FAQ

Sparkle Pony Belgian Blonde

Bock Party Doppelbock

Perseverance Red IPA

Cuddle Puddle Hazy IPA (Gluten-removed beer Category)

Gold Medal

Black Claw - Rosemary & Meyer Lemon

Bronze Medal

Nectar of Life • Kölsch 

Gold Medal

Sparkle Pony · Belgian Blond Ale

Bronze Medal

War Horse · International IPA
Playa Pilsen · American Light Lager

Awarded California Brewery of the Year

Silver Medal

Sparkle Pony • Belgian Blonde Ale
Hopportunistic • Pale Ale

Bronze Medal

Witless Zombie • Belgian Witbier
Playa Pilsen • Mexican-Style Lager
Nectar of Life • Kölsch

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 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. 

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 Black Hops 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.

"Black Hammer has already become a haven for the city’s beer nerds, who know how serious these brewers are."

- Esther Mobley, San Francisco Chronicle · Oct 21, 2015

"This brewery is ideal for an after-work/pre-dinner brew. It’s located conveniently at 4th and Bryant Streets, which should make all you Caltrain commuters happy."

 - Manali Karmarkar, The Bold Italic · Nov 13, 2015