If there's one thing Wisconites know, it's cheese.
After that, it's beer.
So it should come as no shock that a Manhattan bar that's popular with University of Wisconsin alumni would sell a micro brew straight from the Badger state.
The news did shock the brewers of Spotted Cow, however, because they're not licensed to sell outside of Wisconsin, and they're not quite sure how the Mad River Grille on the Upper East Side got their hands on the 50 cases of the New Glarus, W.I. suds that were confiscated during a Nov. 6 raid.
"Somebody from the New York Liquor Control called us and asked us specifically if we sold beer in the state of New York, and we told them, 'No,'" Dan Carey, brew master at New Glarus Brewery, told Wisconsin's Channel 3000.
Liquor authority spokesman William Crowley told the Wisconsin State Journal that businesses selling alcohol in New York need to purchase their alcohol through a wholesale distributor. He says Mad River Grille could have its liquor license revoked for selling the beer and for not paying the appropriate taxes.
When we called Mad River Grille and asked about the case, they got all hot and bottled and said "We don't have a comment," then quickly hung up.
Carey said he doesn't plan to expand his distribution operation outside of Wisconsin, but he's happy that Spotted Cow is in demand.
"I'm just extremely flattered that people in New York would want our beer. It's kind of cool for a little brewery, and I feel really bad for the ex-pats living in New York that can't get their Spotted Cow fix," said Carey.
