Minnesota bar busted for illegally serving Wisconsin-only beer

NY Daily News ^ | 4-20-15 | Meg Wagner

[SJackson]

Police said a bar in Maple Grove, Minn. was caught selling Spotted Cow, a beer that's only legal in Wisconsin.

A Minnesota bar was busted for illegally pouring a Wisconsin exclusive.

The owners of Maple Grove’s Maple Tavern could face felony resale charges for selling pints of Spotted Cow, a farmhouse beer brewed in Wisconsin and distributed only in-state, police said.

The Minneapolis-area bartenders drove across the border and loaded up on kegs of the coveted New Glarus Brewing Co. ale before they were busted during a sting last week, KMSP reported.

Undercover officers went to the Maple Tavern on April 13 after several anonymous tips. The pub had been bragging on its Facebook that the elusive brew was on tap, and some customs reported seeing the handle behind the bar, police said.

When the officers ordered frosty mugs of the Wisconsin-only Spotted Cow, they got them.

[pierrem15]

Probably crony capitalism-- I would guess you can only sell beer you obtain from a distributor licensed in Minnesota.

Those distributorships are coveted like taxi medallions for much the same reason.

New Glarus probably doesn't have the capacity to get a contract with a big distributor, and/or won't lower the price enough to allow the monopoly distributors to add the huge markup they're looking for or won't pay kickbacks, etc.

[momtothree]

“I guess this is my one foray into bootlegging”

Always knew you were a renegade, CL! :)

[nascarnation]

It was interesting because Paul Newman (a celebrity liberal) was so closely associated with the brand.

[Cold Heart]

Well if it was Coors Light couldn’t you just declare it as bottled water?

[DoughtyOne]

Did the same thing Kansas to Missouri.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Licensing agreement that the beer can only be distributed in WI. Luckily, I’m only 30 minutes away. It’s really good beer.

[Paladin2]

Poems are made by fools I fear, only Schlitz can make a beer....

[Red Badger]

Wow, we are soooo much safer now.......................

[fhayek]

Touche.

[riverdawg]

When I was a teenager, my father drank Schlitz beer. I couldn’t stand the taste of it, so he knew I would never try to sneak one from the fridge.

[goseminoles]

I remember dad bringing Coors into Florida in the 70’s. Around the time of Billy Beer.

[Red Badger]

I said, "Hands UP! I'm a cop, see?"....................

[10mm]

Licensing agreement with whom? I’m pretty sure that bar never signed any licensing agreement.

[nascarnation]

[kiryandil]

Betcha all the Minnesota peasants feel safer now.

Be sure to cut a check for your property taxes, Minnesota peasants! These folks need your support... LOL! :)

[clintonh8r]

....and they say we need more cops.

[riverdawg]

I didn't know the Paul Newman connection. Coors’ appeal to many of my beer-drinking friends at the time was that it was illicit and expensive. I thought it tasted watered-down, and didn't get caught up in the hype.

[SJackson]

Doubt liquor taxes were paid in Mn, maybe paid sales tax.

[MrEdd]

I was wondering how many posts it would take.

[SampleMan]

Thank goodness they removed these evil doers from society. Otherwise countless people would be making beer, selling beer, and drinking beer. This may sound like a victimless crime, but if this goes unpunished, people might start conducting all kinds of interstate commerce without paying the government their cut.