Gluten-free Denver: Papou's Pizza and New Planet Beer

I went to visit some family in Denver this weekend and was pleased to find many more gluten-free options than I had the last time I visited.  I even had a few surprises: some really good gluten-free pizza, and a gluten-free beer I'd never even heard of before!  Here I thought I was up on all the cutting-edge news for gluten-free beer, and I found a new one thanks to my mom's iPhone app, which led us to Papou's Pizza.

From the outside, it just looks like a run-of-the-mill pizza joint in an average Denver strip mall.  However, Papou's serves some really good gluten-free pizza.  It's New England-style Pizza with a Greek influence - meaning lots of good roasted vegetable toppings.  I got the Mediterranean, which was roasted eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and feta.  The normal pizza crust looked good, too, and the place was a real crowd-pleaser.  We didn't all get gluten-free, but everyone from my 5-year-old niece to my grandmother liked the place, which is as it should be for pizza.

The gluten-free beer was something different.  The one that I tried is called Tread Lightly Beer.  It's made with sorghum and corn, which is a combination I'd never seen before in a beer.  It is very light, and it doesn't have as much of the metallic aftertaste that most sorghum beers have.  The beer is brewed in Fort Collins and appears to be available in specialty beer stores and some Whole Foods.  Apparently the beer is only distributed in a few states right now, but according to the New Planet Beer website you can buy it online.  It looks like we can't get it in Portland yet, but hopefully that will change!

Comments

New Planet Beer said…
Thanks for the review of New Planet Beer! We'll be in Portland later this summer, so keep a look out. You'll like our other flavors as well - Raspberry Ale and Pale Ale.
Ben said…
Thanks for this, Gina! I'm excited to check out New Planet. I knew it existed, happy to hear it's coming to Portland!
Gina said…
New Planet Beer - Oh, that's great that it's coming to Portland soon! I'm really looking forward to it. I'm also excited to try the other GF beers you make. I didn't have enough time in Denver to seek them out.

Ben - I should have brought home some bottles to share - maybe we can go out and get one when they come to town!
juliemcginnis said…
Thanks for the review! The pizza crust was made by The Gluten Free Bistro. Check us out www.theglutenfreebistro.com. Whole grain, non-GMO, vegan crust that tastes awesome!
Here in AZ that beer is sold at Total Wine & More. I like the Ale! However, if you don't mind paying a small fortune there is one that actually tastes like . . . beer. ha ha ha. It's by Green's. Here's a link.

http://www.merchantduvin.com/pages/5_breweries/greens_beers.htm It's
Gina said…
Dragonfly, I really like Green's! I get that whenever I feel like paying a small fortune for beer. It's available here in Portland. I've been meaning to do a gluten-free beer review here on Gluten-free Gourmand. I should get on that!
Hi Gina,

It is always fun to find good gluten free beer. There are some reviews on the Association website. Would love to hear what your thoughts are as well.
Hi Gina,

It is always fun to find good gluten free beer. There are some reviews on the Association website. Would love to hear what your thoughts are as well.
Ann said…
Here is the corrected link to the Green's Brewery information page on Merchant du Vin, they recently launched a new site that includes a store locator:

http://www.merchantduvin.com/brew-greens-gluten-free.php

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