6/15/2026

MINOCQUA - State officials seized more than $25,000 worth of beer from Minocqua Brewing Co.'s Madison and Minocqua locations as part of an investigation into taxes and permits related to beer imported from Illinois. Owner Kirk Bangstad said he attempted to pay the required Wisconsin excise taxes, and the Wisconsin Department of Revenue said it had been working with the company for months to address compliance issues. The department described the matter as an active law enforcement investigation and declined to provide details but cited state laws governing the sale of out-of-state alcohol.  Bangstad suggested the enforcement action may have been politically motivated, while state officials said the inspection was coordinated in advance with the company's legal counsel.