Brewmaster Mike Rybinski, left, and ZwanzigZ owner Kurt Zwanzig pose for a photo with beer they created to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Mill Race Marathon at ZwanzigZ Pizza in Columbus on Thursday. The names and style of beer are: Tape Breaker Amber Ale, Legacy Porter and Runner’s High IPA.
Event planners wanted to make a beer run for the Sept. 24 running of the Mill Race Marathon, Columbus’ largest participatory event. They tapped hometown gastropub ZwanzigZ Pizza & Brewing, which hopped right to it.
The buzz surrounding the 2022 event is that planners are making strides to have more commemorative merchandise than ever. Topping it off with a special run of custom brews on tap, the 2022 marathon will offer a little swig with its swag.
The marathon recently announced ZwanzigZ will add to the festivities by brewing up three special beers just for the occasion: Tape Breaker Amber Ale, Runners High IPA and Legacy Porter. Those three, brewed specifically for the marathon, plus a staple beer, Sidestreet Wheat, make up a mixed four-pack of 12-ounce cans that will commemorate next month’s event.
ZwanzigZ jumped at the opportunity to memorialize the Mill Race Marathon’s 10th year. The brewpub says the four different beer varieties offer a broad range of flavor profiles.
“This is what I wanted to do back in the first year” of the marathon, said Kurt Zwanzig, who with his wife, Lisa, operates ZwanzigZ Pizza & Brewing at 1038 Lafayette Ave. He explained that ZwanzigZ has been a Mill Race Marathon sponsor every year since its beginning.
That’s reflected in the packaging for the special edition brews, too. The labels include “something from every year” of previous races, he said.
As part of its sponsorship, ZwanzigZ normally puts together gift packs that include snacks and items for the 700 to 1,000 volunteers who work the race, he said.
“I think this is adding another element to the weekend” of the marathon, said Rob Caputo, manager of business development at ZwanzigZ. He said the new brews will roll out beginning next week.
Caputo said the beverages are scheduled to be finished this month and four-packs launched for sale at an event next week. Four-packs will be sold at an introductory price of $10 at an event from noon-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13, at ZwanzigZ’s production brewery at 315 W. 12th St. The beers also will be available on tap and in cans at the brewpub the following Monday.
“The Mill Race Marathon is approaching its 10th installment, and we knew we needed to provide something special for not only the race participants and the community, but for our sponsors who have been with us all along, too,” said Evan Trotta, who leads the marathon’s marketing team. “Zwanzigz has been one of our core sponsors since year one, so being able to provide a unique product that highlights their craft, but also pays tribute to our race was a pretty cool opportunity.”
