Anheuser-Busch has just announced to its fourth Brew Across America Congressional Brewing Competition. And this year it was a bipartisan effort, pitting teams made up of Democrats and Republican lawmakers (who worked with Anheuser-Busch brewers) in effort to win the vaunted Brew Democracy Cup.

Over the summer, members of Congress and their bipartisan buddies visited an Anheuser-Busch brewery in their home state and worked alongside brewmasters to create a signature beer inspired by local flavors and ingredients.

Unique to the competition this year was the requirement that members of Congress work with a bipartisan buddy to brew the beer – an ask that highlighted the nonpartisan nature of beer and helped strengthen the ties between members across the aisle.

And on October 20 the five teams had their bipartisan beers judged by a panel of “experts” in Washington DC and the 2021 Brew Democracy Cup winner announced.

(Courtesy Anheuser-Busch)

Representative Tony Cárdenas (D-CA), along with his bipartisan buddy Representative Fred Upton (R-CA)  took top honors for their La Vida Lager which they brewed together in LA, using California ingredients at an Anheuser-Busch brewery in their home state.

“I’m excited our beer won this year’s Brew Democracy Cup, which embodies the common ground and strong communities we can create through beer,” said Representative Cárdenas “Thank you to Anheuser-Busch and my bipartisan buddy Representative Fred Upton for collaborating to create LA Vida Lager, our Mexican-style beer that reflects the diversity and heritage of Los Angeles.”

During the last competition in 2019, Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and the St. Louis Brewery team won the cup with “Big House Brew.” In 2018, Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Goose Island Beer Company won the cup with “Scout’s Cerveza.” And in the inaugural competition of 2017, Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) and the St. Louis Brewery team won with “Gateway IPA.”

The other beer names and participating Members of Brew Across America 2021 were:

• The Yeas and Nays, brewed by Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR), Rep. Dan Kildee (D-MI) and the Anheuser-Busch St. Louis Brewery
• Common Ground, brewed by Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) and the Breckenridge Brew Pub in Colorado
• Orange You Glad I Didn’t Order Wine, brewed by Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL), Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) and the Anheuser-Busch Jacksonville, FL Brewery
• Unanimoose Consent, brewed by Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and the Anheuser-Busch Merrimack, NH Brewery

“As the leader of the US beer industry, we are proud to host the annual Brew Across America competition that provides lawmakers from differing political backgrounds with an opportunity to find common ground,” said Brendan Whitworth, CEO of Anheuser-Busch….

“Bringing people together over a beer has long been a central ingredient of everything we do at Anheuser-Busch.”