CITRUS COUNTY, Fla. — The Inverness Brewery Union is putting together the city’s first Craft Beer Fest — all to help local victims of domestic violence.

Between Mondays and Thursdays, you won’t find anyone at Nine State Brewery in Inverness besides Eric LeSage, making sure everything tastes right.

“I’ve been brewing for probably 15 years now,” LeSage said. 

He opened the brewery just over a year ago, right before the pandemic, and it’s the only brewery in the city. 

He said, “As soon as this opportunity came up, we were ready to give back to the community the same way they’ve given back to us.”

Saturday’s beer fest is more than just trying out what Nine State has to offer. The event will also help local victims of domestic violence.

Sunshine Arnold is the CEO of the Citrus County Abuse Shelter Association. “CASA is the only local domestic violence shelter in Citrus County,” she said. 

Like many non-profit organizations, the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt them financially.

“When it happened,” Arnold continued to say, “for domestic violence survivors, people in abusive relationships is when their abuser would leave for work, they had the chance to call us for help. When the stay-at-home order happened, that meant their abusers were home with them 24/7.”

Arnold said the financial support from an event like the beer fest means more support for survivors, more food, clothing, and a safe place away from their abusers.

“There’s gonna be survivors who see this and they have an abuser at home telling them nobody cares about you, nobody loves you but me and now they know their community cares,” Arnold. 

All the money made from ticket sales, and raffles, and gift cards will go directly to CASA. 

“This is a great organization,” LeSage finished. “They do a lot of great things around here in support of survivors of domestic violence so we were ready from the beginning.” 

Anyone looking to purchase tickets and learn more about the event can click here.