Check out this gold winning Kelowna made gluten-free beer

A local brewer has once again made a huge impression on the national gluten-free beer stage.

Grey Fox Brewing swept the category at this year’s Canadian Brewing Awards with three of its craft beers.

• Gold for Quick Witted
• Silver for Prolific Pale
• Bronze for Humble Lager

Last year the company's Quick Witted also took gold as best gluten-free beer.

Original story

Grey Fox Brewing has not been open a full calendar year, but has already garnered national attention in the brewing industry.

Recently, at the Canadian Brewing Awards and Conference (CBAC) in Halifax, the brewery took home gold for the best gluten-free beer with its Belgian Wheat Ale, Quick Witted.

Owner and brewmaster Chris Neufeld spoke with Roach from 104.7 The LIZARD about how they’re able to make such a tasty product that’s gluten-free.

“Our base malt is millet and rice, because those grains don't have any gluten. That’s the base of all of our beers,” he said. “To make this one act like a wheat beer, it needed to have a softer mouthfeel, so we cut it with a little quinoa.”

Neufeld, who was diagnosed with celiac disease over two decades ago and never had the opportunity to experience the massive craft beer movement, set out to create something that was previously absent in the city — a gluten-free brewery.

Notably, Grey Fox Brewing exclusively employs all-grain brewing methods, setting them apart from many other gluten-free beer producers.

“A lot of gluten-free beer is made from extracts or syrups, and we actually use grain like a regular brewery does,” Neufeld said. “We buy from a certified gluten free malt house that does all of the same roasts and malting like what you would get from barley, except it's with millet and with rice.”

Nearly 40 British Columbia breweries earned top honours, with 16 gold, 17 silver, and 12 bronze medals, and six honourable mentions.