History of Oktoberfest

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This past weekend we had the privilege of pouring New Planet Beers at the Niwot Oktoberfest. For those of you who have never heard of it, Niwot is a small town just northeast of the New Planet headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Each year, the local Rotary Club hosts the Oktoberfest event, and despite sporadic bad weather, we had a great turnout!

We had a blast pouring Tread Lightly, Seclusion IPA, and our Blonde Ale. As is pretty typical anytime we’re pouring our beers at cultural events or beer festivals, we were the only brewery pour gluten-free and gluten-reduced beers. People are always curious to try the beers, especially those folks who don’t have a gluten allergy or sensitivity. The main thing we hear is, “I’ve gotta try this…there’s no way it can taste like ‘real’ beer!”

Then we wait.

After that first sip, they look at us incredulously. “Holy cow!” Is a pretty common refrain.

But, I digress! In the spirit of a successful Oktoberfest event, we thought we’d explore this very German holiday in more detail. So, crack a beer, settle in, and let’s talk Oktoberfest!

Historical Roots

Oktoberfest really began in 1810, in Munich, Germany. The first celebration was actually a gathering to celebrate the marriage of the Bavarian Crown Prince, Louis (who would later become King Louis I of Bavaria) to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. The celebration was held in the fields, later named Theresienwiese (ie “Therese’s Fields”) and the royal family held horse races at the end of the event. The horse races were held around all Bavaria that year, though the royal family was present at the Munich events with Munich citizens.

The first party was such a hit that they decided to repeat the horse races again in 1811. 1811 also heralded the introduction of an Agricultural Fair at Oktoberfest, meant as a boon to the region’s agricultural contributions. By this time, a few enterprising Münchner (Munich citizens) set up beer stands at the festival, and the idea caught on in subsequent years.

Finally, in 1896 the now-iconic first beer tents and beer halls replaced the beer stands, and the rest is history.

Oktoberfest Today

Nearly 200 years later, Oktoberfest lives on in cities across the world, though the Munich Oktoberfest is still the largest, attracting over 6 millions visitors from around the world annually.

Each Oktoberfest is a bit different, but many of the cornerstones of those first celebrations can be found in even the smallest Oktoberfest event. Games and events for kids of all ages are still prominent in today’s celebrations, while the horse racing is largely a historical footnote now. Classic Bavarian music and cultural dress such as lederhosen for men and dirndl for women are prevalent and popular, though by no means required attire.

No matter where you find yourself celebrating Oktoberfest, we encourage you to take it all in. Dress in whatever makes you feel comfortable, dance to some traditional polka, grab a liter of bier, and toast to this most awesome holiday! As always, please drink responsibly, and next time you fill your bierstein with beer, reach for a New Planet Beer!

Prost!  

The Truth is Out There! Demystifying Gluten-Free and Gluten-Reduced Beers

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While it may not be an age-old question, it is certainly one that we at New Planet Beer get a lot: What is the difference between gluten-free and gluten-reduced beer?

Grab a pint and let’s dive in! Also, be sure to check out our sweet new infographic at the bottom of this article. Whether you’re Celiac or unsure if you have a gluten intolerance, the infographic is designed to help you understand a bit more whether gluten-free or gluten-reduced is the right choice for you!

Gluten-free beer is brewed with ingredients that are naturally gluten-free, such as millet, sorghum, rice, corn, quinoa, gluten-free oats, and cane sugar. If you’re not sure if a beer is truly gluten-free or not, know that all gluten-free beer labels must adhere to specific FDA standards.

Gluten-reduced beer is brewed with traditional ingredients such as barley and rye, which is then given an enzyme that specializes in breaking down the gluten-containing proteins. Gluten-reduced beers are technically called “crafted to remove gluten” and, similar to gluten-free beer’s need to adhere to FDA standards, must adhere to the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) standards. To obtain a “crafted to remove gluten” label the TTB requires that the beers pass a laboratory test at less than 10 ppm (parts per million) of gluten. When choosing a “crafted to remove gluten” beer, be sure to look for the TTB language on the package (the can or bottle) as there are many breweries that claim their beer is crafted to remove gluten despite it never being tested to TTB standards.

The key to brewing gluten-free beers is to start with 100% gluten-free ingredients and to develop a consistent process to eliminate cross contamination. As far as the actual brewing process is concerned, ensuring that your equipment is absolutely clean is an essential step for creating gluten-free beers. Cross contamination from gluten grains can completely ruin a gluten-free batch. That’s why at New Planet we only brew gluten-free beers after a scheduled CIP (clean in place) of the equipment and a deep clean of the surrounding areas. This way, we can ensure our equipment is 100% clean and free from possible gluten contaminants.

When brewing “crafted to remove gluten” beers, it is best to incorporate friendly grains like oats, non-gmo blue corn, and cane sugar into the grain build and start the brewing process with less gluten than a traditional barley craft beer. Also, we have tested and calibrated the enzymatic process over the last three years and have developed a proprietary process in dosing the enzymes to ensure the best possible outcome. (If you can’t tell, we nerd out about this, because we love making beers for everyone!)

No matter where you fall on the gluten-free or gluten-reduced spectrum, there is promising news: more and more breweries are seeing the opportunity that these beers present. As more people begin to ask about what’s in their beer, breweries are adapting and making tasty brews with this market in mind. For you, this means more choices will be available for you to drink gluten-free or gluten-reduced beers.

Below, explore our helpful new infographic to get a better understanding of whether gluten-free or gluten-reduced beer is best for you.

If you’ve already been diagnosed Celiac, the answer for you is simple: Drink gluten-free beer!

For those of you who haven’t been diagnosed Celiac, a few options exist for you. If you have already tried gluten-reduced beer and you still react to it, it is best that you stick to gluten-free beer altogether. Afterall, a beer is only good if you enjoy it during and after!

Lastly, if you’ve had both gluten-free and gluten-reduced beer, and the gluten-reduced beer doesn’t seem to give you any issues, we’ve got good news for you: drink both gluten-free and gluten-reduced brews!

At New Planet Beer, we’re proud to be brewing gluten-free and gluten-reduced beer. Not a group to settle, we continually improve our recipes to give you the highest quality beer that fits your dietary needs and your wallet.

So, next time you’re in your local liquor store and reach for a gluten-free or gluten-reduced beer, check the packaging so you see what we’re talking about…and keep supporting your local brewers by picking up a New Planet six pack for your next adventure.

Cheers!

Spotlight: Tread Lightly Session Ale

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There’s just something about a warm summer day that begs for an easy drinking beer to accompany your adventures. Put a beer like that in a light, hassle free, pack-in-pack-out can, and you’re well on your way to a great day.

This summer, we can’t get enough of Tread Lightly Ale. Clocking in at just under 5% ABV (4.9% to be precise), this beer is about as sessionable as they come. We love that we can have a few of these refreshing libations throughout the day without worrying that we’ll end up passed out under a table before dinnertime.

We’re obviously partial to Tread Lightly, but if you’ll allow us to indulge ourselves (pun intended), here’s why Tread Lightly is perfect for Anytime Drinking.

Tread Lightly Session Ale

It’s the Hops, Baby!

Crafted with Sterling hops, Tread Lightly lends a delicate, subtle citrus character to the overall profile of the beer. The beauty of the Sterling hop, too, is that it doubles as an aromatic. So if you’re not taking Tread Lightly with you as you backpack and camp the Rockies, do yourself a favor: pour this bad boy into a tulip glass. Once the beer has settled, dip your nose into the glass and take a deep inhale. If you pay close attention, you may get a whiff of some of the spicy notes that Sterling is also known for.

All. Day. Long

Session beers. Not familiar with this term for beer? Don’t worry, not everyone is, but at New Planet Beer, we’re pretty sure session beers are here to stay. While there is no tight rule as to what really defines a session beer, the typical brewer school of thought is anything under 5% ABV qualifies for a session beer. The key difference between this and, say a Big Brewer Lager, is a session beer’s ability to stay true to the style of the beer that is being made. In other words, a “normal” amber ale could clock in at 6.5% ABV. A session amber could be well below that ABV, but it is critical to ensure that the flavor, nose, and mouthfeel are all in line with what makes an “amber” an Amber. Still with us? Great!

A beer’s sessionability means it is great for lawn games at the park on a weekend day. It means you can put a few of these away and still remember to reapply that SPF 50!

A Beer for the Foodie

Tread Lightly’s drinkability and light, refreshing profile goes great with a variety of foods, too. Mild seafood dishes like shrimp scampi or pan seared scallops are an especially nice combination with Tread Lightly. Once again, it isn’t necessary, but pouring Tread Lightly into a glass will reward your tastebuds with another layer of goodness when paired with a food you’re particularly fond of.

Salads of mixed greens with strawberries, almond slices, goat cheese, and a light vinaigrette go great with Tread Lightly.

Tread Lightly is not only approachable in its flavor and nose profile and characteristics, but it is also crafted to remove gluten. This means that it is something to be enjoyed by everyone. We’ll drink to that!

Summertime is a great time to make memories and catch up with friends and family. No matter where your adventures take you, be sure to check out your local liquor store to pick up a six pack. If you don’t see it, it’s because we sold out of it at the distributor level…but don’t worry: We’ll have more if it for you in September. In the meantime, check out other liquor stores in your area for supply if you just can’t wait until September!

Boulder Craft Beer Festival

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The 4th Annual Boulder Craft Beer Festival brings together the best craft breweries from Boulder County and beyond for a tasting festival, offering attendees samples of the best beer on the Front Range. The festival includes live music and food for purchase.

Event Details

AUG 19, 2017 1:00 – 5:00PM
NORTH BOULDER PARK

Incredible Edible Gluten Free Beer

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Please join us for our 11th Annual Incredible, Edible Gluten Free Food Fair. This will be a great celebration with lots of gluten free vendors who will offer samples of amazing gluten free products. In addition there will be kids’ activities, a silent auction with several gluten-free gift baskets, plus deals on gluten-free products. See the current list of vendors below.

Denver Mart

451 E. 58th Ave., Denver, CO 80216
Sunday, August 20, 2017
10 a.m. – 3 p.m

New Planet Beer will be one of the Bronze Sponsors!

Schoolin’ Lesson 2: Gluten Free vs Gluten Reduced Beers

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In the immortal words of Matthew McConaughey, “Alright alright alright.”

School’s back in session! Last month, we started class with some “Lesson Plans” to educate you, our beloved beer drinkers, on matters relating to how we do things at New Planet Beer. Today, we continue the lesson plans!  

New Planet Beer Schoolin 2

Are there any styles of beer that are harder to make gluten-free or gluten-reduced?

Not so much. Just about every style you can think of is brewable whether it is crafted to be gluten-free or to remove gluten. In other words, there isn’t much standing in our way when it comes to making the best beer styles accessible to our hop-head, gluten-conscious consumer. If you truly want a wheat beer…you are out of luck.

Speaking of hops…What’s the difference between adding hops to traditional brews and gluten-free or gluten-reduced ones?

Great question, Grasshopper. Hop utilization (how well the hops have imparted their taste and aroma into the beer) is different in gluten-free grain (what we use) versus barley grain (traditional beer grain). What this means for New Planet Beer is that managing bitterness in gluten-free is a harder task than in conventional beer. Our beers that are brewed with gluten-free grain take on bitterness at a higher level than those of traditional grains, so we need to be really careful when adding hops to get it just right.

Do you feel that there is a stigma around gluten-free or gluten-reduced beers?

Definitely. But like many things in life, the best way to cure stigma is through education, and we’re happy to be educating the masses on just how awesome gluten-free and gluten-reduced beers (especially ours!) are. Luckily, though, we at New Planet see a positive shift in perception as gluten-free and gluten-reduced beers keep getting better and better.

We still believe that the best education is to sample the beers at craft beer festivals, local liquor stores, and restaurants. We know that when folks get a chance to taste the beers themselves, a lot of those preconceived notions melt away, and they’re walking away with a new six pack in tow!

What are you brewing right now?

Right now, we’re brewing our new Blonde Ale that just won Gold Medal at the Denver International Competition ( April 2017) made from Colorado Millet, 100% gluten-free grain. This is a recipe that we’ve been refining and perfecting for a while now. This marks our third batch, and we’re excited for everyone to try it!

Without sounding braggadocious (not something Matthew McConaughey is known to say!), we really believe that this is a game-changer. As we mentioned before, there is still a stigma around gluten-free and gluten-reduced beers, and if education is the best cure for that, then this is our PhD thesis…thought, time, care, and passion has gone into this beer, and we see it competing with traditional craft beers like no other gluten-free or gluten-reduced beer has ever done before.

Alright. Great. But how much is this game-changer gonna cost me?

Ha! Fair question. Let us put it this way: when we set out to craft New Planet’s Blonde Ale, we wanted to create a beer that reminded us of the beers we were loving before our Celiac diagnosis. In other words, we wanted a beer that had character, flavor, and personality in spades. A true craft beer. With our Blonde Ale, we’ve got it dialed in. We also wanted to make it affordable, so we’ve priced it competitively in our home market for just $8.99 per six pack. Good beer does not need to cost $16.99 a four pack if you know what I mean.

That concludes class for another day. Please recycle your New Planet Beer homework bottles. Track down our Blonde Ale or Seclusion IPA for your next take-home exam!  

New Planet Beer Upcoming Events

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New Planet Beer Upcoming Events

Front Range Rally

Saturday, May 20, 2017 from 1:30 pm – 7 pm
Loveland, CO

Breakthru Tradeshow

Wednesday, June 1, 2017

The Gluten-Free Gallup 5k run/walk

Saturday, June 4, 2017 from 8 am – 12 pm

The Denver-Metro Celiac Support Association is excited to announce our sixth annual Gluten Free Gallop 5k run/walk to raise awareness of Celiac Disease and gluten related disorders. The Gluten Free Gallop will take place at Clement Park in Littleton, CO on Sunday June 4th, 2017.  This is a fun family, stroller and dog friendly event.  

Clement Park
7306 W Bowles Ave
Littleton, CO 80123

New Planet Beer Events in April

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New Planet Beer April Events

Cavalier Distributing Trade Show

Florida Retailers Come Join Us!

Orlando April 19th, 5:30 – 8:30PM
Orlando Science Center
777 E. Princeton Street
Orlando, FL 32803

Tampa April 20th,  5:30 – 8:30PM
District 3 Arts Events
802-812 E.Whiting St.
Tampa, Florida 33062

Microbrews for the Environment

April 28th, 7PM
Boulder Theater
Boulder Colorado 80301

Spring Flours Gluten Free Gala

The University of Chicago
Celiac Disease Center
April 28th, 6pm
Preston Bradley Hall
Chicago Cultural Center
78 East Washington Street
Chicago,Illinois

Schoolin’ Lesson 1: Gluten Free vs Gluten Reduced Beers

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Summer is just around the corner, and that is getting the brew crew at New Planet Beer really excited! Don’t get us wrong, we love a fresh blanket of snow on the Rockies, but there’s just something about a cloudless blue-sky spring day that gets us going!

But, as any parent with a kid will remind you: It isn’t summer yet. School’s still in session. In that spirit, we’ve developed a few “Lesson Plans” we wanted to share with you. Below is Lesson 1. Stay tuned for more lessons over the next few weeks!

Alright, class: Pay attention!

Gluten Free vs Gluten Reduced Beers

At New Planet Beer, we brew only gluten free and gluten reduced beer. In fact, we’re the only brewery around that has that claim to fame. There are other breweries who brew gluten free or gluten reduced beers, but not both.

Please raise your hand if you know the answers to the following questions.

What’s the difference between gluten free and gluten reduced?

Easy. “Gluten Free” is defined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it gets even more in depth when discussing gluten free beer.

The definition from the FDA is long and boring, but in truth, those details makes a world of difference to our customers and how we brew our beer.

In short, in order to call a beer “gluten free” (and be labeled as such by the FDA), it must be brewed with ingredients that test out less than 20 Parts Per million (PPM), and the brewing process itself must mitigate cross-contamination with gluten. Finally, the resulting beer must be less than 20 PPM, too.

Long story short: Any gluten free beer will have a label saying it is 100% gluten free. No label? Not gluten free. Simple as that!

Okay, so what about Gluten-reduced?

Gluten-reduced is a bit different. It is a brewing industry term and isn’t regulated by the FDA, but is a category created and tested by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Trade Bureau (TTB)…try to say that fast five times after a few beers!

While the TTB may not be the FDA, it is still strict! Just to give you an idea of the testing the TTB puts a gluten-reduced beer through: New Planet’s Seclusion IPA and the Tread Lightly Ale both went through the TTB testing process. And it took 12 months to get approval!

Why so long? Well, the TTB performs lab tests, formula ingredient reviews, as well as tests the beer for PPM of gluten. We’re proud that our beers that are gluten-reduced test out at less that 5 PPM…that’s pretty awesome.

Using Gluten-free or Gluten-reduced ingredients is one thing, but how do we ensure that our beers stay that way?

This is a question we get a lot. Gluten, after all, seems to be everywhere.

We have incredibly strict policies at New Planet that guides how we brew our beer. For example, we only brew gluten-free beers on Mondays. Why Mondays? Because our brewery undergoes a deep clean on Sunday. This eliminates any traces of gluten that could remain from when we brew our gluten-reduced brews.

By doing it this way, we ensure that our equipment is in pristine condition, and no other beers are brewed during this time. Our adherence to this policy, among many others, ensures the integrity of our beers.

Alright class, that’s it for today. Your homework for the week is to crack open a New Planet Beer and kick your feet up. Good luck!

An Interview with Pedro Gonzalez

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Every so often, people ask me, “How did you get into brewing?”

It seems like a simple enough question right? I always thought of myself holding a sign that said, “Will brew for beer” or something like that.

But like many things that are special about this industry, I didn’t go about this alone. When my wife, Seneca Murley, and I opened New Planet Beer in 2009, craft beer was seemingly everywhere we looked. From our homebase in Boulder, Colorado, there were dozens of craft breweries within biking distance, and even more within a 30 mile radius.

interview with pedro gonzalez of new planet beer

As we were getting started, we had a helping hand from some great people at amazing breweries. These folks not only helped us accomplish our dream by being invaluable resources, but some, like John Legnard at Blue Moon, even lent me equipment “back in the day.” Thankfully, Mike Bristol from Bristol Brewing, Tom Hennessey at Colorado Boy, and Bob Baile at Twisted Pine were there to get us through some of the more difficult aspects of opening a brewery, too.

One thing Seneca and I noticed when we looked around our fellow breweries, though, was a lack of gluten-free beers.

Since I was diagnosed Celiac, I’ve been a Gluten Free Advocate. That means I work to spread awareness around Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. So when we started brewing, it was a natural fit for us to aim to craft delicious ales that everyone could enjoy. We settled on the name New Planet Beer, because for many, when they’re diagnosed with a gluten allergy, it’s like they’re living in a new world. We also feel strongly about supporting Mother Earth…and New Planet Beer was born!

Of course, brewing without “traditional” grains provides its challenges, as you can imagine! Early on, our biggest challenge was working with non-traditional grains like sorghum. We were convinced we could concoct craft beer with traditional character without the “usual grain suspects.” After some tweaking and countless “Quality Assurance” taste tests, we felt we’d made some beers that would stake our ground.

Now that our Flagship beers (Tread Lightly Ale and Seclusion IPA) seem to be hitting their stride, our current challenge is growing our company responsibly and sustainably so that we can share our beer with even more people. After 8 years in business we’re also facing more competition in the gluten-free and gluten-reduced space. But as the saying goes, “A rising tide lifts all ships.” We see this competition as a good, healthy thing. It means we’re doing something right. It also pushes us to make sure we don’t get complacent. It reminds us that we’re in this for the long-haul.

New Planet Beer New gluten Free Blonde Ale RecipeThe other most-asked question I get is, “What are you brewing now?”

Right now, we’re brewing our reformulated Blonde Ale. I’m a tinkerer by nature, and until something is just right, I’m not satisfied. This is a recipe that I have played around with quite a bit over the years, but I can say now that if I didn’t tell you, you’d have no idea it was gluten-free. This new combination takes advantage of a different millet, and it really complements the Blonde’s already-notable characteristics. A light lemon-grass color with a crisp, clean taste, this Blonde Ale is it! I’m excited to share it with you, so make sure to look for it in your local liquor store. And, if you don’t see it, be sure to ask them to reach out so we can stock their shelves!

That’s a long-winded answer to why we started New Planet Beer, but I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoy brewing beer for you.

-Pedro Gonzalez, Founder