Brewers team up on beer to help military families

Craft breweries from around the country are teaming up to raise money for military families by selling a beer aged on baseball bats.

The Hops for Heroes project began in 2011 as a collaboration between Center of the Universe Brewing Co. in suburban Richmond and Fremont Brewing Co. in Seattle.

Eleven breweries are participating this year, including ones in Florida, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Arizona, Colorado, California, Texas, Hawaii and South Carolina.

Homefront IPA is brewed with orange peel and aged by soaking with unfinished Louisville Slugger maple bats.

Participating breweries are selling the beer in in bottles and on draft in their areas starting around Memorial Day.

All proceeds are being donated to local chapters of Operation Homefront. The national organization provides emergency financial assistance to military families.