I stumbled on the best gluten free beers while sampling at the Belmont Station...it was the perfect timing because I received an email from the owner of Sweet Cheeks Bakery (gluten free baked goods).
From Harvester Brewing, it was difficult to pick but this is what we will be pouring at TT...
#3 IPA : The grain bill of IPA No. 3 features both roasted chestnuts and roasted buckwheat with Crystal and Santiam hops added throughout the boil and as dry-hops.
The combination of buckwheat, Crystal, and Santiam hops create interesting flavor and aroma combinations with notes of dried apricot and pineapple alongside the typical citrus characteristics found in Northwest IPAs. “Buckwheat, in addition to being a great source of fermentables, has wonderful flavor and aroma compounds that can also be found in many fruits including strawberries and fresh cut pineapple,” said Harvester’s head of R&D, James Neumeister. He continued, “In the development of this beer I viewed buckwheat as a third hop and considered how it would play off the oils found in the Crystal and Santiam hops.”
Dark Ale -25 IBU ~4.5% ABV
Our Dark Ale is the third beer rounding out our current lineup. It uses a very dark, near espresso-like roast of our chestnuts. The extra dark chestnuts lend a roasty flavor and aroma with notes of chocolate and dark fruits. The hops take a supporting role in this beer allowing the roastiness to come forward in the palette.
Apple IPA - Experiment Ale
Fall 2013
40 IBU ~6.1% ABV
Apple IPA features the wonderful characteristics of a dry cider crossed with a classicly-hopped Northwest IPA. It starts with an IPA base brewed with buckwheat and chestnuts and kettle hopped with three large aroma additions of Centennial hops. Then apple must is added to create a mixture of 51% IPA and 49% cider. The blend is fermented with an American ale yeast, and is finished by dry- hopping with 10 lbs. of Centennial hops.
Squash Ale - 30 IBU ~5.3% ABV
Harvester's Squash Ale is made with 200 pounds of a dozen varieties of squash and toasted spices.
The squash was picked from the fields of our friends at Love Farm Organics (46125 NW Hillside Rd. Forest Grove, OR 97116) and cellared for peak flavor. The harvest was then sliced, diced, seeded and roasted in the high tech oven at Jensen’s Bread & Bakeries (3420 SE 21st Ave. Portland, OR 97202), a dedicated gluten-free bakery in our neighborhood. In addition to the flesh of a dozen squashes the roasted and crushed pumpkin seeds were added to the mash.
The Squash Ale was ‘Triple Squashed’ in it’s production with squash added in the mash tun, kettle, and then ‘wet squashed’ in the fermenter. The Squash Ale has been lightly spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and toasted coriander to complement the squash flavors and aromas without overpowering the beer.
