Skydive City in Zephyrhills will host its inaugural Skydive City Brewfest Oct. 25, with a beer pouring and sampling event featuring the award-winning beverages created by local homebrewer Robert Hilferding and up to 25 other homebrewers from around Central Florida.
Hilferding is a long-time Zephyrhills resident and businessman who took up homebrewing as a hobby after retiring. Last June, he won the 2014 American Homebrewers Association Homebrewer of the Year award with his best-in-show entry in the Scottish and Irish ale category.
Bill Back, a Zephyrhills businessman who worked with Skydive City in the past, developed the idea and pitched it to Hilferding and Skydive City general manager T.K. Hayes over the summer.
“After learning of Robert’s outstanding accomplishment, I certainly felt there should be a way to celebrate together with the community,” Back said, in a release. “The venue at Skydive City is an ideal location for this first-ever event offering a casual and inviting vibe suited for both tasters, brewers and guests.
Skydive competitors and enthusiasts from around the world are expected to begin arriving at the drop zone ahead of the FAI World Championships of Canopy Piloting, set for Nov. 1-7 in Zephyrhills. The Brewfest will overlap with many competitors already in town to train daily.
“We’ll be there to welcome them with a fine cold homebrew and more,” Back said.
Brewfest also will include offerings from regionally licensed craft breweries provided by the Dade City Brass Tap and the Sunset Bar. The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Skydive City to promote the evenet, and will host a VIP tasting area.
The Skydive City Brewfest is set for Oct. 25 from 3 p.m. to midnight at 4241 Sky Dive Lane in Zephyrhills.
Beer pouring and tasting, along with a live disc jockey, will run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., with live bands taking over from 8 p.m. to midnight. And award ceremony is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Beer and wine also will be available for purchase, with tickets costing $20 in advance, or $25 day of the show. An entry fee of $5 will collected for non-tasting patrons, spectators and concert attendees.
To get advance tickets, visit Bookings.burblesoft.com/index/53/25.
For information, email Bill Back at , or call him at (813) 355-1195.
