It’s a special time of the year in the Pacific Northwest. Fresh hop beers are everywhere. Oktoberfest events are well underway across the region. With the latest releases from Ground Breaker Brewing, gluten-free craft beer lovers are enjoying the seasonal offerings. The award-winning and certified gluten-free craft brewery out of Portland, Oregon, has released three fresh hop beers and an Oktoberfest-style Märzen lager.

Every late summer, the brewers from Ground Breaker make the trek to Goschie Farms to pick up fresh hops during the harvest. It’s a once-a-year opportunity to make special beers that many consider to be the epitome of Oregon beer.

Epoch

Fresh Hop IPA Brewed With Strata Hops

“I think living in this region it’s easy to take these beers for granted,” said Operations Manager Jesse Bufton. “The truth is that they are unique to our region. In my opinion, they are the defining style of beer for Oregon and Washington.”

Epoch, a West Coast-style India Pale Ale brewed with fresh Strata hops, was released on September 20th in 16-ounce cans. Strata, first released in 2018, was developed by Indie Hops in partnership with Oregon State University. It quickly became a favorite at the brewery.

“We loved this hop from the moment our friends at Indie Hops introduced us to it,” said Founder James Neumeister. “It’s perfect to make a fresh hop beer with.”

Gayle

Fresh Hop IPA Brewed With Crystal Hops

Gayle, an IPA brewed with fresh Crystal hops, is set to be released on October 5th. Available in 16-ounce cans, this beer is named after Gayle Goschie, the President of Goschie Farms. Gayle’s family business has grown hops in Oregon for 120 years.

Epoch and Gayle will be on draft at the Ground Breaker Brewpub on Saturday, October 5th, for a special celebration of fresh hop beers. The brewpub will also be pouring a small batch of their flagship beer, IPA No. 5, dry-hopped with fresh Cascade hops from Goschie Farm.

Amber Lager

Bavarian-inspired Oktoberfest Märzen Lager

Not to be forgotten, Ground Breaker has a release for lager lovers as well. Amber Lager, the brewery’s Oktoberfest-style Märzen lager, was released on September 20th.

Available in a 16-ounce can, this malty Bavarian-inspired lager has become a mainstay in the brewery’s late-summer release schedule. It is currently available on draft at Ground Breaker’s Brewpub, located at 2030 SE 7th Ave. in Portland, Oregon.

The 100% gluten-free craft brewery based out of Portland, Oregon has announced the promotion of Gloria Zeiger as Head Brewer. She is the third head brewer to lead the brewery in its twelve year history and the first woman.

“As a person with celiac disease, the world of beer has been so exciting to learn about and grow in. I hope to brew classic styles and modern takes of great beer using nontraditional ingredients so everyone can enjoy it,” said Zeiger.

Gloria Zeiger, Head Brewer of Ground Breaker Brewing

Gloria joined the Ground Breaker team in December of 2019. Originally from the Midwest, Gloria attended Saint Mary’s College, a women’s college in Notre Dame, IN. She then enrolled in the University of California Davis for Winemaking program. Her family moved to Portland in 2016, where she worked at several wineries around the Willamette Valley. She can be found gardening or hiking with her two dogs and husband.

“With Gloria’s knowledge base, her experience attending UC Davis, her experience in the wine industry and her years spent at Ground Breaker, it’s really exciting to have her take the reins at the brewery,” said Founder James Neumeister. “Her first beer releases, Carrot Cake Cream Ale and By the Sea Gose, have been extremely well received by our customers and I look forward to seeing what comes next.”

Former Head Brewer Tyler Kueber is shifting his focus towards research and development. The brewery has accelerated their R&D efforts in the last year to better respond to requests from their customer base, concentrating on sour beers, low calorie beers, and incorporating additional gluten-free grains.

Ground Breaker Brewing has announced the release of By the Sea, a gose style ale brewed with coriander, lemon peel and a touch of salt. At 4.6% alcohol by volume By the Sea is brewed true to style, lightly bittered, with balanced flavors and aroma.

“As a gluten-free brewer, there are styles you see but can’t have,” said Head Brewer Gloria Zeiger. “This is one of those classic styles I’ve always wanted to experience, and I tried to keep it traditional while also not being able to use traditional ingredients.”

By the Sea Gose

To achieve gose’s wheat-like aspect, Ground Breaker incorporated teff into the grain bill. Teff is a naturally gluten-free grain native to the Horn of Africa, where it is a dietary staple. Ground Breaker sourced the grain from The Teff Company, an Idaho-based company that has been growing it for over 30 years.

“Gluten-free beer is always going to push the envelope in terms of ingredients,” said Head of Operations Jesse Bufton. “Brewing with new ingredients like teff can be a challenge, but it can also be incredibly rewarding.”

By the Sea began to ship out to distribution partners on April 13th. It will continue to hit store shelves in the coming weeks.

Ground Breaker Brewing is celebrating their eleventh anniversary on Friday, December 30th. The Great American Beer Festival® and World Beer Cup®-winning dedicated gluten-free brewery will be holding their annual double-case discount dock sale at the brewery from 2:00–8:00 PM.

Founder James Neumeister will be offering $20 discounts on mix-and-match cases and chatting with fans of the brewery. Salvi PDX, which began offering their authentic Salvadoran cuisine with a modern twist at the brewery in mid-August, will have a fried chicken special available for the anniversary party.

To mark their anniversary, they brewed their popular Imperial Darkness, an imperial chocolate stout, which will be available along with IPA No. 5, Inclusion Dry-Hopped Pale Ale, Dark Ale, 99 Light Lager, Olallie Blackberry & Rosehip Ale, Defiance Dark Lager, Calypso Juicy Pale Ale, and Cold IPA.

"We just released Imperial Darkness, our imperial chocolate stout," said Jesse Bufton, Head of Operations at Ground Breaker. "It’s a great time to get some cans of this beer for your cellar."

Ground Breaker Brewing opened as Harvester Brewing in late December 2011. Harvester Brewing was the first dedicated gluten-free brewery in the United States. The brewery began to quickly collect its first accolades, starting with a Great American Beer Festival Bronze Medal in the Gluten-Free Category in 2012. The brewery changed its name to Ground Breaker Brewing in 2014. In 2018, they had their first World Beer Cup win, taking home the Silver Award in the gluten-free category for IPA No. 5.

"The brewery never would have made it this far without the dedicated fans of our beers," remarked Founder James Neumeister. "We offer this steep case discount every year on our anniversary to thank our loyal customers and to give everyone an opportunity to stock up before their New Year's Eve parties."

Imperial Darkness, an 8.1% imperial chocolate stout, has returned at Ground Breaker Brewing. The award-winning gluten-free craft brewery has released the beer in time for the holiday season!
 
Imperial Darkness is a full-bodied stout filled with the flavors and aromas of chocolate, roast, nut, and caramel. The brewers at Ground Breaker use just enough Oregon-grown Crystal hops to provide a balance to the bold flavors and high alcohol. 

Imperial Darkness is a robust stout brewed with cacao nibs and vanilla

“We brew this stout with 33 pounds of cacao nibs,” said Head Brewer Tyler Kueber. “We put them directly into the mash which really allows the chocolate flavor and aroma to be front and center.”

The holiday season isn’t the only thing Ground Breaker is celebrating with the release of Imperial Darkness. The brewery is marking their 11th anniversary on December 30th. An event to mark the occasion is scheduled for 2-8pm. The brewery’s founder, James Neumeister, will be there offering $20 discounts on mix and match cases of their craft beers, including Imperial Darkness. Salvi PDX, which has been operating out of the Ground Breaker kitchen, will be offering gluten-free fried chicken.

“We’re always excited to release Imperial Darkness this time of the year,” said Head of Operations Jesse Bufton. “We get a lot of requests for this stout and its release is a great way to celebrate the great things December brings.”
 
Imperial Darkness is currently available on draft and in 12-ounce cans at the Ground Breaker Gastropub. It will soon be available in Ground Breaker distributed territories throughout the US and Canada.