Virginia welcomes veteran-owned beer maker as fans blast Bud Light

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is rolling out the red carpet for a military tribute beer manufactured by a veteran-owned brewer — and social media responded with cheers that the new brew “won’t go woke”.

Armed Forces Brewing Co. — which some saw as a bid to cash in on the woes of Bud Light, whose business has tanked following its ill-fated tie-up with Dylan Mulvaney — will set up its headquarters and its first brewing facility in Norfolk, the governor’s office announced on Friday.

“We are excited to open our flagship brewery and taproom in Norfolk, a great American city with a large population of veterans, active-duty military, and their families,” said Armed Forces Brewing Company CEO Alan Beal.

“Virginia is one of the best states to open a brewing business in.”

Beal said that Youngkin “called me and encouraged our team to take a close look at what Virginia has to offer, and we did.”

“This is now our home base, and we’re committed to employing veterans and playing a vital part of the patriotic community in Norfolk,” the CEO said.

The headquarters and brewery is expected to employ around 50 people, according to the statement from the governor’s office.

According to the company web site, Armed Forces Brewing Company is jointly owned by some 7,800 investors who chipped in as little as $200 per share.

One of the owners of the company is Robert J. O’Neill, a Navy SEAL Team 6 member who was part of the crack unit that assassinated Osama Bin Laden.

“We will continue to use every dollar invested to brew great beer and grow our brand, sales and distribution,” the company said on its web site.

Supporters on social media cheered the brand on and alluded to Bud Light.

“They’ll never go woke so they’ll never be broke,” one Instagram user wrote.

Another Instagram user wrote: “Down with light beer.”

Bud Light, meanwhile, has struggled to win back hearts and minds as evidence by lagging sales and scathing reaction to its social media posts.

Bud Light sales plunged 28.5% for the week ended July 1 — slightly worse than the 27.9% decline they suffered the previous week.

Bud Light’s woes once again appear to have “infected” its sister brands at Anheuser Busch, according to Bump Williams, whose eponymous consulting firm crunched the latest numbers from NielsenIQ.

The brand has also ignited scorn and derision from social media users online who blasted its latest commercial showing a picnic-goer devouring a watermelon.