First debuting from the Portland-based dedicated gluten-free brewery in late 2016, Cascadian Dark Ale is back at Ground Breaker for a 2017 release. The highest demanded beer yet in their Experiment Ale series, Cascadian Dark Ale carries a hint of roast and caramel notes and a heavy hop presence.

Ground Breaker’s Cascadian Dark Ale clocks in at 48 IBU and just over 6% alcohol by volume. The beer features late additions and dry hopping with Centennial and Cascade hops, giving it a forward Northwest hop aroma. Dark Belgian  candi syrup provides a backbone to the beer that carries an aromatic hint of roasted caramel and dark fruit.

“This was a wildly popular beer when we released it for the first time last year,” remarked Tyler Kueber, Head Brewer at Ground Breaker Brewing. “We’re happy to meet the demand of our customers with this end-of-the-year seasonal. It combines the bittering and aromatic qualities prominent in an IPA with the body and texture of a darker ale. It’s perfect for fall and winter.”

The beer spent more than a year in development. “CDA spent a lot of time in our gastropub as a taproom exclusive,” remarked James Neumeister, Head of R&D. “It’s always been well received by customers. We knew it would do well when we distributed it widely, but it still surpassed our expectations. We get calls and messages for this beer constantly.”

Cascadian Dark Ale is available now at the Ground Breaker Brewing Gastropub on draft and in 22 oz bottles. It will be available in Ground Breaker distributed territories in the coming weeks.

Ground Breaker Brewing maintained their grip on the Gold Medal in the Gluten-Free beer category at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival®. This is Dark Ale’s third Gold Medal in the Gluten-Free beer category from GABF, having previously won the Gluten-Free Gold Medal in 2014 and 2016. Since opening their doors in 2011 as Harvester Brewing, the brewery has won a GABF medal in the Gluten-Free beer category every year.

In 2012 the brewery won their first medal as Harvester Brewing, capturing the Bronze Medal with Pale Ale in the Gluten-Free beer category. The brewery won a second medal under the Harvester name in 2013, snagging the Gold Medal in the Gluten-Free beer category for IPA No. 1. After changing their name to Ground Breaker Brewing in 2014, the brewery won a second Gold Medal again in the category for Dark Ale. 2015 brought them a Silver Medal in the category for IPA No. 5. Dark Ale won its second Gold Medal in 2016. 

Going 6 for 6 at the GABF competition, Ground Breaker is easily the most decorated gluten-free brewery in the United States. The first dedicated gluten-free brewery in the United States, Ground Breaker has no plans of slowing down, “we’re very proud to be the first dedicated gluten-free brewery in the US,” said James Neumeister, founder and Head of R&D at the brewery. “What’s more important to us than being the first dedicated is continuing to meet the ever-raising standards in the craft beer industry. Winning at GABF every year is affirmation we’re doing good things, but it’s also a reminder we need to continue to reach higher.”

Ground Breaker Brewing accepts the GABF Gold Medal for Gluten-Free Beer from Charlie Papazian. From left to right: Charlie Papazian, Maddy McCarthy (cellarwoman), Paxton Scott (head of sales), Tyler Kueber (head brewer), and James Neumeister (founder).

It was the first GABF medal win for Head Brewer Tyler Kueber, who was promoted to the position in January. “I’ve felt a bit of pressure taking over brewing operations because the brewery has such a decorated history. We’ve made continuous improvements to our processes. We’re always refining our methods, and it shows. I’m happy to be part of such a talented and dedicated team.”

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. 

---

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/

Gluten-free beer enthusiasts in Ground Breaker distributed territories far and wide will have the chance to try Imperial Darkness, a 9% ABV imperial stout. Initially released in January, this bold gluten-free beer was sold exclusively through their Gastropub location in Portland, Oregon and online through Bring on the Beer. Imperial Darkness.

“This recipe was over a year in development,” remarked James Neumeister, head of R&D. “Our first release was exclusively for our Yes We Can! Kickstarter Release Party. We released it under our Roll Up Door Series earlier this year, and we’re excited to give this Roll Up Door Series beer the wide distribution it deserves.”

Imperial Darkness is made with deeply roasted chestnuts, lentils, and cacao nibs. Fermented with generous amounts of vanilla and cold-brewed Equal Exchange coffee, this beer has a complex wave of cocoa, coffee, vanilla, and caramel flavor and aroma. With 62 IBU, Nugget and Willamette hops provide just enough bittering for a well-balanced imperial stout.

“We've been doing ingredient research with our Taproom Exclusives since we opened,” said Tyler Kueber, head brewer at Ground Breaker. “It's exciting to take all that we've learned with flavor, aroma and technique on the small batch system and scale it up in production.” 

Kueber makes the point that it’s not just about pushing the envelope in terms of ingredients and technique but also bringing the results to Ground Breaker fans in territories outside of Portland, Oregon. “Each bottle of Imperial Darkness is taking the flavor experience of our small batch brews that are found in the pub and distributing those flavor experiences to our fans in other states and even other countries,” declared Kueber. 

Imperial Darkness began shipping to Ground Breaker territories August 7.

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.