As a child, Craig Belser was diagnosed with celiac disease, a disorder that damaged his intestines whenever he digested anything containing gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and oats.<br />
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Belser co-founded Bard’s Tale Beer Co. almost two years ago with fellow celiac, Kevin Seplowitz, after Seplowitz saw Belser’s gluten-free beer recipe on the Internet. Bard’s Tale is only the third U.S. brewery to produce a gluten-free beer and the first to try it with nothing but malted grain.<br />
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Dragon’s Gold hit the market in 11 states in November 2004 and took off, quickly reaching the limit of the company?s 2,400-barrel capacity. Bard’s Tale pulled it off the shelves last summer after its contract brewer in New York experienced production problems that caused bottles to explode.<br />
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The sorghum-based lager is headed back to store shelves in late April, providing thousands of Belser?s fellow celiacs with a source of safe suds.<br />
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Two other gluten-free brands include New Grist from Lakefront Brewery Inc. of Milwaukee, Wis., and Passover Honey Beer from Ramapo Valley Brewing in Hillburn, N.Y.<br />
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Read the full story at <a href="http://columbiatribune.com/2006/Mar/20060331Busi004.asp"><strong>Columbia Tribune</strong></a>
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