Seattle's Craft Beer Scene has a Gluten-Free Newcomer

It's every craft beer nerd's nightmare: becoming the latest casualty of Celiac disease and having to give up all those delicious IPAs. And the few options for gluten-free beer offer little solace.

Three Seattle brewers are looking to change that when they open Ghostfish Brewing, the state's first gluten-free brewery. Founded by Randy Schroeder, Brian Thiel, and Jason "Igliashon" Yerger, the brewery will open in SoDo in early to mid-November, if all things go according to plan.

The guys of Ghostfish Brewing [Photo: Ghostfish Brewing]

Ghostfish's beers will be gluten-free from start to finish, meaning there will be no barley anywhere in the building. "Some breweries are trying to pass off barley beers treated with enzymes as safe for Celiacs, and we are not one of them," says brewmaster Yerger, who was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance in 2007. He's been brewing gluten-free beer at home for three years.

The malted millet that goes into Ghostfish's beer. [Photo: Ghostfish Brewing]

Their beer will use small-batch malted gluten-free grains, such as millet and buckwheat, gluten-free dried yeasts, and Yakima Valley Hops in their three flagship beers -- a pale, a stout, and a Belgian-style witbier. The beer will be for sale in grocery stores, specialty bottle shops, and restaurants in Western Washington. Oh, and there will be a taproom looking into the brewhouse and a kitchen serving 100% gluten-free food.

"We will also feature rotating guest taps so we can support the various local cideries and breweries that have supported us and welcomed us into the local craft brewing community," Yerger says.