An Illinois brewing company has partnered with the Iowa man who rose to internet fame for raising money through his Venmo at the annual Iowa State Cyclones and University of Iowa Hawkeye’s football game, to only give it instead to a children’s hospital.
Carson King, 24, was able to raise over $1 million with the help of the beer company Anheuser-Busch. That sponsorship was severed after the Des Moines Register reported King had tweeted two offensive jokes when he was 16 years old. King apologized for the tweets and deleted them.
In addition to receiving backlash from critics for publishing that information the author of the article, Aaron Calvin, had a much longer history of tweeting offensive things, including the N-word.
The Geneseo Brewing Co. posted on their Facebook page they were “appalled at the action taken” by the Des Moines Register and Anheuser-Busch. To make up for the cancellation, the company said they will be naming a new Pilsner after King, called “Iowa Legend” and will continue to donate money through its sale until the batch sells out.
“We at Geneseo Brewing understand the growth that happens in an individual from the age of 16 to 24. It is the same reasoning the legal age of an adult in the eyes of the law is 18 and that 21 is the legal drinking age,” head brewer Glenn Cole said. “We also understand that the inappropriate jokes people like yourself and … Aaron Calvin made eight years ago on social media were unfortunately more acceptable back then.”
“We have wintessed your growth through your later social media content and accept your apology,” Cole added.
Sixteen-ounce draft pours and the to-go cans will be priced at $5 each with $1 from each going toward the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
