Sir, This Is a Brewery: In an indication of how closely watched the U.S. election was abroad, the first brewery to jump on the name Four Saisons Total Landscaping is Rascals, based in Dublin, Ireland.
Biden Beer: In northern Wisconsin, Minocqua Brewing announced the release of its Biden Beer. Earlier this year, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, county officials threatened to sue the brewpub because its Biden campaign sign out front was too large. Brewery owner Kirk Bangstad promptly started a #freeourbidensign campaign and sold T-shirts to help pay for the expected fines. When those fines never happened, Bangstad—who recently lost a Wisconsin Assembly election to a Republican incumbent—told the Sentinel that he planned to donate the money to progressive causes. Bangstad describes the Kölsch-style ale as “inoffensive and not too bitter.”
Trump Beer: Chicago’s Latino-owned 5 Rabbit Cervecería re-released its popular blonde ale, Chinga Tu Pelo—which is Spanish for “fuck your hair.” The can art features a coif similar to that sported by the outgoing president. As the story goes, 5 Rabbit originally brewed the beer exclusively for the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. Then Donald Trump, still a presidential candidate, made statements that likened Mexican immigrants to criminals and rapists. The next morning, 5 Rabbit called Trump Tower and canceled the arrangement. Within days, they had rechristened the beer. Proceeds have gone toward legal services for Latino immigrants and urban renewal projects. “The protest isn’t over,” the brewery says.
Election Day Imbibery: Home delivery services report that beer and other alcohol purchases saw a spike on Election Day. Drizly, the alcohol delivery app that operates in 32 states, reports that beer orders were up 15 percent on Election Day—but more drinkers voted for wine (up 42 percent) and liquor (41 percent). (Can we get a recount?) Drizly says the city that saw the biggest increase in orders was Washington, D.C., with a 133 percent jump. Boston was a distant second, at 83 percent. Drizly also says that sales jumped about 75 percent in blue states versus about 33 percent in red states. Minibar, another app-based delivery service active in 50 cities, says it saw bigger increases for beer (82 percent) than for liquor (61 percent) or wine (59 percent).
No word on the degree to which drink orders continued as Election Day seemed to stretch into weeks.