A Wisconsin brewery and taproom known for promising “free beer” when President Donald Trump dies is drawing renewed scrutiny for posting on Facebook “we almost got #freebeerday.”
The Minocqua Brewing Company is owned by Wisconsin Democrat Kirk Bangstad, a former state Assembly candidate who has repeatedly used the brewery’s brand to attack Trump and Republicans. The brewery’s social media lamented Saturday night’s foiled attack at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“Well, we almost got #freebeerday,” the company’s post read, although Fox News could not immediately identify the poster’s tie to the owner. “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. We’ll never know.”
“Regardless, we stand at the ready to pour free beer the day it happens,” the post concluded.
Bangstad was the Democrat nominee for Wisconsin’s 34th Assembly District in 2020, according to Ballotpedia, but lost the general election.
Minocqua Brewing sells politically themed merchandise, including shirts saying, “I wish it was free beer day,” and pitches its progressive brand that pairs beer with activism and “snarky progressive merch.”
Fox News Digital previously reported on the brewery’s “free beer day” vow. In January, Fox News highlighted a Minocqua Brewing message offering “free beer, all day long, the day he dies,” and noted Bangstad’s comment that he would welcome people to celebrate Trump’s “impending death” with one caveat: “no red hats allowed.”
Fox News also identified Bangstad as the founder of the Minocqua Brewing Company super PAC, which targets Trump and Republicans. Also, Bangstad once sued to keep Trump off the Wisconsin ballots before the 2024 presidential election.
The fresh backlash followed Saturday night’s security scare at the WHCA dinner in Washington, where Trump and first lady Melania Trump were evacuated after shots were fired outside the ballroom.
Fox News reached out Sunday to Bangstad, the brewery and the Wisconsin Democratic Party.
In a January statement to Fox News, Bangstad welcomed the celebration of the “impending death” of Trump.
Bangstad and Minocqua Brewing have drawn repeated scrutiny beyond their anti-Trump messaging. Wisconsin Public Radio reported Bangstad was charged last year in a harassment case tied to a dispute with a local newspaper publisher, and Wisconsin newspaper reporting said he later entered a no-contest plea in a disorderly conduct case and was found guilty earlier this month.
Trump-backed House candidate Michael Alfonso called out the normalization of Bangstad’s rhetoric in the state.
“This brewery is owned by a man named Kirk Bangstad, and he’s not just some random crazy guy,” Alfonso posted on X. “Kirk is friends with current Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Francesca Hong. He previously employed Rebecca Cooke, the Democrat currently running against Derrick Van Orden, and was himself the Democratic nominee against my father-in-law, Sean Duffy, in Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District—where I am now running for office.”
Wisconsin Republicans and the Republican National Committee are calling out the ties to Bangstad.
“Wisconsin Democrats are so sick in the head that an attempted murder is funny to them,” RNC spokeswoman Delanie Bomar told Fox News Digital on Sunday morning.
“All Wisconsin Democrats, including Rebecca Cooke, must immediately condemn this disgusting behavior.”
Amid the criticism, both Cooke and Hong’s campaign responded to Fox News’ request for comments, but did so without mentioning ties to Bangstad by name.
“This rhetoric is dangerous and unacceptable – showcasing just how broken our political system is,” Cooke told Fox News via email from her campaign manager. “I denounce all forms of political violence.
“We need to bring the temperature down, stop pitting working folks against each other, and come together to solve the very serious problems facing our communities.”
Still, the National Republican Congressional Committee called on Cooke to call out her former employer “by name.”
“Rebecca Cooke needs to stop hiding and immediately denounce her former employer, Kirk Bangstad’s dangerous and unhinged comments,” NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon told Fox News in a statement Sunday afternoon.
“Cooke’s previous employment by Bangstad makes her silence even more unacceptable. Voters deserve to know whether she stands with Wisconsinites who reject this rhetoric or with the same extremist voices pushing it.
“If Cooke wants to be taken seriously, she should condemn Bangstad by name, and do it now.”
Hong also posted a lengthy response in multiple X posts after being reached by Fox News on Sunday, but also do not mention Bangstad by name.
When asked about comments specifically mentioning the brewery or its owner, Becky Cooper, Hong’s campaign manager pointed back to the X posts.
“That would fall under the ‘becoming numb’ portion,” Cooper wrote to Fox News via email. “[Minocqua Brewing Company’s] tweet is intentionally inflammatory and a symptom of the normalization of political violence.”
Fox News also reached out to Cooke’s campaign for comment.
