Did you know that there is a gluten free brewery in San Francisco, California? There is now! It’s called Otherwise Brewing and it appears to have opened up during the lost years of Covid shutdowns. Otherwise brews their beers with 100% gluten free ingredients. Please note that (like several other GF brands) they contract brew their beers, which means they are using another brewery’s equipment (with extensive cleaning procedures between brews).
I’m sure it’s not easy to open up a dedicated GF space in any city–but San Francisco is an expensive place for commercial real estate, so let’s hope they have enough success to overcome that obstacle and are one day able to open their very own brewery.
The beer I’ll be reviewing tonight is part of their flagship lineup. It’s called the Western Addition Pale Ale. It has a 5% ABV and is brewed with rice malt, millet malt, and some classic west coast hops including Chinook, Centennial, and Simcoe. (yum!)
If pale ales aren’t your thing, be sure to check back soon, because I have 4 other gluten free styles to follow. Those include an juicy IPA, a rice lager, a dessert stout, and a sour ale. I figured I’d start with a crowd favorite though…a good ‘ol west coast pale ale. This particular beer I’m pouring now appears to have been canned just 5 weeks ago, so nice and fresh for today’s review.
The Taste Test
Western Addition Pale Ale
The Western Addition Pale Ale pours with what’s probably the highest clarity I’ve ever seen in any beer ever poured. I could quite literally perform a fingerprint analysis through this beer. Although to be fair, the pint size can did not all fit in the glass at once, so perhaps the clarity will change when I pour the remainder. But for now, this baby is as clear as it gets. (UPDATE: This supreme clarity is maintained through the entire can’s pour!)
The head and color of the Wester Addition Pale Ale are remarkable too. It has a bright light gold color. Its clarity allows a lot of light into this beer and I think it’s a real beauty. The head formed really nicely too, and it retains well. The aroma is packed with notes of pine, and I’m not going to lie…that’s exactly what I was hoping for when I noticed the west coast hop bill.
When I take my first sip of this gluten free pale ale, the first characteristic I notice is the light body, which surprised me a bit because that’s not usually my first perceived quality. The second word that comes to mind is “bright”. Its taste matches its appearance in that way. Pretty quickly after the first sip, I am met with the hop profile, which is a nice mixture of citrus and pine, with an earthy undertone (instead of a fruity one). The hop flavor sets in first, then the bitterness meets you at the end of the palate and lingers lightly after a dry forrest finish.
The Western Addition Pale Ale certainly drinks like a classic west coast pale ale. Here on the west coast, pales will often present as a slightly less intense version of an IPA…and I’ll be honest, I think west coast PALES could often hold their own beside IPAs brewed elsewhere in the country. In other words, west coasters love their hops, which tends to create a lot of similarities of character between the two styles.
That said, this pale does a really nice job of featuring the flavor profile and body before the bitterness sets in. The bitterness is moderate too. It’s consistent and never fully abandons the palate, but it’s not one of those pales that greet you with bitterness, and it doesn’t build intensely. As I mentioned earlier, I perceived several qualities before the bitterness, and I really like that. So at the end of the day, the Western Addition Pale Ale lives up to its style AND to west coaster’s obsession with hops.
Despite it seeming like the west coast “has all the gluten free beers”, when I first started reviewing them (6 or 7 years ago now?!), California didn’t actually have much in the way of gluten free breweries. There is one exception (shout out to California’s OG GF brewery…Buck Wild), but they too had to contract brew for many years before they were able to open up their own dedicated brewery.
In the early days, all the gluten free breweries were concentrated in the Pacific NORTHwest, so I’m happy to see more gluten free brewing taking place in California. It makes it easier for those southern states like Arizona and Nevada to drink gluten free. Although, I would love for those states to get their own gluten free brewery too!
As I mentioned earlier, I have several more reviews coming for Otherwise Brewing. Stay tuned to read about (and watch the beer pour) for the rest of their flagships, including the:
Gluten free since 2011. An unapologetically passionate dancer of many paths. Lover of thunderstorms, golden retrievers, and AMAZING craft beer. Bitter and hoppy is my jam.
★LindsiKay.com★
{"id":null,"mode":"text_link","open_style":"in_modal","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/bestglutenfreebeers.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/bestglutenfreebeers.com\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"https:\/\/bestglutenfreebeers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/BGFB-Logo-Simple-Cap-e1567633234619-200x200.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"buying me a beer for my efforts","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Submit Tip","payment_request_label":"Best Gluten Free Beers","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"Like what I do for the gluten free beer community?","form_subtitle":"Show your support by treating me to a cold one! \ud83c\udf7a","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"CHEERS and thank you for your support!","payment_confirmation_title":"Best Gluten Free Beers","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip?"},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip?"}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to tip Best Gluten Free Beers?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to tip Best Gluten Free Beers?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to tip Best Gluten Free Beers?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
