Gluten-Free Beer Reviews: Holidaily Brewing Company

One of the things I’ve missed about having to go gluten-free is quality beer. Sure, Redbridge is readily available, but there’s nothing special about it as it’s a typical light lager, and it’s produced by Anheuser-Busch, whom I don’t like supporting because they are such a big conglomerate.

I’ve tried a few others along the way – Neff brewing in Oklahoma makes some decent beer, but availability has been difficult at best and the ones we can get in Texas are not their best ones. I’ve also tried Canada’s Glutenberg beers, but they had a certain off-putting flavor that’s hard to describe. Needless to say, I’ve always been wanting more and I was never quite satisfied.

Alas, I am now happy to report that the quest for a gluten-free beer to satisfy my discerning palate has come to an end! Holidaily Brewing Company was started in Colorado by Karen Hertz, who had to adopt a gluten-free lifestyle due to her own health issues. A true beer lover with a discerning palate of her own, she decided to start her own dedicated gluten-free brewery to make quality beers that would satisfy everyone, and especially those who had to give up traditional beer. Having tried 4 of her offerings, I have to say that she definitely succeeded in her mission.

Here are the few I’ve tried and my notes for each: ‘

Favorite Blonde – A typical Blonde ale. Light in flavor and body with a smooth finish. A slight hint of bready malt, on the sweet side, with a delicate hop finish. Light yellow in color and highly carbonated – this would appeal to the light beer crowd, but not necessarily for me. Weighs in at 5% ABV and 20 IBUs. My Rating: 3/5.

Big Henry Hazy IPA – a deliciously fruity, unfiltered, English-style IPA with notes of grapefruit and lemon with a backbone of banana bread. Light-to-medium bodied, high in carbonation and easy drinking, refreshing on a hot day. Cloudy goldenrod in appearance with a foamy head. Weighs in at 6.3% ABV and 35 IBUs. My Rating: 4/5.

Fat Randy’s IPA – An American West Coast style IPA that’s aggressively hopped with notes of cedar and pine with a slight lemon zest, supported by a caramel and yeasty bread backbone. Full in body and flavor with medium carbonation. Deep amber color and an off-white head. Weighs in at 7% ABV and 55 IBUs. My Rating: 4.5/5.

Riva Stout – Oh man, you mean I can have stout beer again?!?!? Luscious notes of dark chocolate, creamy coffee, and star anise. Thick, rich, creamy mouthfeel with low carbonation. Opaque dark brown in color with a light brown head. I literally cried when I took my first sip  – this is the flavor I’ve been missing the most since giving up gluten. Weighs in at 6.5% ABV and 30 IBUs. My Rating: 5/5!!!

So there you go, Celiac beer lovers! You have a great option now! These are available at Total Wine & More, Whole Foods Market, and for those in Texas, at H-E-B!

Cheers!