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LONGWOOD, FLORIDA<\/b>\u2014 The seventh annual Florida SMaSH Beer Festival will feature 35 breweries serving single malt, single hop beers made with Riverbend Malt and Yakima Quality Hops tapping Saturday, January 28 at Reiter Park.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Presented by the Brewers Establishing Altruistic Regional Development (B.E.A.R.D.) nonprofit organization, Hourglass Brewing, and the City of Longwood, the Florida SMaSH Beer Festival was created to celebrate the creativity and camaraderie of breweries in the Sunshine State. Participating breweries will craft beers made with Riverbend Chesapeake Pilsner malt<\/a> and Yakima Quality Hops YQH-1320.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cRiverbend is honored and excited to be the malt selection of SMaSH Fest this year,\u201d says Riverbend Malt House\u2019s Georgia, Florida, and Alabama Territory Manager Tyler Adams. \u201cThis is a chance to taste how Southeastern malt really shines through in beer, and a celebration of the different flavors that Florida breweries have to offer.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n The winning beer is chosen by the attendees who vote on the S.M.a.S.H. beer that impresses them the most. The winner will receive the coveted, ever-evolving Florida SMaSH Festival Champions Lamp. Each winner takes this trophy home until the next SMaSH beer festival and garnishes it with their own additions each year.<\/span><\/p>\n Also during the festival, a Judge’s Choice competition will take place to award first, second, and third place medals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This year\u2019s Florida SMaSH Beer Festival proceeds will be donated to <\/span>A Spoonful of Hope,<\/span><\/a> Second Harvest Food Bank\u2019s signature product line. One hundred percent of the proceeds directly support Second Harvest\u2019s no-cost 16-week Culinary Training program, which provides qualified, economically challenged adults with the culinary and life skills training to pursue a sustainable career in the food industry.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cFlorida SMaSH Beer Festival has the ability to show you how the same ingredients dont always mean the same interpretation of a beer,\u201d says Bill Murphy of Hourglass Brewing. \u201cIt\u2019s also a great way to see what the state as a whole can bring to the table. The best part is, it all comes back to the community.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Tickets to the festival are available via Eventbrite, and festival details can be found at <\/span>www.flsmash.com<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n ABOUT B.E.A.R.D.<\/b><\/p>\n Brewers Establishing Altruistic Regional Development (B.E.A.R.D.) is a non-profit organization created by brewing industry professionals with a mission to serve their communities. Over 7 years, B.E.A.R.D. has successfully donated more than $45,000\u00a0 to local charitable organizations such as A Spoon Full of Hope.<\/span><\/p>\n ABOUT HOURGLASS BREWING<\/b><\/p>\n Hourglass Brewing is now serving their 10th year, producing Seminole County\u2019s first small batch craft beer. With two locations in the Orlando area and no less than 30 beers on tap they continually push for innovation while holding on to nostalgia, with a thirst for good times. Visit Hourglass online at <\/span>hourglassbrewing.com<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Contact Bill Murphy at <\/span>bill@hourglassbrewing.com<\/span><\/a> with media inquiries about Hourglass Brewing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ABOUT RIVERBEND MALT HOUSE<\/b><\/p>\n Riverbend Malt House is on a quest to connect Southeastern family owned farms and fermenters. Co-Founders Brent Manning and Brian Simpson launched Riverbend, the first craft malt house east of the Mississippi River, in Asheville, North Carolina in 2010. Buoyed by a 70,000 square foot production facility and state of the art equipment, Riverbend Malt House helps breweries and distilleries large, small, and in-between stand out with flavor, locality, and community in an increasingly competitive landscape\u2014 all the while challenging the status quo of corporate, big-agriculture malt.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Contact Emily Hutto at <\/span>hutto@radcraftbeer.com<\/span><\/a> with media inquiries about Riverbend Malt House.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ABOUT YAKIMA QUALITY HOPS<\/b><\/p>\n YQH is a family-owned business focused on quality and service. Founded in 2013, Yakima Quality Hops provides the highest quality hops to breweries throughout the United States and abroad. Based in Yakima, WA, we work directly with growers, allowing us to offer the best pricing and quality control. We work with breweries of all sizes and in all stages of growth. Whether you\u2019ve been brewing for decades or are just getting started, let\u2019s connect so we can get to know your hops needs. Learn more at <\/span>yakhops.com<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LONGWOOD, FLORIDA\u2014 The seventh annual Florida SMaSH Beer Festival will feature 35 breweries serving single malt, single hop beers made with Riverbend Malt and Yakima Quality Hops tapping Saturday, January 28 at Reiter Park.\u00a0<\/p>\n Presented by the Brewers Establishing Altruistic Regional Development (B.E.A.R.D.) nonprofit organization, Hourglass Brewing, and the City of Longwood, the Florida SMaSH Beer Festival was created to celebrate the creativity and camaraderie of breweries in the Sunshine State.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n