First Draft: Holidaily Brewing Company

By Chris Betz

The rocky mountains of Golden, Colorado might be the home of Coors, but it's also where Holidaily Brewing Company is making a name for itself, Holidaily is a dedicated gluten-free brewery founded by Karen Hertz, a cancer survivor who was given a treatment plan that included being on a lifelong gluten-free diet. As a beer lover, she wanted a better tasting gluten-free brew. After years of research, she launched Holidaily.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Holidaily brews a Black India Pale Ale and an Imperial Stout, as many gluten free breweries don't venture far from the basics. Here's a recap of some of the brewery's styles.

(Photo credit: Holidaily Brewing/Facebook)

Favorite Blonde (5% ABV): Using millet and buckwheat and just the right amount of hops, Holidaily has brewed a blonde ale (its flagship beer) that would surprise many traditional beer drinkers by the fact that it's gluten free. Its light body and mellow hoppy taste make this an easy drinking, delightful beer. With a smooth beer like this, you can pair this with just about anything, or enjoy on its own.

Darc Marc Black IPA (7.3% ABV): Darc Marc is a Black IPA, a style I haven't seen brewed in a gluten-free version before. The style combines the roastiness of a porter with the hoppiness of an IPA. Darc Marc does a great job representing the style: dark caramel notes with a hop bite. Great amount of fluffy head on this one. The bitter/sweet combination of the beer will pair well with barbequed ribs.

Buckwit Belgian (4.75% ABV): A cleverly named beer brewed in the style of a Belgian Wit. Instead of brewing with wheat, Holidaily uses buckwheat to give this beer its backbone and appearance. Spicy orange and banana flavors really come through. Pretend you're in Bruges and pair with some mussels or some pasta with seafood.

Fat Randy's IPA (6.5% ABV): This nicely balanced American style IPA, which is being canned for the first time this week, is not overly hoppy and has essences of tropical and citrus flavors. This is a crisp and refreshing brew. Try this one with your favorite pizza.

Day In, Day Out Imperial Stout (10% ABV): I was pleasantly surprised to see that Holidaily decided to tackle a heady beer like an Imperial Stout, one of my favorite styles before going gluten free. Traditionally brewed, the imperial stout is big in alcohol, flavor and color. Day In, Day Out doesn't disappoint with big smoky roasted chocolate flavor, dark color and hefty ABV. Enjoy this with some flourless chocolate cake or other rich dessert.

Many of Holidaily's beers can be enjoyed in the brewery taproom in Golden, while the Favorite Blonde is sold in cans throughout the greater Denver area.