of Revenue has denied that allegation.
State officials told Fox News that the agency is committed to consistent enforcement of Wisconsin alcohol regulations and maintains that action was taken because the applicable laws were not followed.
Wisconsin law generally requires businesses selling alcoholic beverages to operate under the appropriate licenses or permits, with the state maintaining separate rules for producers, wholesalers and retailers.
The dispute has not reached its final conclusion because Minocqua Brewing Company is appealing the revocation.
That distinction is important. The brewery says politics played a role in the enforcement action, while Wisconsin officials say the case involves regulatory compliance.
Madison Taproom Could Close
Bangstad now says those regulatory problems could have serious consequences for the company.
The Madison taproom will likely shut its doors by the end of the year, he said, unless circumstances change as the company continues challenging the state’s decision.
For a business that has attracted national attention largely through political messaging, the potential closure marks a major new development.
It also raises a broader question surrounding politically outspoken businesses: What happens when political activism, commercial operations and government regulation collide?
In this case, the answer may ultimately depend on the administrative appeals process rather than politics itself.
Brewery Has Long Targeted Trump
Minocqua Brewing Company is hardly a newcomer to political controversy.
The brewery has repeatedly used its social-media accounts and beer promotions to attack Trump and other Republican politicians.
Earlier in 2026, the company attracted widespread criticism after promoting a future free-beer event tied to Trump’s eventual death.
The brewery did not initially identify Trump by name in the post, but subsequent comments and reporting connected the promotion to the president.
The company later generated additional controversy after an attempted attack at an event attended by Trump, posting a message suggesting its free-beer promotion had nearly been triggered.
Those remarks drew sharp criticism because of the violent circumstances surrounding the incident.
For an advertiser-supported news site, the underlying significance is less the inflammatory language itself than the unusual way the company has blended political activism with its commercial brand.
Mitch McConnell Promotion Sparked More Controversy
Trump has not been the brewery’s only Republican target.
Minocqua Brewing Company also promoted a future discount involving Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell, offering reduced-price beer following his eventual death.
The promotion generated another wave of national attention and criticism.
Together, the Trump and McConnell campaigns helped establish Minocqua Brewing Company as a business willing to use provocative partisan messages to generate publicity.
That strategy has made Bangstad and his brewery recognizable well beyond Wisconsin.
Now, however, attention has shifted away from political marketing and toward whether the company will be able to keep operating its Madison location.
Owner Became Directly Involved In Politics
Bangstad’s political activities have extended beyond social-media posts and brewery promotions.
He founded the Minocqua Brewing Company SuperPAC, which became involved in efforts opposing Republican political candidates and officeholders.
Federal Election Commission records currently identify the organization as a terminated independent-expenditure-only Super PAC. The committee reported more than $348,000 in receipts and approximately $381,000 in spending between January 1, 2025, and June 18, 2026, before ending with no reported cash on hand.
The FEC has also previously dealt with complaints involving the committee. In one 2022 matter, the commission dismissed several allegations and found no reason to believe the brewery and Bangstad violated the federal prohibition involved in another allegation.
Bangstad’s history of combining politics with his brewery therefore stretches back years.
Politics Or Regulation?
That history is now at the center of the brewery’s defense.
Bangstad argues that Minocqua Brewing Company has received unfair treatment because of its political positions.
Wisconsin officials offer a much different explanation.
The Department of Revenue says its decision involves enforcement of alcohol regulations and that political beliefs are not the reason for the action. The brewery, meanwhile, retains the ability to challenge the decision through the appeals process.
Without a final determination in that process, claims about political retaliation remain disputed rather than established fact.
That makes the coming proceedings particularly important.
A High-Profile Political Brand Faces A Business Test
Minocqua Brewing Company spent years establishing itself as much through politics as through beer.
Its attacks on Trump, controversial promotions and political spending helped transform a Wisconsin brewery into a nationally recognized political brand.
Now the company is confronting a challenge that could have a direct effect on its ability to remain in business at one of its locations.
Whether the Madison taproom ultimately closes will depend on what happens with the permit dispute and the company’s appeal.
For now, the brewery says it may be forced to shut the location by the end of the year, while state regulators maintain that the case is about compliance with Wisconsin alcohol laws—not political retaliation.
