Anti-Woke Beer Created After Bud Light Controversy Loses Brewery Deal

The anti-woke "Ultra Right" beer that was created following the controversy surrounding Bud Light and its decision to partner with transgender influencer and activist Dylan Mulvaney has lost its production deal with an Illinois-based brewery.

Nick Bowes, the president of Bent River Brewing Company, told Newsweek on Friday that they were referred as a potential contract brewer for the "Ultra Right" beer created by conservative Seth Weathers.

"Once we saw the marketing for it, we declined to produce it," Bowes said.

Earlier this month, Weathers, who previously served as the director of former President Donald Trump's 2016 Georgia campaign, announced that he created the "Ultra Right" beer in response to Bud Light's decision to partner with Mulvaney. Mulvaney posted several videos on Instagram promoting her partnership with the beer brand, including one where she showcased a customized Bud Light can with her face on it. Mulvaney, attracting millions of followers on TikTok, also had a popular video series on the social media platform where she detailed her transition over the past 365 days.

The partnership sparked widespread criticism and calls to boycott Bud Light and its parent company, Anheuser-Busch. Popular musician Kid Rock even posted a video to social media where he is seen shooting several cans of Bud Light with a gun.

The row over transgender brand ambassadors is symbolic of a wider debate about the inclusion of transgender women in female issues and spaces. Some say transgender women should be treated the same as other women, while others say they are different and that hard-won women's rights must be protected.

Weathers announced the "Ultra Right" beer in an advertisement video where he begins by saying, "America's been drinking beer from a company that doesn't even know which restroom to use."

"That's why I created conservative dad's Ultra Right 100% woke free beer. As conservatives, we're constantly getting hit in the face, left and right, by the woke mind virus, but the last place we want it, is in our beer," Weathers said in the video. "If you know which bathroom to use, you know what beer you should be drinking. Stop giving money to woke corporations that hate our values."

The "Ultra Right" beer's website still states that it's being brewed and canned in Northern Illinois despite the recent announcement from the Bent River Brewing Company. In a tweet on Thursday evening, Weathers responded to a report from The Daily Beast about the brewing company declining to produce his beer by saying, "lol this will age poorly."

In an email sent to Newsweek on Friday, Weathers said, "LOL. The left us [sic] so desperate for us to fail. We're releasing a video on Monday at the brewery announcing our local owned brew partner. Sorry to disappoint the haters!"

Weathers also sells products targeted at a conservative clientele—including "Let's go Brandon" merchandise, a political slogan and internet meme used to generally insult President Joe Biden.

Amid the ongoing controversy about Mulvaney, Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth issued a statement saying that the company "never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people."

"My time serving this country taught me the importance of accountability and the values upon which America was founded: freedom, hard work and respect for one another. As CEO of Anheuser-Busch, I am focused on building and protecting our remarkable history and heritage," the statement said.

Update: 4/21/23, 12:46 p.m. ET. This story has been updated to include a comment from Weathers.