By Darlene Brace
Some people with Celiac Disease and gluten intolerances may want to enjoy a beer now and then, and they would like to find a gluten free beer that still tastes good. Did you know that a popular gluten free beer is produced and distributed from Westfield, New York? This brewing company is called Ghostfish Brewing Company, and it is located at 8305 US-20 in Westfield.
One of the co-founders of Ghostfish Brewing Company is Brian Thiel, who lives in Seattle, Washington. Nearly fourteen years ago, Brian was considering opening a traditional brewery. Around that time, a close family member found out that she had Celiac disease and had to consume only gluten free products. She liked to have a beer occasionally and there were hardly any gluten free beer options. Coincidentally, around this time, Brian had gone to the Great American Beer Festival in 2012, and it confirmed in his mind that there was a lack of tasty gluten free beers. When he returned from the beer festival, he and the other co-founder decided to open a brewery and dedicate it to gluten free beer.
In February of 2015, Ghostfish Brewing Company opened in Seattle, Washington. They began producing beer using gluten free grains, yeast strains, and Pacific Northwest hops. Eventually they distributed Ghostfish beer across the country, and they were very successful. Now in 2024, they produce eight year-round/flagship beer brands and a host of seasonal beers. Their best seller is a Grapefruit IPA. The beer is packaged in aluminum cans and distributed to 20 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
At this point you may be confused as to what this Seattle brewery has to do with Westfield. Well, as Ghostfish beer became more popular, they were distributing it to many states across the country. It became clear that distributing beer from the west coast of the country to the east coast was going to problematic. The cost for transporting the beer was becoming very expensive.
Brian and the other co-owners had discussions about the possibility of opening another location on the eastern side of the United States. One of the co-owners is a small business owner that lives in Westfield, New York. With Westfield being central to Erie, PA and Buffalo, NY, and near several large interstate highways, he thought it might be a good location. He also knew of a building that had some existing structures that would be needed for this kind of business and thought that it might be a good fit for their company. Eventually they decided to open the second location in Westfield. They were awarded an OCR Community Renewal) grant by the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce that gave support for the new location.
The company leased the 5,500 sq. ft. building for their business. They made some necessary renovations and got it ready for beer production. They refer to their Westfield location as Ghostfish East, which began producing and distributing their gluten free beer in early 2023. This facility employes a handful of people and has the ability to produce 2000 barrels annually. From the Westfield location, they were able to distribute to states on the eastern side of the country more efficiently.
Ghostfish East now produces five flagship brands and some seasonal brands. From Westfield, they distribute to approximately ten states. This tasty gluten free beer is currently sold in Chautauqua County at Brazil Lounge in Jamestown, Chautauqua Harbor Hotel in Celeron, Wegmans and Don’s Car Wash in Lakewood, Asheville General Store, and Bridgeview One Stop in Bemus Point.
Just a few weeks ago, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce selected county businesses for this year’s Chamber awards. The Ghostfish Brewing Company in Westfield was awarded the 2024 Producer of the Year Award. This award will be presented on October 10th in Fredonia. When Brian heard of the award, he said, “My co-owners and I are honored to be recognized among all the brewing companies in Chautauqua County, and we would like to thank the Chamber of Commerce for this honorable award.”
Maybe you or your loved one would like to try Ghostfish beer. It’s a tasty quality level beer that is a beer for all beer drinkers. It’s on par or better than most beer and not just for those who need gluten free beer.
If you want more information on this brewery and where to find their beer, you can go to ghostfishbrewing.com. On their website, there is a beer finder feature that will help you to find locations of Ghostfish beer in your area and across the country. You can also check their Facebook page and other social media sites for more information.