'Biden Beer' Targeting Trump... "Have a Beer After Getting the COVID Vaccine" [Beer and Politics]

Released Right After Biden's 2020 Election Victory
Used to Encourage Vaccination During COVID-19

Editor's NoteWhat if the most popular alcoholic beverage, beer, carried a political message? In Western countries, new beers with political messages are sometimes released whenever there are major shifts in the political landscape. We examine the background behind the release of these 'special edition' beers with political messages and the related changes in international affairs.

Biden Beer launched in November 2020 by the American brewery Minocqua Brewing. Minocqua Brewing official website

One representative example of a politically themed beer in the United States is the 'Biden beer,' which was launched in November 2020 to coincide with President Joe Biden's then-election victory. This beer, created targeting President Donald Trump who does not drink alcohol, gained explosive popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden beer also became embroiled in controversy over campaign funding during last year's U.S. presidential election.

Beer Released to Mark Biden's Inauguration... Attack on the Non-Drinking Trump

In September 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump attending the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is seen pouring diet cola into a wine glass and drinking it. Photo by AP and Yonhap News.

The manufacturer of Biden beer is 'Minocqua Brewing,' a brewery based in Wisconsin. According to The New York Times (NYT), Kirk Bangstad, CEO of Minocqua Brewing, released the beer on November 11, 2020, shortly after President Biden's election victory, to celebrate the occasion.

At the time of the beer's release, Bangstad posted on Instagram, "Biden beer is a K?lsch style, a traditional beer from the Cologne region of Germany, with a smooth and not very bitter taste," emphasizing, "It’s called Biden beer, but you can read it as comfort." This implied that the beer was released to support President Biden, who was highlighted for his gentle leadership in contrast to the aggressive rhetoric of President Trump, who was criticized for his confrontational behavior.

After its release, Biden beer was promoted mainly by the Biden campaign and the U.S. Democratic Party. The Democrats emphasized that unlike President Trump, who avoided alcohol even at official events, President Biden had no aversion to drinking. President Trump is famously known to have abstained from alcohol his entire life after his brother died from alcoholism. At the UN General Assembly dinner in September 2018, he was seen drinking diet cola from a wine glass while other leaders drank wine.

Bangstad is one of Wisconsin’s ardent Democratic supporters. Before the 2020 U.S. presidential election, starting in September, he hung banners supporting Biden at his bar but was warned by authorities to reduce the size of the banners. He also has a history of running for the Wisconsin state legislature but lost to a Republican candidate.

"Get a Free Beer After Vaccination" - Popularity and Controversy During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Reuters·Yonhap News

The peak popularity of Biden beer was in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration ran a promotion offering free beer to vaccinated individuals to increase vaccination rates, which boosted the beer’s popularity.

In June 2021, President Biden launched a large-scale promotion aiming for a 70% COVID-19 vaccination rate. In a White House speech, he said, "Get vaccinated and have a free beer," emphasizing, "The more people get vaccinated, the greater success we can achieve in the fight against the virus." Under this promotion, American adults could enjoy a beer worth about five dollars after vaccination.

The promotion, called 'Shot and a Beer,' was implemented nationwide in the U.S. Major beer companies such as Anheuser-Busch, the producer of Budweiser, as well as local small breweries like Minocqua Brewing, which made Biden beer, participated extensively.

However, Minocqua Brewing became embroiled in controversy during the COVID-19 period. Bangstad faced criticism from parents after he filed a class-action lawsuit against schools in Wisconsin that did not enforce mask mandates. According to ABC News, in October 2021, Minocqua Brewing filed lawsuits against schools violating COVID-19 safety measures in Wisconsin and even launched fundraising campaigns for the lawsuits. At the time, Bangstad stated, "I hope many more progressive organizations and politicians will join the battlefield to fight against these regressive school boards."

CEO of Brewery That Made 'Biden Beer' Faces Multiple Lawsuits... Controversy Over Misuse of Campaign Funds

Kirk Bangstad, CEO of Minocqua Brewing. Kirk Bangstad Blog

The future of Biden beer is currently uncertain. Bangstad has recently been involved in various legal disputes while operating a political fundraising group called a 'Super PAC' during the U.S. presidential election and conducting fundraising activities in Wisconsin.

According to Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR), Bangstad is currently on trial for fraud charges alleging he misappropriated $500,000 (approximately 726 million KRW) of Super PAC funds as of the 20th of last month. He reportedly used Super PAC funds to cover legal fees while engaged in a defamation lawsuit with the right-wing Wisconsin media outlet Lakeland Times.

Previously, he had officially promised to donate a portion of the profits from the sales of Biden beer and other beers produced by his brewery to the Super PAC. However, it was revealed that he never donated any portion of the profits to the Super PAC, leading to heavy criticism. WPR reported that four lawsuits related to his alleged misappropriation of funds are currently ongoing.