Triangle breweries take part in brew off to help Wake Co. firefighters

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- More than 20 Triangle breweries will take part in a brew-off Saturday, Feb. 23 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Tobacco Road Sports Cafe in Raleigh.

All proceeds from the event will go towards purchasing carcinogen blocking hoods for some Wake County firefighters.

The event is being put on by local non-profit, Love is Bald, a charity that supports cancer-based organizations.

"Fire and cancer go hand and hand now," explained Eastern Wake Firefighter and Love is Bald co-founder Allen Williford. "Cancer is the number one killer of firefighters. It's just at a growing rate."

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The theme of the charity brew off is "This Brew is On Fire," so many of the breweries are playing to that theme, including one called "The Mango en Fuego."

"Our necks and ears are the highest rates of absorption from the chemicals we go into," Williford said. "So, it's not actually the fire we're worried about nowadays, it's the chemicals in the air because there are so many synthetics being burned instead of just pure wood. The hoods protect our necks and ears by sealing off that area. They're multi-layered and keep our skin out of the contact and it's up to 99 percent blockage rate."

The goal of the event is to raise $5,000, which would allow the purchase to include between 75-100 hoods, which would outfit three or four fire stations.

Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the door.

Price of admission includes a tasting of all brews, a pig-picking', and a pint of your favorite brew with a souvenir glass.