Learn where you can find the limited-edition Zozobra 101 beer cans

The Burning of Zozobra is a longstanding tradition in Santa Fe that dates back more than a century.

The drinking of Zozobra, however, is just getting started.

Santa Fe Brewing Company and the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe have collaborated to unveil a special Zozobra beer that will be served in taprooms and canned for limited distribution at retailers in Albuquerque and Santa Fe leading up to the festival. The 101st Burning of Zozobra is scheduled for Aug. 29 at Fort Marcy Park in Santa Fe.

In the past, Santa Fe Brewing sold its own beers at Zozobra. Last year marked the first official collaboration, with Santa Fe Brewing offering three beers on tap in conjunction with Kiwanis Club. The most popular of those, now dubbed Zozobra 101, is making a return with a special can featuring commemorative art of the giant marionette known as “Old Man Gloom.” The image was created by artist Jim Vogel, who is renowned for his paintings of New Mexico landscapes and culture.

Not only is the can eye-catching, but it has a different feel.

“The nice part about it is it gives some texture to the can,” Brian Lock, Santa Fe Brewing CEO, said. “So when you hold it, it almost feels like the graphic is raised a little bit because there’s kind of a thicker ink in that area.

“So it’s almost like three-dimensional in a way, because when you grab it, you feel some texture to the can. It’s really nice.”

The beer itself is a dark Mexican lager, described in a press release as “crafted to evoke the bold flavors of a Negra Modelo but with a little extra ‘oomph.’”

“The reason behind choosing that style this year is because we had such a great response from our regulars and all the customers that tried the three beers (at Zozobra last year) across the board,” Lock said. “And the dark Mexican lager was by far the most people’s favorite.”

According to Lock, approximately 500 cases will be distributed to grocery stores, liquor retailers and the Santa Fe Brewing taprooms. While those collectible cans will likely sell quickly, the beer is expected to be on tap at brewery locations all the way through the festival.

“If we need to, we’ll probably brew another small batch just for kegs,” Lock said. “That will get us through that time frame, and then also obviously (we will) be serving it at the actual burning.”

The plan is to continue the collaboration in the years to come. For now, the dark lager is the favorite to remain the beer of choice.

“We haven’t fully decided yet on the idea of changing the style of beer. We’ve got such great feedback from this particular style that I’m leaning more and more towards just keeping it the same kind of style of beer because it’s been so well received —and people know what to expect every year,” Lock said.

“It’s still going to be a limited run, so they can plan on releasing it around the same time. But definitely the can graphic will change. So there’ll be a series of Zozobra (cans) that people can collect over the years.”

A portion of the proceeds from the beer sales will go toward community initiatives supported by the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe.

“We’re proud to partner with Santa Fe Brewing to bring Zozobra into a new form that showcases both our local artistry and community spirit,” Ray Sandoval, Zozobra event chairman of the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe, said in a release. “This collaboration is a celebration of our city’s vibrant culture, and we’re excited to share it with the community and beyond.”