Add another line to Mark Zweig's resume.
Zweig is best known in Fayetteville as the founder and chairman of The Zweig Group, an architectural and engineering consulting firm with $6 million in annual revenue. He is also the head of Mark Zweig Inc., a property development company that buys and renovates ailing homes in downtown Fayetteville. He also teaches an entrepreneurship class at the University of Arkansas.
Now, he is a beer. Kind of.
Apple Blossom Brewing Co., a Fayetteville restaurant-brewery, collaborated with Zweig on Zweig American Ale, which Apple Blossom debuted with a release party on Sunday. Evan McDonald, a co-owner of Apple Blossom, said the idea came to him when Zweig brought his work group to the restaurant and toured the brewery.
"Yes, it is cool to have a beer named after you unless you are Billy Carter," said Zweig, referring to the brother of former President Jimmy Carter. "Of course, Zweig is a good old German name, and the Germans know and love their beer. One of my great-great-grandfathers was a brewmaster long ago. It's in my blood, literally and figuratively."
McDonald said the resulting beer, which took a couple of months to plan and perfect, is good enough that he wants it to become a staple at Apple Blossom, which has 18 beers on tap. McDonald said the plan was to have Zweig bring some of his classic automobile and motorcycle collection to the release party.
"We were looking for something summery," McDonald said. "It's classic car and bike weather. We think it's going to be a real drinkable summer beer."
McDonald said the Zweig American Ale isn't bitter and has a nice malt flavor of toasted bread and caramel. McDonald also threw out flavor descriptions such as papaya and freshly cut lime; Whispers will take his word for all that.
"Mark was very enthusiastic about helping out during the brewing," McDonald said.