Wisconsin Department of Revenue agents seized approximately $25,000 worth of canned beer from Minocqua Brewing Co. taprooms in Minocqua and Madison on June 11 as part of an ongoing investigation into the company’s failure to obtain proper permits and pay state excise taxes on beer produced in Illinois.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the seizure followed several months of discussions between the brewery and DOR officials after a complaint last year. Agents inspected a Madison warehouse and taproom, where they found Illinois-brewed beer being sold without the required Wisconsin tax documentation, classifying it as contraband under state alcohol beverage laws. At the same time, local police assisted with a similar seizure at the Minocqua location.
DOR officials have stated that state law requires permits and tax payments for out-of-state beer sold in Wisconsin to ensure compliance with excise taxes and safety standards. The department noted it had worked with the brewery and its legal counsel for several months prior to the inspection.
In a lengthy Facebook post the following day, brewery owner Kirk Bangstad described the seizure as “malicious harassment” and alleged it was politically motivated by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers in response to Bangstad’s criticism and failed gubernatorial campaign. Bangstad outlined a multi-year timeline of disputes with distributors, online sales restrictions, and permitting issues, blaming the Tavern League of Wisconsin, beer distributors, and Republican-supported laws. He stated that attempts to comply, such as shifting production to Illinois and applying for storage permits, were met with inconsistent enforcement, and that requests for leniency on a $500 excise tax were denied.
Bangstad stated that the DOR prevented the company from paying the tax and accused agents of a “bait and switch” during the inspection. He announced plans to seek an emergency injunction in Dane County court to recover the beer and to file a broader lawsuit alleging violations of interstate commerce rules under the 2005 Supreme Court case Granholm v. Heald. “These are the times when it helps to have a sense of humor,” Bangstad posted, noting that both taprooms remain open “but there’s a lot less beer in there for you to buy—temporarily.”
The episode marks another chapter in Bangstad’s long-running conflicts with regulators, institutions and government oficials. His response continues a pattern of attributing enforcement actions to political motives rather than his own failures in regulatory compliance.
The seizure also carries an ironic twist given Bangstad’s past promotion of a “Free Beer Day” tied to former President Donald Trump’s death. State revenue agents now appear to have claimed their own version of Free Beer Day.
