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Mike Quigley Is Congress’ Beer Champ

Illinois Democrat names beer after dog, wins cup at Brew Across America festival

Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., hoists the cup beside the Goose Island Beer Company brewmasters and Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of federal affairs, Doug Bailey. (Courtesy Anheuser-Busch)
Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., hoists the cup beside the Goose Island Beer Company brewmasters and Anheuser-Busch’s vice president of federal affairs, Doug Bailey. (Courtesy Anheuser-Busch)

Rep. Mike Quigley is officially the best brewer in Congress. Well, that’s according to the Brew Across America Beer Festival judges, who awarded his “Scout’s Cerveza” the Brew Democracy Cup on Wednesday.

Anheuser-Busch hosted the second annual event, and 11 lawmakers teamed up with the company’s breweries, or their craft brewery partners, from their home states to create a beer for the competition.

The Illinois Democrat’s beer — a Mexican-style pale lager named after his family dog, Scout — was made by Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago.

Republicans swept the remaining prizes.

Second place went to Sen. Thom Tillis, who created “Ike’s IPA” with Wicked Weed Brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.

Sen. Cory Gardner took home third place for his “Quandary Ale,” created with Breckenridge Brewery in Breckenridge, Colorado.

The People’s Choice Award winner was Rep. Steve Knight. His “A Paradiso Knight” received the most votes from attendees, who were able to vote by text.

His beer was from the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Los Angeles, California.

Two New Hampshire lawmakers — Sen. Maggie Hassan and Rep. Ann Kuster — went home empty-handed. So did Reps. Kurt Schrader of Oregon, Ken Buck of Colorado, Ted Yoho of Florida, and Joseph Crowley and John Katko of New York.

Radio personality Tommy McFly emceed the event, and the panel of judges was made up of journalists. Last year, GOP Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri won the cup.

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