A Very Wisconsin Twist on Curling

Every four years, curling returns to the world’s collective consciousness during the Winter Olympics. And unlike ski jumping, luge or ice dancing, it is the sport most likely to make your average dude confidently proclaim, “Pfft, I could do that!”

The rub for most aspiring gold medalists is that they don’t have a bunch of 40-pound stones just lying around the house. But some enterprising souls in Prairie du Chien found the next best thing. Or, possibly, a better thing: beer.

They swapped those boring stones for cases of Busch Light. After the addition of wooden handles and metal pans for a smooth glide across the ice, they were ready to launch those lagers. It was part of the 76th Annual Prairie du Chien Ice Fisheree event held at the Crooked Oar Bar & Marina.

They eliminated the brushes and shoes from this modified version because who wants to sweep or move around when they don’t have to? Case curling is a pure demolition derby-style rush to “the house.”

The event’s pivot to beer caught the attention of the internet, with videos going viral worldwide. The only quibble we have is with the choice of beer. We’re not going to tell you how to live your life, friends, but just know that many area merchants offer cases of Wisconsin-brewed beers, too.

But, full disclosure, the Drink Wisconsinbly Week in Review Editorial Board has a checkered history with Busch Light. Thanks to its attractive price point, it became a load-bearing pillar of our college experience. However, much in the way one gets caught smoking by their parents and is then forced to finish off a whole pack of cigarettes, we lost our appetite for it after four straight years of pouring it down our gullets. It served its purpose nobly, and for that we’re grateful. And now, we’re happy to see that Busch Light found a second act that doesn’t involve our mouths.

As of right now, there’s no word on whether the Olympic Committee will consider a shift from stones to 30-packs for the 2030 games in the French Alps. That’s probably something they’d have to vote on. And seeing as most involved parties aren’t from Wisconsin, they may not appreciate the simple joy of knowing there are a bunch of ice-cold beers waiting for everybody once the competition is complete.