Perriello Blasts Tariffs as Beer Costs Rise

Democratic candidate Tom Perriello and former Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman criticized aluminum tariffs at a Lynchburg brewery event.

Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Beer

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stack of unlabeled aluminum cans on a pale surface, one can tilted, in deep red and cream. — Democratic candidate Tom Perriello and former Republican Congressman Denver Riggleman criticized President Trump's aluminum tariffs at a Lynchburg brewery, saying they raise packaging costs for beer. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Tom Perriello, the Democratic candidate for Virginia's 5th Congressional District, criticized President Trump's aluminum tariffs at the Water Dog in Lynchburg, Virginia, alongside former Congressman Denver Riggleman. Perriello said higher aluminum prices make it more expensive for breweries to package beer.

Why it matters

Perriello argued that tariff-driven aluminum costs are passed along to breweries and, in turn, to consumers, making the issue a concrete pocketbook concern for Lynchburg-area drinkers and producers. The event placed the tariff debate directly in a local beer setting less than three days before Election Day.

The event was held at the Water Dog in Lynchburg, Va., where Perriello and Riggleman spoke with local brewers and customers. No specific aluminum price figures or packaging cost increases were cited at the event, and the candidates' claims about breweries have not been independently quantified in the available extraction.

The players

Tom Perriello

Tom Perriello is the Democratic candidate for Virginia's 5th Congressional District, seeking to unseat Rep. John McGuire, and a former U.S. Representative who has run for office in Virginia.

Denver Riggleman

Denver Riggleman is a former Republican Congressman from Virginia who joined Perriello in criticizing aluminum tariffs at the Lynchburg event.

The details

Perriello and Riggleman joined local brewers and customers at the Water Dog, where Perriello said breweries' higher packaging costs are passed along to consumers. Perriello is challenging Rep. John McGuire for the 5th District seat.

October 31, 2026: Article published, with Election Day less than three days away.
Less than three days before Election Day: Candidates appeared at the Lynchburg brewery event.

Culture Shift

The event reflects the growing use of local craft beer settings as venues for national trade-policy arguments, tying aluminum tariffs under President Trump to the packaging costs of Virginia breweries. Placing the tariff debate in a brewery less than three days before Election Day links a federal trade dispute to everyday purchasing in the 5th District.

Lynchburg-area breweries and drinkers may face higher packaging costs if aluminum tariffs persist, as Perriello argued those costs are passed to consumers. The issue is directly tied to the 5th Congressional District race in the days before Election Day.

The takeaway

Local beer prices can reflect national trade policy, so voters and consumers may want to track how tariff decisions affect packaging costs for breweries in their area. Checking candidate positions on trade alongside local economic concerns can clarify how federal policy reaches the bar.