Local brewery toasts to Bexley library's 100th year with celebratory draft

BEXLEY, Ohio (WCMH) – The Bexley Public Library is celebrating its centennial this year, and Seventh Son brewing is helping toast to their anniversary with a collaborative beer.

Beer for Books is on tap now at Seventh Son locations and at their sister companies, Antiques on High and Getaway Brewing. In a Facebook post by the library, the beer is described as “a pale ale brewed with centennial and Columbus hops, and some help from our library staff.”

Ben Heckman, the director of the Bexley Public Library, said the collaboration is one of several with local businesses to celebrate the anniversary. BPL has also teamed up with Johnson’s Real Ice Cream for a specialty sundae, Guisseppes Ritrovo for a specialty cocktail and Bexley Pizza Plus for a library-inspired pizza, but Seventh Son is the only partnership outside Bexley city limits.

Colin Castore is the common thread. Castore is a Seventh Son co-founder, a resident of Bexley and a library patron. Castore and Heckman both said the partnership was an exciting opportunity for both businesses.

“I thought it would be fun to kind of raise some awareness for the library,” Castore said. “It’s a great library, one of my favorites in the city. They do such a good job with everything and it’s a big deal to make it to 100 years.” 

Heckman said Seventh Son’s team was very hands-on, and the brewing decisions were left to the experts. Castore described the brew as a classic American craft pale ale, sticking with a more traditional beer to invoke the storied history of the library.

Heckman said most of the centennial celebrations are rooted in history, with library staff wanting to showcase important moments within their 100 years. Even the name, Beer for Books, is a nod to the library’s past, stemming from director and head librarian Mary T. Zimmerman, who helped transform the library decades ago.

Zimmerman oversaw an expansion in 1968, but much of her contributions had to do with bringing the library out of its stone exterior. She hosted a radio and TV program called Fun with Books where she shared good children’s books with the Columbus community, and when Seventh Son heard this story, they decided a twist on her work was the perfect tribute.  

“When we first sat down with them, I think we could already see their minds working on to make this kind of a unique thing,” Heckman said.

After careful consideration into what the brew would be, the library team was invited to tour Seventh Son’s brewery and learn about what goes into making a beer. The library staff even got to pour in hops to add into the brewing process, which Heckman said was a very cool experience. 

Castore said Beer for Books is on tap at Seventh Son and its sister locations, Antiques on High and Getaway Brewing. A pint of the 5.2% pale ale is $7, and patrons can also get a 10-ounce serving for $5.

The team is also working with Bexley establishments to have them serve the brew, and Castore said a soon-to-open Bexley cocktail bar has been collaborating with Seventh Son to serve Beer for Books on draft. 

BPL Director of Advancement and Community Relations Paige Bilotta said they will also serve it at the library’s upcoming annual car show, which will also serve as a birthday party for BLP and will take place from 5-8 p.m. on Sept. 6.

Above all, Heckman said the library wants to draw in more patrons and just enjoy the landmark anniversary. 

“This was a way to get into the community a bit more, let people know we’re celebrating our 100th birthday and try to have some fun,” Heckman said.