Lakefront Brewery, which literally changed the game when it first brewed New Grist gluten-free pilsner in 2006, has now added a hoppy version to its lineup with the release of New Grist IPA, a gluten-free India Pale Ale.
Before the first New Grist release, U.S. government rules said anything labeled “beer” had to be made with at least 25 percent malted barley, making gluten-free beer effectively illegal. Lakefront petitioned the feds to change the rules and create a new beer category to allow for a gluten-free beer.
“This has zero ‘gluten-free taste,’ and simply competes on a flavor-level with any other great IPA,” says Lakefront Brewery Brand Manager Michael Stodola. “It sports all the citrus, pine and dank flavors IPA drinkers seek.”
While gluten-removed beers are typically brewed with barley and wheat and remove the gluten using an enzyme that leaves some gluten behind, the New Grist IPA is made using the same process as the pilsner.
They are brewed with sorghum, rice, millet, hops, water and gluten-free yeast – which means there’s no gluten whatsoever in the beer.
Brewed with Cascade, Citra, Idaho 7 and Mosaic hops, New Grist IPA has a medium-light body with 5.7 percent ABV and 44 IBUs.
“Our latest gluten-free brewing process completely takes out any ‘gluten-free weirdness’ and the liquid simply tastes like beer,” added Lakefront’s Head Brewer Luther Paul.
“New Grist IPA is clean, smooth, and hoppy. I doubt anyone would think it was gluten-free from the taste.”
The new brew, packaged in 12-ounce cans, is available wherever Lakefront beer is sold.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
