(Phillipsburg, NJ) – Consumers with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivities will be happy to hear that a new gluten-free beer is making its way to the New Jersey market. Hunterdon has signed a contract with New Planet Gluten-Free Beer and plans to begin distribution of their products by the end of April 2012.

The inaugural launch will include all three New Planet styles: Tread Lightly Ale, 3R Raspberry Ale and Off Grid Pale Ale.

New Planet was founded in Boulder, Colorado in 2009. In just three years the company has grown from selling cases out of the back of a pickup truck to acquiring distribution in 32 states and winning a bronze medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival for their 3R Raspberry Ale.

The company takes great pride in their guaranteed gluten-free, sorghum-based brews and also in supporting the environment on both the local and global scale. A portion of the proceeds from each product are donated to wildlands restoration, alternative energy education and reduce, reuse & recycle programs in the Boulder community.

As the number of people with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivities continues to rise, gluten-free products are becoming more predominant on store shelves across the country. This is particularly the case in the craft beer industry. While brands such as New Planet and Bard’s Tale from Minnesota have been on the market for several years now, traditional craft breweries are also beginning to experiment with brewing an alternative style for consumers maintaining gluten-free diets. Dogfish Head recently released Tweason’Ale, a sorghum-based ale made with strawberries and honey and several other craft breweries have announced plans to produce gluten-free products in the near future.

As Hunterdon sales reps will attest, there has been a huge demand for gluten-free beer in the market with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Hunterdon is proud to be adding New Planet to their gluten-free portfolio which currently consists of Bard’s Tale Gluten-Free Lager, Dogfish Head Tweason’Ale, Epic Glutenator and a handful of specialty ciders and meads.

About Hunterdon Distributors:

Hunterdon was founded in 1996 and has grown steadily over the years into a company with sixty-five full-time employees. Hunterdon has raised the bar for craft beverage availability and selection in the state by providing the most diverse and sought-after portfolio the market has to offer. The company currently represents over fifty domestic craft brands, hundreds of imports and a unique line of micro-distilled spirits, sakes, ciders and meads. Owners Mike Short and Dave Masterson continue to focus on bringing quality products to the New Jersey consumer.