US: Pabst Brewing veterans join Bard's Tale

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 25 January 2007

Two beer veterans have joined a brewer which is targeting wheat- and barley-intolerant beer drinkers.

Kansas-based Bard's Tale Beer confirmed yesterday (24 January) that Brian Kovalchuk and Brian Bizer, who were CEO and CFO respectively at San Antonio-based Pabst Brewing from 2001 to 2005, have assumed the same positions at the brewer.

Bard's Tale makes its beer with sorghum, which is gluten-free unlike wheat, barley and oats.

Late last year, Anheuser-Busch unveiled its own wheat- and gluten-free beer in the form of Redbridge. The beer is available nationwide in stores which carry organic products, and restaurants.

"We liked the idea, liked the concept," Kovalchuk told Associated Press Newswires. "I think there's a gluten-free market of viable size, which is validated by Anheuser-Busch coming out with their gluten-free product."

Sectors: Beer & cider

Companies: Anheuser-Busch