Safety Break ISA: Crafted to Reduce Gluten

Safety Break ISA is crafted to reduce gluten. The finished product contains gluten. As of 2013, ELISA testing of hydrolyzed products is not recognized by the FDA. Those with Celiac disease/severe gluten intolerance should not consume any product that contains gluten. 

The Galbraith Mountain Series continues with batch No. 5, Safety Break India Session Ale. Even bigger news on the Boundary front; Safety Break was crafted to reduce gluten, with more batches on the horizon.

So what’s the difference between Gluten-Free and Gluten-Reduced Beer, and why is it labeled this way?

Beer in it’s strict definition is an alcoholic drink made from yeast-fermented malt flavored with hops. Gluten-Free Beer is made with entirely gluten-free grains, including sorghum, millet, buckwheat or rice and contains zero barley, wheat or rye. Thus, it can be officially be labeled as “gluten-free” according to the FDA.

In the United States, the FDA will not allow any product or beverage made with wheat, barley or rye to be labeled “gluten-free.” even if ELISA testing finds less than 20ppm gluten in the product. What you can state is; “crafted to reduce gluten.”

How do you make a gluten-reduced beer, when Barley is a main competent?

An enzyme (WLN400 Clarity Ferm) is added in the brewing process, that breaks down the proteins in barley. While gluten is not entirely removed, it significantly reduces the level of gluten. For those looking to reduce their daily gluten intake, this is a viable option.

A TTB Certified Beer Laboratory ELISA tested Safety Break India Session Ale and found gluten levels to be less than 10 parts per million, however, the FDA policy states there is no valid test to verify the gluten content of a fermented product. Thus Safety Break ISA cannot be deemed “risk-free” or safe for everyone, as the beer does contain small amounts of gluten. We tested Safety Break ISA through the ELISA certification process in order to provide people with additional information they can use to judge whether or not they want to consume the product.

“I’m very supportive of a beer that is reduced gluten, as long as it’s in accordance with the TTB label requirements. You’re supposed to say that the beer is crafted to reduce gluten, that the beer does contain gluten and that the tests that are now available are not reliable enough to measure the impact of the gluten. If somebody does that, I want to compete with them because that’s a fair practice.” — Pedro Gonzalez, founder of New Planet Beer Co. 

Boundary Bay Brewery Gluten Sample_8879

Further reading on Gluten Reduced Beers:

• http://beerpulse.com/2015/01/stones-gluten-reduced-delicious-ipa-now-available-coast-to-coast-3570/
• http://www.craftbrewingbusiness.com/ingredients-supplies/gluten-free-vs-gluten-reduced-an-important-beer-distinction/
• http://www.celiaccentral.org/research-news/study-validates-r5-competitive-elisa-10134/pg–1/
• http://www.whitelabs.com/other-products/wln4000-clarity-ferm-brewers-clarex

Canning O’ The Red

The craft beer scene has seen tremendous growth in the production and distribution of canned brews, so why the paradigm shift? There are a lot of practical reasons behind the craft canning movement; efficiency, recyclability, and consumability to name a few. At the core, it’s cheaper to produce and better for the environment.

Cans are lightweight and easier to move around, in comparison to its heavier and more breakable, bottle counterpart. Distribution wise, a truck-load of aluminum cans proves to be a more portable process overall, as apposed to the glassware alternative. The same notion applies to the average outdoor adventure…canned packaging fits the occasion; light weight, unbreakable (unless you’re really trying) and satisfyingly crunchable once consumed.

But besides practically reasons, “Beer cans also have a certain nostalgic appeal” states Charles Passy of Wall Street Journal, “that retro-chic factor, in other words”.  “That sound of a beer can being opened”, ads Oskar Blues spokesman Chad Melis, “is one we associate with good times”  Namely the 60’s, when cans were also at a pinnacle point in popularity!

According to a study by the Beer Institute, in 2012 cans constituted 53.2% of the beer market, while bottles had a 36.5% share. If you look back to 2006, cans accounted for 48.3% of the market and bottles 41.9%. That’s a pretty significant gap, and it makes sense. Cans are more compact and less packaging means you can move the same amount of product in less trips, reducing your overall expense and carbon footprint simultaneously.

So, there’s clearly reasons behind the…canned-ness…and we thought, what better event than the Bellingham St. Patrick’s Day Parade, a day centered around the showcasing of GREEN-inspired innovations, to announce the arrival of our newest 100% recyclable product! Pick up a 16 oz. can of Boundary Bay Irish Style Red – just $2.25 at pint size! At 4% ABV, it’s the perfect session ale. Crack one and enjoy…wherever you might find yourself. Cheers!

Beer Pairing Dinner

Join us for an intimate night of meticulous pairings on Monday, March 3rd at 6 o’clock in the evening. A 5-Course Beer Pairing Dinner, lead by Boundary Bay Chef, Matt Hansen and Brewers, Aaron Jacon Smith & Bryan Krueger . All five courses will be expertly paired with a Boundary Bay-infused beer:

• Course 1: Stewed Boar and Apricot Goulash with Roasted Pistachios paired with Irish Red infused with Red Wine Soaked Apricots

•  Course 2: Blonde Ale Poached Egg over Mushroom Ragout and Brioche with Tarragon-Blonde Hollandaise paired with Not Shawn’s Saison

•  Course 3: Cured Salmon with Nettle Puree and Grapefruit Caviar paired with Dry-Hopped ESB

•  Course 4: Cassoulet with Confit Duck Leg paired with Wonderland Belgian Strong Golden infused with Sweet Orange Peel and Juniper

•  Course 5: Guajillo Black Forest Torte paired with TBA (2012 Old Bounder OR Guajillo/Cherry infused Lost Giants Imperial CDA OR Licorice, Allspice, and Juniper Oat Stout with Irish Dry 50/50 blend)

Join us in the Bistro for our first Beer Pairing Dinner of the year! By reservation only ($55 per person).  Tickets are available for purchase at Boundary Bay.

Winter Solstice & Some Cedar Dust

Join us for our 1st Winter Solstice Party & Craft Fair in the Beer Garden on Saturday, December 21st. We’re kicking things off the right way…at 4pm, we’ll tap the first brew in our new Galbraith Mountain Series; Cedar Dust IPA. Named after the Galbraith Mt. Trails, located between Bellingham and Sudden Valley, the series intends to capture a taste of the great outdoors and the adventurous spirit of the PNW.  Be one of the first to try it!

Santa and Mrs. Claus are going to be here too! They told us they’re riding in on a horse and buggy to give the reindeer some rest before the big night. They offered to take anyone who would like, on carriage rides around town. It’ll be free, so bring the kids on down and let them have a little chit chat with Santa. Figure out who’s been naughty, and who’s been nice :  )

We’ve also invited several local artists to set up booths in the garden to sell their hand-made creations. We’ll have items like wine-racks, pottery, jewelry, ornaments, scarves…It’s the perfect opportunity to get a little bit of holiday shopping done!

As always, we’ll provide the refreshments. There will be complementary hot cider, cookies and candy canes plus beer available for purchase. Deigo’s Taco Truck will also be joining us.

Santa, tacos, beer, trees, crafts…might sound a bit unconventional, but it’s the Boundary way, and no matter how strange, it’s always fun! Swing by and join us. Happy Holidays from your staff at Boundary Bay

Definitely Stop at the Whistle Stop!

When you’re really longing for a Boundary Bay Brewery beer, but find yourself closer to Seattle than to Bellingham, head over to Renton for a stop at the Whistle Stop!  Old World charm can be found in downtown Renton, Washington at the Whistle Stop Ale House. For over one hundred years people have come to the Ale House neighborhood next to the railroad tracks to enjoy a pint among friends.  Inside you’ll find rustic charm, a cheery wood bar which traveled to the Alaskan Gold Rush before finding a home at the Ale House, seventeen rotating taps and foods that soothe the soul.

The Whistle Stop has seventeen rotating taps that feature the finest ales and lagers of the Pacific Northwest and the World. Freshly grilled deli sandwiches are the menu specialty along with soups, salads and appetizers. You can head on down to the Whistle Stop first thing in the morning for a breakfast sure to start your day off right.  Omelets, Eggs Benedict, French Toast, Heuvos Rancheros and more!  You can fill up on cold sandwiches, salads, burgers, and wraps at lunchtime.  And after 4pm you can score appetizers like Lemon Garlic Calamari, nachos, a Mediterranean platter or hot wings.  And for dinner, treat yourself to baked salmon, Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta, New York Steak and so much more!  Check out the full menu online!  And if all these incredible eats aren’t enough, the Whistle Stop also has awesome deals every week: on Monday’s kids under 12 eat free and on Tuesday’s you can score a 1/2 priced bottle of wine.  Not to mention the Wine, Beer and Liquor tastings they hold once a month!  Swing by for a quick lunch or spend an afternoon, either way the service is always friendly and the beer is always fresh.

Here’s what the Whistle Stop says about why they do what they do:

“We believe in people making connections with one another and their community. One of our connections to our community is through sponsoring a fund raising event every year to benefit Renton Area Youth and Family Services. This organization directly effects kids and families in our community by providing food, clothing, shelter and most importantly, training and education, so they can attain the goal of self sustenance. We also focus our beer selection on smaller Northwest Breweries thereby supporting our local economy. Whenever possible we hire locally and focus our service on making real connections with our guests. We order our food locally as well, providing quality meats from Misty Isle Farms of Vashon Island, and dairy products from Smith Brothers Farms. Our wine selection is varied and often-times unrecognizable to the average person. While we love to serve up Washington as often as prices will allow, we like to offer something a little different from elsewhere as well. We love cultivating new ideas and new events. We’ll take you outside of Renton and learn about wine from near and far at our monthly Wine Dinners. We’ll bring in crazy (and not so crazy) Brewer’s from around the state to talk about the industry and their shops and give away cool beer-ware. Soon we’ll start taking you around the world with tasty liquors and foods to match.”

Cheers to the Whistle Stop from all of us here at Boundary Bay Brewery.  We love this place for having such a cool Ale House and for doing such a great job of continuing to support Washington breweries.  Go see for yourselves!!

Whistle Stop Ale House · 809 S 4th Street · Renton, WA 98055 · Phone: (425) 277-3039 · Fax: (425) 277-5633

Hours: Mon-Fri 11AM to 10PM | Sat 9AM to 10PM |Sun 9AM to 3PM
Happy Hours 3PM to 6PM (M-F)

Halloween at Boundary Bay Brewery

Trick or Treat in Downtown Bellingham this Friday! Our doors will be open to little trick or treaters from 3-5 pm as part of the Downtown Renaissance Network event.  Bring your kids to Downtown Bellingham and visit local merchants who will be ready with treats (and maybe a trick or two!).

But what about the rest of us who are looking for a slightly more lively Halloween activities?

Lets admit it, at it’s most basic incarnation, Halloween is a holiday for kids.  Dressing up, heading door to door to sweetly beg for treats, making yourself sick on excess amounts of chocolate shaped like eyeballs.  So, what do you do when you are no longer a kid and you don’t have children of your own to re-live the old traditions with?

You come to Boundary Bay!!

Here, you can dress in your wackiest, your craziest, your funniest, your most risque.  You can show up with vampire teeth and a rainbow wig.  You can sweetly beg the bartender for just one more of your favorite Boundary Bay brew.  You can shake your thang while Black Eyes and Neckties tear up the stage with Jill Brazil and Axes of Evil.  You can even get the pants scared off you on our deck which we’ve let the Bellingham Roller Betties turn into their own Haunted Lounge!  Come celebrate Halloween at Boundary.  Feel like a kid again in the best kind of way…the way that simultaneously lets you appreciate the joys of being adult…namely, that nice cold IPA (or whatever your beer of choice is) sweating in your hand just waiting to be consumed with abandon.  Doors will open at 10 pm and a mere $6 will get you in!