Brewery Sweep Category
Photo: Gray Fox Brewing
A dedicated gluten-free brewery in Kelowna swept its category at this year’s Canadian Beer Cup.
Gray Fox Brewing won gold, silver and bronze in the gluten-free category at the awards, which were presented Oct. 25 in conjunction with the Ontario Craft Brewers Conference in Niagara Falls, Ont. .
Judges from across Europe, the UK, the US and Canada awarded 67 beer styles in 11 categories.
Gray Fox won gold for ‘Quick Witted’, silver for ‘Humble Lager’ and bronze for ‘Buckwild Stout’.
“I have celiac disease and drinking traditional beer causes severe symptoms,” says owner and brewmaster Chris Neufeld.
“I wanted to create a beer that had all the flavor of beers made with barley and wheat, but with ingredients that wouldn’t make someone like me sick. I wanted to make a beer that would be safe for people who cannot tolerate gluten. It’s rewarding to know that not only is it there, but it tastes as good as the best beers in Canada.”
To make Belgian-style Witbier, which is typically made with wheat, Neufeld softened the usual base malt of quinoa and rice with quinoa and added a little buckwheat to enhance the flavor. Traditional flavorings of orange peel and coriander were also used.
Gray Fox is located at 105-310 Hiram Walker Court and will celebrate its one-year anniversary in December.
Fellow Kelowna brewery Jackknife Brewing won a silver award in the Brettanomyces fermented beer category for “Chimerana Awakening.”