Specially Made Beer 'Parks & Rec' Honoring Zilker Park Centennial Debuts In Austin

AUSTIN, TX — The Austin Parks Foundation is collaborating with a local brewing company to create a special, limited-edition beer in honor of the 100th anniversary of Zilker Park being celebrated this year.

Created by the Zilker Brewing Co., the beer named Parks & Rec will be unveiled on Thursday and available at local retailers HEB, Central Market, Whole Foods and Spec's. A portion of the Parks & Rec sales will be donated to the park foundation's Zilker fund, which will go toward the long-term updates and maintenance of the Zilker Playscape.

“We’re thrilled about this special collaboration and the release of Parks & Rec,” says Colin Wallis, CEO of APF. “What could be better than enjoying a nice cold beer this summer in Austin while giving back to Zilker Park—the crown jewel of our parks system. We’re grateful to ZBC for their partnership and contribution to APF.”

The release of Parks & Rec will be celebrated with a May 25 "happy hour" of sorts at the YETI Barrr at 220 S. Congress on Thursday, May 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to try the beer and purchase a special Zilker 100 customized YETI Colster. One Parks & Rec beer will be included in the purchase of the YETI Colster and all the profits from Colster sales will be donated to APF.

At the event, guests will have the opportunity to try the beer and purchase a special Zilker 100 customized YETI Colster. One Parks & Rec beer will be included in the purchase of the YETI Colster and all the profits from Colster sales will be donated to APF, officils said. Guests arriving at the event will get two-hour parking validated at the nearby Hyatt Parking Garage. The Facebook event page can be viewed by clicking here.

City officials said Parks & Rec is the culmination of more than a year of tinkering and experimentation at the Zilker Brewing Co. taproom. The beer features a proprietary blend of four different hop varieties highlighting Centennial hops resulting in a crisp, citrusy, and incredibly balanced taste, officials described.

“The partnership with the Austin Parks Foundation made sense for us because we think Zilker Park and the other public parks in Austin are essential for building and maintaining a sense of community in our city,” Patrick Clark, the Zilker Brewing Co. founder, said. “We’re excited for Austinites to try out our limited-edition Parks & Rec and hope they love it as much as we do!”

That process also included careful thought spent in deciding who to select to make the special brew. Patrick described that part of the process.

“When we named Zilker Brewing Company three years ago, a deciding factor was Andrew Zilker’s identity as a philanthropist and entrepreneur in Austin’s early days," Clark said. "When we found out he also had ties to the beverage industry through an ice-making business and bottling company, it sealed the deal,” says Patrick. “Now we’re excited to continue Andrew Zilker’s spirit of philanthropy by donating a portion of the sales proceeds from the Parks & Rec to APF.”

Parks & Rec cans will be available for purchase throughout the summer at local retailers and available on tap at the ZBC taproom on East 6th Street. The Zilker 100 celebration, spearheaded by Austin Parks Foundation in collaboration with a group of organizations that operate within Zilker Park, is honoring the historic milestone with opportunities to engage visitors in Zilker Park throughout the year and special collaborations and initiatives such as this one. To learn more, visit zilker100.org.

Dubbed by city officials as the "crown jewel" of the Austin parks system, Zilker Park is located in downtown Austin at the juncture of Barton Creek and the Colorado River, comprising more than 350 acres of publicly owned land. The Colorado River has a surface area of 468 acres and a maximum depth of 18 feet.

The park is named after Andrew Jackson Zilker, who arrived in Austin in 1876 intent on business and banking, according to information provided by the city. Zilker operated one of the city's first ice factories, and was later elected an alderman. "He also ranched a 40-acre spread with good water southwest of town," city officials add.

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