A popular brewery that promised free beer to its patrons upon the death of President Donald Trump is having its alcohol permit revoked.

The Wisconsin Department of Revenue is planning to shut down the Minocqua Brewing Company by August 4, according to a newsletter published Sunday by brewery owner Kirk Bangstad, who described the business as “the state’s most progressive brewery.”

Bangstad, a liberal activist who often posts anti-Trump messages on the company’s social media accounts, said he plans to fight against the decision “tooth and nail” after receiving a letter from state officials dated July 15, and asked readers to donate to the brewery’s legal defense fund.

“We need all the money we can get to sue the Department of Revenue and stay in business,” Bangstad said in an email to The Independent.

“As you can imagine, I’m not taking this lying down,” he wrote in the Substack post. “We’re going to fight the state of Wisconsin tooth and nail, and once again, they’ll have to pry me out of my taprooms before I stop selling beer to thirsty progressives who come to visit us.”

He went on to list each of the rules that the DOR’s Division of Alcoholic Beverages has claimed that the company had broken, and explained why he believes the minor violations do not warrant the shutdown.

The company, which has locations in Madison and Minocqua, has until August 4 to appeal the revocation.

Wisconsin’s DOR said in an email to The Independent: “The Division of Alcohol Beverages is dedicated to the fair and consistent enforcement of alcohol beverages regulations in Wisconsin. The division is required to follow and implement state law, including ensuring permit holders and licensees follow all applicable laws and regulations. The division takes appropriate actions when these laws are not followed.

“We can confirm that the Department of Revenue has issued notice of a Brewer's permit revocation for two Minocqua Brewing Company locations and notice of an Alcohol Beverage Warehouse permit revocation for one location. The business has until August 4th to appeal and can operate during the appeal process,” the statement concluded.

As the agency carries out the investigation, Bangstad has shared his concerns that he might be getting pushed out of business due to his vocal political views rather than the reported violations.

“Everyone reading this, Democrat or Republican, should recoil at the thought of a small and thriving business being destroyed by their state government over such small violations—especially a brewery in the state of Wisconsin!” he said.

It comes after the brewery appeared to suggest on social media that it would give out free beer if Trump were to die, although the January 22 post did not include his name, as first reported by Fox News Digital.

“Free beer, all day long the day he dies,” the post said. “Show us this post when it happens in a few months and we’ll make good on that promise.” The post was later updated to clarify, “we meant the Madison Taproom because that’s open all year, if he dies in the summer, then it’s gonna be the Minocqua Taproom.”

After shots were fired while Trump was present at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April, the brewery’s Facebook said, “Well, we almost got #freebeerday.”

In a new Substack post shared Wednesday, Bangstad shared that he replied to Fox News Digital’s request for comment with a similar joke promising half-off beers in the name of Mitch McConnell, who was recently hospitalized.

Bangstad concluded his letter: “Together, we’ll get to the bottom of who’s trying to put us out of business and silence our voice in Wisconsin—one beer at a time.”