The Minocqua Brewing owner at the center of repeated political stunts now faces state action after agents seized inventory and officials say required excise taxes were not paid; the state has set an Aug. 4 hearing to consider revoking the brewery’s permit, and the owner vows to fight the move. His past social-media boasts, public threats, and politically charged beer labels have made him a lightning rod in Wisconsin politics. State agents report about $25,000 in canned beer seized and allege the product was brewed under contract out of state and sold in Wisconsin without proper permits or tax payments.

Kirk Bangstad runs Minocqua Brewing Company and has built a polarizing profile by mixing politics and beer. He publicly celebrated the death of a conservative commentator, saying “my heart is hard for men like Charlie Kirk because I spend all my empathetic reserves … for folks who are hurting because of men like Charlie Kirk.” That kind of rhetoric put him squarely in the crosshairs of critics across the state.

Bangstad didn’t stop there; he called the commentator’s funeral “propaganda” and added “may his soul never find peace.” He has threatened a citizen’s arrest of a billionaire and even sued to try to keep a major-party candidate off the ballot in 2024. Those actions turned his taprooms into political scenes and drew legal attention beyond typical business disputes.

In April he posted on social media offering free beer if someone successfully assassinated President Trump, a promise tied to the fallout after a failed assassination attempt at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That post intensified scrutiny and led to contact from federal agents, which Bangstad later publicized. Such overtly political and violent-sounding promotions made locals and lawmakers uneasy.

Bangstad has also used outside lists to target conservative parents and school candidates, and he drew further criticism after publishing the identity of a Secret Service agent who reached out after the free-beer post. Critics say that kind of doxxing is dangerous and irresponsible for a business owner. It increased the pressure on regulators and law enforcement to respond.

His public legal record includes harassment charges from an incident last June involving a newspaper publisher, and persistent zoning and permitting problems. Officials say he lost a conditional use permit for one location yet opened anyway, picking up more than a dozen tickets in a short span. Those enforcement actions paint a picture of a proprietor at odds with local rules and neighbors.

https://x.com/HeartlandPostWI/status/2081829532835663999

Now the Wisconsin Department of Revenue is moving to revoke Bangstad’s brewing permit on August 4. State agents report they seized about $25,000 worth of canned beer from Minocqua and Madison taprooms on June 11 and allege the product was brewed under contract in Illinois and sold in Wisconsin without required permits or excise tax payments. The Department has called the matter an active law enforcement action tied to a 2025 complaint and ongoing compliance talks.

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is moving to revoke Minocqua Brewing Company’s brewing permit on Aug. 4, according to a letter sent to owner Kirk Bangstad.

Bangstad, the self-described progressive activist and failed 2026 Democratic gubernatorial candidate known for his politically charged beers and outspoken social media rhetoric celebrating a foiled assassination attempt on President Donald Trump, called the move an “absurd act of heavy-handedness.” He promised to fight back, saying, “They’ll have to pry me out of my taprooms before I stop selling beer to thirsty progressives who come to visit us.”

The revocation notice comes after agents seized about $25,000 worth of canned beer from the brewery’s Minocqua and Madison taprooms on June 11. The Department of Revenue said the beer was brewed under contract in Illinois and sold in Wisconsin without the required permits or payment of state excise taxes, which Bangstad estimated at around $500.

Bangstad has claimed he attempted to pay the taxes but was prevented by the agency during months of talks. The Department of Revenue called the case an “active law enforcement action” stemming from a 2025 complaint and ongoing compliance discussions.

Incredible. A business owner who loudly supports higher taxes for others and runs on progressive politics apparently slipped past routine excise rules. That contrast between rhetoric and compliance will not sit well with many voters and regulators who expect equal treatment under the law. The optics are bad when rules matter for everyone except your own operation.

Richly deserved. When you position your brand as a political vehicle, you also accept the scrutiny that comes with it. Enforcement isn’t personal; it’s standard procedure when statutory requirements are in question.

Oh, he’ll blame President Trump and MAGA for this, and some of his supporters have prepped that script already. But the Department of Revenue is focused on permits, taxes, and seizures, not political theater. The case will play out on administrative and possibly legal grounds rather than on social media narratives.

What a deranged thing to promise: free beer if the President dies. That kind of statement crosses a line between edgy marketing and reckless, potentially criminal rhetoric. Promises like that convince neutral regulators they need to pay closer attention to the business behind the message.

Bangstad vows to fight the revocation and promises to keep serving customers who share his politics, but state officials are moving forward with a scheduled hearing. If the permit is revoked, the consequences for his Milwaukee, Minocqua, and Madison operations could be severe and immediate. This series of events is a reminder that political stunts can have hard, legal consequences for a commercial enterprise.