By Andrew Gill

Revolution Brewing found an unlikely ally in Republican Senator Mark Kirk this week. On Wednesday Revolution’s “Chairman of the Party” Josh Deth gave Kirk a tour of his Kedzie Avenue facility and served him a porter beer named for socialist activist Eugene V. Debs. For his part, the Republican Senator said the brew was better than his favorite beer, Guinness.

Kirk was at the brewery to tout his support for the Small Brewer Reinvestment and Expanding Workforce Act. He’s the 40th senator to co-sponsor the bill, which would cut federal taxes on craft breweries in half for the first 60,000 barrels they produce.

“This would really sponsor more jobs in Illinois,” Kirk said.

A Harvard University analysis claims the measure could generate more than $1 billion in economic activity over five years.

Deth added, “this would shave my tax bill by $100,000 a year, and I could then take that money and reinvest it in equipment. We’re a very fast growing business.”

Though this is the first brewing-related legislation Kirk has sponsored, the Senator said he would be happy to join the Senate Small Brewers Caucus.

“I would join that caucus to make sure that Democratic Senator Cardin of Maryland, who has this legislation, has further formal allies,” Kirk said.