Alcoholic libations are an essential part of political conventions. Despite the Minnesota Legislature’s repeal of the state’s puritanical bar-close hours for four crazy nights, things might taste better in Denver.


Brewers in and around the Democratic host city are rolling out the barrels of limited-edition beers for the national convention. Wyncoop Brewing Co. has announced the release of an "Obamanator” Maibock lager, the Great Divide Brewing Co. will be releasing “Liberally Hopped American Pale Ale” and Avery Brewing Co. is releasing a special pale ale called, “Ale to the Chief.”


Beer giant Molson Coors Brewing Co. is even providing beer-fueled cars to Democratic delegates using ethanol produced from beer that does not meet quality standards, something the company has been producing since 1996.


In Minnesota only Flat Earth Brewing has announced a special-edition beer. "Convention Ale" is a Belgian red all that promises to be "refreshing, smooth and easier to swallow then the up coming election cycle and you’ll still want more of it later."


"We don’t have anything planned," said Surly Brewing Co. owner Omar Ansari. "There’s always Cynic Ale and I’m sure a few people in St. Paul will be drinking Furious."


Minnesota is home to its fair share of accomplished craft breweries, so what explains the political beer gap?


"They’ve got a ton of breweries out in Colorado," says Ansari. He also pointed out that Avery was going to send some of their "Ale to the Chief" to Minnesota.


Of course, any discussion about the Republican National Convention and beer must include the wife of presumptive nominee Sen. John McCain. Cindy McCain is chair of one of the largest Anheuser-Busch beer distributors in the United States. Anheuser-Busch, which brews a pale lager made of rice and barley malt called Budweiser, was recently sold to Belgian beer company InBev for $52 billion.


The controversial sale was financially beneficial to the McCains and a political hot topic across the country — news flash: InBev sells its beer in Cuba! — but any notion that Budweiser or the McCains may be responsible for the lack of locally-brewed convention-themed beers should probably be washed down with a glass of Flat Earth’s Black Helicopter.