MORE THAN BEER

We began our craft brewing journey aiming to perfect the science and precision of traditional lager brewing, but have opened our brew kettle to crafting a vast array of beer styles old and new, especially within the lager, hazy IPA, hard seltzer, blended sour and barrel-aged spaces.

So although we remain committed to our relentless pursuit of stylistic perfection and unparalleled holistic brewing balance, we are having-way-too-much-fun-for-it-to-be-legal thumbing our nose at the Reinheitsgebot every chance we get.

At Black Hammer Brewing we understand the importance of limiting gluten intake to those with gluten sensitivities, allergies, and celiac disease (co-founder Jim Furman was diagnosed with non-celiac gluten sensitivity in 2021).

However, we also understand that small-batch craft beer is delicious, and is a fundamental component of a happy and fortuitous life.  Because we want everyone to be able to enjoy our tasty brews, have happy and fortuitous lives, and not worry about gluten issues when choosing which beer to drink, in mid-2017 we implemented our BHB Gluten Elimination Program in all the beers that we brew. 

We have implemented manufacturing and testing processes to ensure that gluten levels in our beers labeled “gluten-removed” contain less than 3 ppm gluten, which is well below the established FDA threshold of 20 ppm* used for labeling foods “gluten-free”.

Gluten is removed after fermentation using an industry-standard enzyme, Clarity-Ferm, which contains a highly specific endo-protease which only cleaves polypeptides at the carboxyl end of the amino acid proline, derived from a selected strain of Aspergillus niger. We have found that our process is effective for our wheat-free beers less than 8% ABV with zero effect on flavor, aroma or texture, so we apply it to all our brews falling within those limits.

With the average 12 ounce IPA weighing at 200 calories and 20 or more grams of carbohydrates, our Black Claw hard seltzers, with less than 2g carbs and Black Hops 0-carb, nonalcoholic hopped seltzers are deliciously crafted while having a negligible carb count.

Although we love beer and the relaxation the ethanol created by our yeasty minions provides, we also recognize that reducing alcohol consumption is usually a healthy decision for anyone - including our cofounder, Jim Furman.

We created created Black Hops, our dry-hopped seltzer water, to satisfy the desire for a hoppy, tasty and 100% healthy beverage, and we created the label to present a beery aesthetic, for enjoyment while avoiding the occasional sideways glances from well-meaning, imbibing friends.

In August 2023 we brewed our first gluten-removed nonalcoholic beer, "Sober Curious", using high-tech maltose-negative yeast and a proprietary recipe. Moving forward, we will have at least one non-alcoholic beer on tap at our brewery at all times, for both the enjoyment of all those who prefer not to imbibe.