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.

Front Loader IPA, a 7.4% West Coast style IPA, is the latest release from the 100% gluten-free craft brewery. Brewed with rice, millet, buckwheat, flaked quinoa and over two pounds of hops per barrel. Ground Breaker is billing Front Loader IPA as a spiritual successor to IPA No. 4, a beer whose production ceased when the brewery made line up changes in 2015.

“People ask about IPA No. 4 constantly,” said Founder and Head of R&D James Neumeister. “It was a beer with a small but dedicated following.” Neumeister pointed out that Front Loader is not simply a carbon copy. “We’re always learning new techniques, honing our craft, experimenting with new ingredients. It’s really an improved No. 4 with a new identity.”

“We’ve been overwhelmed with hype beer the last few years, for lack of a better term,” remarked Head Brewer Tyler Kueber. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a classic Northwest style, high IBU IPA. There is a growing nostalgia for this style right now.”

Front Loader IPA will be available in a 16 ounce can package and on draft at the Ground Breaker Gastropub. It will be distributed to Ground Breaker territories in the coming weeks.

(Portland, OR) – The popular single hop IPA returns to the 100% dedicated gluten-free brewery’s lineup. Ground Breaker Brewing’s Route 20 IPA is named after the longest continuous road in the United States, U.S. Route 20. This gluten-free IPA clocks in at 6% alcohol by volume. The 2020 release of Route 20 has been “New Englandized,” making it the third hazy or juicy IPA from the seven time Great American Beer Festival® medal winning brewery.

“Route 20 has always been the beer where we feel free to play with new ingredients and techniques,” said Head Brewer Tyler Kueber. “We’ve learned a lot over the past year using these new ingredients. It’s exciting to use them to bring newer styles of beer to the gluten-free community.”

Ground Breaker isn’t done pushing the limits with Route 20. “We plan on releasing a fresh hop version of this beer in the coming weeks so people will be able to taste the New Englandized and a fresh hop New Englandized side by side,” revealed Kueber.

Route 20 New Englandized IPA is currently available in 16 ounce cans and on draft at the Ground Breaker Gastropub. It will be distributed to Ground Breaker territories in the coming weeks.

Ground Breaker Brewing is doubling up on the fresh hop fun. Epoch, a fresh hop IPA brewed with Strata hops, is due to hit store shelves in the third week of September. In early October, Ground Breaker will release Gayle, a fresh hop IPA brewed with Crystal hops. Epoch and Gayle will join Ground Breaker’s Experiment Ale Series. 

Strata, at one time known as X-331, is an aroma hop that was developed over 7 years in cooperation between Indie Hops and Oregon State University. High-yielding and bursting with tropical fruit and herbal dank aroma, this brand-new be-all hop has the brewing industry abuzz with anticipation. “We were very excited to get our hands on this amazing new Oregon-developed hop variety,” said Tyler Kueber, head brewer at Ground Breaker. “Going into the hop back it smelled great, going into the tank it smelled even better. I am very happy for this opportunity to provide a new hop experience for the gluten-free community.”

After releasing one gluten-free fresh hop beer for the last two years, Ground Breaker made the decision to distribute two this fresh hop season. “Gayle was very successful last year and we knew we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play with a new aroma hop,” said James Neumeister, founder of Ground Breaker Brewing. “We love the tropical fruit aroma hops that are becoming available, but we’re still fans that Northwest forest aroma. Why not provide both?”

Epoch IPA and Gayle IPA will be distributed in a 22-ounce package in Ground Breaker territory. 

Gluten-free beer lovers can try both Ground Breaker fresh hop IPAs as well as an “estate” fresh hop blonde ale at Ground Breaker’s first Gluten-Free Fresh Hop Festival. The festival will take place at the gastropub located at 2030 SE 7th Ave Portland, OR 97214, on September 30 from 12pm-9pm. 

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About Ground Breaker Brewing
Ground Breaker Brewing is a gluten-free craft brewery and Gastropub founded in 2011. They are dedicated to making 100% gluten-free beer; using ingredients which are naturally gluten-free and allowing no gluten in their facility. Ground Breaker has won a medal in the gluten-free category at the Great American Beer Festival® each year they have entered. The gastropub is located at 2030 SE 7th Ave. in Portland, OR. Ground Breaker’s beers are distributed in OR, WA, ID, CA, VT, ME, MA, RI, BC, AB and Japan.
https://www.groundbreakerbrewing.com/
facebook.com/groundbreakerbrewing

About Goschie Farms
Goschie Farms, nestled within the hills of the Pacific Northwest's scenic Willamette Valley, has been a fixture in the Oregon farming community for 130 years. The farm's current location was established by Herman and Vernice Goschie. It is now managed year-round by three of their children: Gordon, Gayle, and Glenn in addition to a cadre of wonderful team members. Frequently cited as an example for sustainable farming practices, Goschie Farms was the first hop farm in the nation to be certified as Salmon-Safe and now grows all of its crops in accordance with salmon-safe guidelines.
http://goschiefarms.com/hops.html

About Indie Hops
Indie Hops supplies Oregon-grown aroma hops to craft brewers. The Willamette Valley's rich alluvial soils, long summer days, family operated century farms, and pioneering spirit all combine to create the environment where world-class aroma hops thrive, in a culture that naturally supports craft brewing.
http://indiehops.com/

Route 20 IPA, a single-hop India Pale Ale, returns at Ground Breaker Brewing. Named after the longest continuous road in the United States, this gluten-free IPA clocks in at 50 IBU and 6% alcohol by volume. Route 20 is a unique IPA that was designed to get all of its bittering, flavor and aroma from late additions of Santiam hops. Santiam hops, known for their floral aroma, carry hints of peppery spice. The hop is unique for its high amounts of farnesene which produces a fragrance that has been compared to magnolia flowers. Farnesene is found in strawberries, apples, pears, and many other plants.
 
The road that is this IPA’s namesake spans an incredible 3,365 miles from Newport, Oregon to Boston, Massachusetts. “It was probably the shortest amount of time we’ve ever spent naming anything. I was on my way to Steens Mountain, heading through the Santiam Pass,” said James Neumeister, Founder and Head of R&D. “That’s when the name came to me.”

With this year’s release of Route 20 IPA, Ground Breaker is celebrating this coast-to-coast IPA by pouring it at the Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly Expo in Worcester, MA. The Gluten Free and Allergy Friendly Expo is the largest gluten-free and allergy friendly event in the United States. 
 
Route 20 IPA is currently available at the Ground Breaker Gastropub in Portland, OR and will begin to be distributed to Ground Breaker territories in the second week of July. Ground Breaker beers are distributed in Massachusetts by Atlantic Distributing.