Lakefront Brewery, which was the first to brew a gluten-free beer more than 20 years ago, is adding another option to its GF lineup, Owner and President Russ Klisch announced Tuesday.
New Grist Grapefruit Radler, a lower alcohol low calorie beer and juice cocktail, is expected to reach retail this spring.
The citrus brew joins an award-winning lineup that started with New Grist pilsner in 2005 and which was most recently expanded in July 2024 with New Grist IPA. The brewery’s gluten-free beers have earned four Great American Beer Festival medals and two World Beer Cup awards, along with other honors over the years.
“I didn’t know it back then, but we were starting something really special,” Klisch says. “We receive positive comments about our gluten-free beers every week – sometimes more than once – and it warms my heart every single time.
“Not only are people finding a beer they can drink, but one they truly enjoy. That’s the most rewarding part.”
According to Klisch, sales of New Grist IPA have more than doubled over the past 12 months.
He notes that New Grist, which is available in 29 states, plus Canada and Ukraine, is the top-selling gluten-free beer brand in the country.
Lakefront brewed more than 10,000 barrels in 2025, with a 33.6 percent increase over the last 12 months.
“While I didn’t expect to end up in the health and wellness business,” says Klisch, “I’m happy to be here and will continue to raise the standards for those with gluten intolerances.”
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press. A fifth collects Urban Spelunking articles about breweries and maltsters.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has been heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
