Another brewery has joined the Central Okanagan with the goal to give people more options.

Grey Fox Brewing opened on Friday, Dec. 17, becoming Lake Country乌鸦传媒檚 first brewery. The newest brewery is notable for two reasons, including that it乌鸦传媒檚 the Okanagan乌鸦传媒檚 first fully gluten-free brewery.

乌鸦传媒淚 was diagnosed with celiac disease 20 years ago,乌鸦传媒� said Grey Fox Brewing Owner, Founder, and Brewmaster Chris Neufeld. 乌鸦传媒淭he whole gluten-free scene has changed a lot in 20 years but beer is a void, there乌鸦传媒檚 really no good gluten-free beer in British Columbia.乌鸦传媒�

Neufeld told Capital News the idea of opening a brewery started in the fall of 2019.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 been a long road,乌鸦传媒� said Neufeld. 乌鸦传媒淚n a lot of ways, it was a relief to finally cross that line and be open, but then reality set in that we乌鸦传媒檙e really only getting started. There乌鸦传媒檚 still a lot of work to do.乌鸦传媒�

Neufeld and his team had troubles early on as the pandemic started, but then got possession of their Lake Country location in October 2021.

They also received help to open their brewery by starting a Kickstarter campaign that raised more than $20,000 from 112 people.

When it comes to gluten-free beer, the procedures can be more complex than regular beer, because it is based from millet and rice instead of barley.

乌鸦传媒淭he process is a lot more complicated than brewing regular beer,乌鸦传媒� said Neufeld. 乌鸦传媒淲e have a much more complicated mashing process. Historically, there乌鸦传媒檚 been the challenge with gluten-free beer.乌鸦传媒�

The second reason why Grey Fox is notable for the Central Okanagan is that it乌鸦传媒檚 not a pub. They are manufacturing their beer at their facility to distribute to other breweries around the Okanagan.

乌鸦传媒淵ou can come here and buy beer but you can乌鸦传媒檛 come here and have a beer,乌鸦传媒� said Neufeld. 乌鸦传媒淥ur plan is we乌鸦传媒檙e going to be available in the other breweries around town and [they乌鸦传媒檙e] very receptive of that. The concept is that me, as a celiac, I can go to my friend乌鸦传媒檚 favourite brewery and share a beer with them even though I乌鸦传媒檓 gluten-free.乌鸦传媒�

Neufeld also said that since the pandemic, it乌鸦传媒檚 been harder to find gluten-free beers in liquor stores.

Grey Fox is the Central Okanagan乌鸦传媒檚 19th brewery, and people have been excited about having another option that opens up to more people.

乌鸦传媒淲hen we opened, we got absolutely slammed, we乌鸦传媒檝e been pumping beer out of there like crazy,乌鸦传媒� said Neufeld. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a combination of people coming in who said they haven乌鸦传媒檛 been able to drink beer in years and are super happy to have an option to the beer geeks that want to try out the newest brewery all the time. We乌鸦传媒檝e had a really good cross-section of people and really interesting conversations.乌鸦传媒�

Grey Fox Brewing is located at 105-310 Hiram Walker Court.

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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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