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 Portland, Oregon based gluten-free craft brewery continues to do their part in the ongoing revival of lager beers with the release of Defiance Dark Lager. Ground Breaker Brewing’s nod to the Schwarzbier style comes in at 5.1% alcohol by volume and is available in 16 ounce cans. 

“Dark Lagers have always been some of my favorite styles of beer,” said Head Brewer Tyler Kueber. “As always it can be a challenge to recreate some of these more delicate styles of beer in the gluten-free world, but after a lot of R&D we are very happy with the results.”

Defiance Dark Lager

This dark lager has a strong malt aroma without being excessively roasty. Toasted bread, caramel, nuttiness, dark plum and hints of chocolate round out the flavor profile. Delicately hopped with noble European hop varieties, this seasonal lager is designed to be enjoyed next to a warm autumn fire.
 
“We have really enjoyed putting out more lager beers in the last couple years,” said Head of Operations Jesse Bufton. “Tyler and I love schwarzbier in particular, and we've always wanted to create a gluten-free version at Ground Breaker. ”

Defiance Dark Lager has already begun shipping out to Ground Breaker’s many distribution partners. Look for it to arrive on store shelves in the coming weeks.

Oktoberfest season is upon us and Ground Breaker Brewing’s Amber Lager has arrived in time for the party. The Portland, Oregon based gluten-free craft brewery is releasing a small batch of their Märzenbier-inspired lager on September 14th.

“We’ve really enjoyed playing around with lager beers the last couple of years,” said Head Brewery Tyler Kueber. “This is the first one that kicked off our deep dive into lagers and we love bringing it back every year.”

Amber Lager, an American Tribute to Bavarian Lagers

Elegant, malty and with a restrained bitterness, Amber Lager is 5.4% alcohol by volume and 20 IBUs. First released in spring 2020, Amber Lager has seen small releases in spring and autumn since 2021.

“Inclusivity is at the core of Ground Breaker,” said Founder James Neumeister. “We’re pleased to be able to provide the Oktoberfest experience for our gluten-free customers.”

Amber Lager will begin hitting store shelves in distributed territories across the United States and Canada. “As always you can ask your favorite stores to bring this beer in through our distribution partners,” remarked Operations Manager Jesse Bufton. “You can find a list of distribution partners and the territories they cover on our website.”