Colbert with Molson Coor’s Troy Rysewyk: Molson Coors

Last year Stephen Colbert made fun of Milwaukee after it lost the Democratic National Convention which went virtual in the wake of the global pandemic. Those jokes incited a considerable backlash from the city and Colbert was quick to apologize the next night.

After his apology, the Milwaukee Brewers (the baseball franchise, not actual Milwaukee brewers) extended an olive branch, demanding that he fly to Milwaukee and take in a Brewers tailgating experience.

And this August Colbert was handing out bottles of Molson Coors-brewed Stephen Cold-Beer, An Apology Amber, to fans outside the stadium prior to a Brewers game as part of his “Milwaukee apology tour,” which aired on The Late Show on October 1.

Just hours before hitting the stadium Colbert and his New York-based crew paid a visit to the Molson Coors brewery in Milwaukee, “collaborating” with brewmaster Troy Rysewyk, a 26-year company veteran who’s now a senior process innovation specialist on Molson Coors’ research and development team, to “brew” a beer that would help Milwaukeeans move on from their anger.

Courtesy The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

That filmed “collaboration” appearance was as showbiz as his tailgate segment. The “apology amber” that Colbert handed out before the baseball game, had of course been brewed and bottled weeks before the Late Show host arrived, but it was still fun for the Molson Coors crew.

“He basically dumped some hops into an empty kettle,” Rysewyk told Beer & Beyond. “But between shots, Stephen seemed genuinely interested in brewing. We talked about hops, what goes into the process and how to taste a good beer.”

“Colbert is very much like you see him on his show. He’s always on, always in go-mode, so you have to be on your toes. You’re always worried that there’s a joke coming that you’ll be the butt of, but overall, it was a great experience and he’s a fun guy.”

After the shoot, Rysewyk and a handful of Molson Coors brewers attended Colbert’s tailgate, where the comedian played cornhole, sampled local delicacies and basically yukked it up with the crowd.

In spite of the free beer, Colbert’s apology tour was only partially successful. He was relentless booed inside the stadium, but the Molson Coors crew still had a ball…

“Having him here to show people around the country what a great town this is, I think it’s great,” Rysewyk added. “Just to play a small part in it – to be an ambassador for Milwaukee and showcase beer’s rich heritage within this culture, was a fun experience.”