Downtown Minneapolis gay bar drops Anheuser-Busch products
Longtime downtown Minneapolis gay bar The Saloon will no longer sell Bud Light or other Anheuser-Busch beverages because of how the beer brand handled backlash from a marketing campaign involving a transgender influencer.
With the Twin Cities Pride festival set for this weekend, the Hennepin Avenue bar announced Monday that it was cutting ties with the St. Louis-based brewing giant and replacing its products with beers from local breweries.
The Saloon’s decision follows months of controversy after Bud Light partnered with Dylan Mulvaney, who identifies as a transgender woman, for an April 1 social media promotional video. The brand sent her specially designed boxes to celebrate her first year post-transition.
It sparked conservative backlash, particularly on Twitter, and led to a boycott of the drink. The marketing managers responsible for the campaign ended up taking leave.
John Moore, owner of The Saloon, said Anheuser-Busch had an opportunity to support a marginalized community in a way few other companies have attempted, but the company abandoned that direction.
“I̵[ads1]7;m so protective of doing business with people who have integrity and don’t come in on an anti-queer agenda,” Moore said.
Moore replaced products like Bud Light, Michelob Golden Light and Michelob Ultra a couple of weeks ago, he said. Beer from Minneapolis breweries Modist Brewing Co. and Bauhaus Brew Labs are now offered instead.
Anheuser-Busch did not respond to a request for comment.
Cans of Bauhaus Brew Labs Wonderstuff Pilsner and Lounge Wizard Hazy Pale Ale are now on sale at The Saloon, where spirits are the top sellers. “It’s great to see a downtown bar take that stand and go with a local brewer instead that aligns with their values,” said Matt Schwandt, president and co-founder.
While Anheuser-Busch initially received anti-trans criticism, it soon drew ire from Mulvaney’s fans and other LGBTQ supporters who felt the brand was not genuine in its support of Mulvaney or the community.
Minneapolis-based Target experienced similar controversy when it pulled some of its Pride merchandise following social media outrage.
After more than two decades as America’s best-selling beer, Bud Light slipped into second place this month, due in part to a recent decline in sales.
Modelo Especial, a Mexican lager, overtook Bud Light in U.S. dollar sales in the month ended June 3, according to Nielsen data analyzed by Bump Williams Consulting. Anheuser-Busch InBev also owns Grupo Modelo, the Mexican brewer.
Founded in 1977, The Saloon is one of the longest standing gay bars in Minneapolis. Moore said he’s noticed bartenders and customers have good conversations about what’s behind the bar’s lack of Bud Light.
“We’ve had so much support from the community to switch to local beers and pick up on what Anheuser-Busch had done,” he said.
