A new craft brewery in Kelowna will be making gluten-free beer.

Grey Fox Brewing founder and brewmaster Chris Neufeld is behind the project and is very familiar with the gluten-free lifestyle.

sa国际传媒淚 was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2003, back when nobody even knew what gluten was,sa国际传媒� said Neufeld. sa国际传媒淔inding a gluten-free beer that stands up to its more traditional counterpart is tough. Itsa国际传媒檚 a real hole in the market.sa国际传媒�

Neufeld learned from brewers in Oregon who taught him some of the science in extracting the starches from the gluten-free grains that arensa国际传媒檛 so easily extracted as they are from barley. He uses a combination of millet and rice along with hops and yeast to produce his gluten-free beer.

sa国际传媒淚 was giving it to my friends, and they couldnsa国际传媒檛 tell they were any different from the beers they were drinking at the taproom down the street,sa国际传媒� said Neufeld. Thatsa国际传媒檚 when I knew things needed to be bigger, and thatsa国际传媒檚 when Grey Fox started.sa国际传媒�

The gluten-free beer market in Western Canada is spotty right now according to Neufeld. There are only a handful of taprooms, and liquor stores struggle with consistent supply.

sa国际传媒淚n the last five years theresa国际传媒檚 been an explosion of gluten-free craft beer in the States,sa国际传媒� he explained. sa国际传媒淚t really hasnsa国际传媒檛 been something thatsa国际传媒檚 caught on here in Canada. Theresa国际传媒檚 clearly a need, and we want to change that.sa国际传媒�

There are challenges in doing that. Neufeld pointed out gluten-free malt is not available in Canada, so he has to source it from Colorado and itsa国际传媒檚 expensive to ship. Itsa国际传媒檚 also more expensive to brew gluten-free beer.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 why everybody is scared to get into the market I think,sa国际传媒� said Neufeld. sa国际传媒淏ut my thinking was if I build a gluten-free facility then I can supply or contract to other breweries and they donsa国际传媒檛 have to make that capital investment.sa国际传媒�

Neufeld has secured agreements with taprooms and restaurants throughout the Okanagan that want to carry Grey Fox beers. What hesa国际传媒檚 looking for now is a final push to open the doors. He is relying on support through a to help raise an additional $20,000.

sa国际传媒淐onstruction costs have spiralled out of control, so we thought the Kickstarter might be a way to raise a little bit of extra money, and wesa国际传媒檙e getting close to opening,sa国际传媒� said Neufeld.

Grey Fox Brewing is slated to open this summer on Hiram Walker Court, near Jim Bailey Road and will feature a tasting room and small retail space selling a lager and an IPA in kegs and cans.

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gary.barnes@kelownacapnews.com
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