Catholic craft brewers take a stand for gun ownership

One of the Midwest’s more popular microbreweries is showing its support for the Second Amendment with the release of its first India Pale Ale — 2nd Amendment New England IPA.

Illinois native Jeff Alcorn and his sons Trevor and Cameron started Tridentine Brewing Co. as a hobby, naming it in honor of their strong Catholic faith.

Not wanting their beer to get lost in a sea of IPAs, Tridentine went with a style focusing on 'more traditional and maltier expressions.'

When their home brews proved popular, the family partnered with Madison, Wisconsin-based Karben4 Brewery to launch their first commercially available beer in October 2024. Since then, the company has surged in popularity, building a fan base of 20,700 X followers and 6,400 Instagram followers and landing a major Forbes profile in November.

Brewing anticipation

Trevor describes 2nd Amendment as a refreshing, mellow, and juicy New England-style IPA that is more approachable than contemporary IPA products. Its patriotic and pro-gun-rights branding reflects the company’s stances on these issues.

“We actually canned the batch on Tuesday, April 1, and it started to hit some stores, but it wasn’t widespread across all the locations we’re at in Wisconsin,” says Trevor. “I didn’t get the social media stuff up until late Saturday, but it’s getting out there more and it's pretty well received. People loved the artwork even before we brought the beer to share, and now that people have had the beer, the reception is pretty good.”

2nd Amendment is the brewery's fourth release. Like its predecessors, it tells a story through its packaging — an eye-catching can designed by Catholic illustrator Chris Lewis.

God-given rights

Tridentine's Quartermaster Jerry Blonde Ale pays tribute to late family patriarch Jerry Alcorn, who served in the U.S. Navy, while Cristeros Mexican Lager honors Catholics martryed by Mexico's socialist government in the 1920s. Dies Irae Imperial Stout alludes to the final judgment at the end of time. The company expects to launch a fifth beer this summer.

While 2nd Amendment may seem more explicitly topical than the other beers, Trevor says the message is ultimately timeless.

“The timing didn’t have to do with politics per se, with what's going on. This is just our strong belief in the God-given rights we have as Americans and supporting those. That’s the driving force behind it, and it ties into the patriotic theme. We want to drive home the message that being patriotic is not just a holiday thing. For us, honoring and saluting our veterans and our country is something we want to do year-round.”

Trevor also wanted the can's artwork to stress that the Second Amendment applies to all Americans, not just those in the military.

"We wanted to show ... a regular farmer," he says. "Someone who wasn’t in a Continental Army uniform [so we could] highlight the reason for the Second Amendment: for our right to firearms to defend ourselves and our community if needed.”

Tridentine Brewery Co.

A patriotic IPA

As for making it an IPA, Trevor says it just made sense. Given that IPAs control a 46% share of the craft beer industry, demand has been high for the company to branch out of lagers, stouts, and blonde ales.

Not wanting their beer to get lost in a sea of IPAs, Tridentine went with a style focusing on "more traditional and maltier expressions" seen in IPAs from New England — a perfect fit for the patriotic theme.

Tridentine Brewing Co.’s motto is “Brewing beer for the greater glory of God," and this is reflected at all levels of the company's work. Its social media presence is outspokenly Catholic, the family prays before brewing sessions, and the brewery was even blessed by a priest.

Tridentine beers are currently only available in Wisconsin. The company's contract with Karben4 and state liquor laws have slowed the rollout to other states. Still, the company hopes to expand distribution, starting with the Alcorns' home state of Illinois and eventually to other states. Given the passionate evangelization the beer inspires online, Tridentine seems well equipped to hit the target.