The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is America’s largest beer festival and one of the world’s largest beer competitions (I recently wrote about my experiences as a judge here). It’s one of my favorite times of the year and one beer festival I look forward to, especially when I get to try new beers and discover new breweries I’ve never heard of before. This was the 41st annual Great American Beer Festival, which started in Colorado in 1982 by the American Homebrewers Association and now is run by the Brewers Association.
GABF By the Numbers
GABF this year was held on September 21-23. Over 1000 different beers were poured by over 300 different breweries during the four session, three day festival. The event took up most of the 584,000 square foot Colorado Convention Center exhibit hall. The judging was done by 230 judges from around the world and they judge almost 10,000 beers over three phases that last a total of nine days. Over 300 volunteers help make the festival run smoothy.
The competition this year awarded 303 medals to 263 breweries throughout America in 99 beer style categories. Some surprises include the same brewery winning gold for German style Pilsner and Bohemian style Pilsner (congrats Austin, Texas based Lazarus Brewing!) and lots of new breweries took home more than one medal. Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville, Ohio took home four medals.
GABF coincides with Denver Craft Beer Week, which includes events outside the festival. Highlights included smaller festivals like the Great Mexican Beer Fiesta, where I sampled amazing beer collaborations from Cervecería Colorado (a brewing project that is run by Denver Beer Company) with breweries from Mexico. The Denver Rare Beer Tasting is also an event looked forward to by many. Put on by the nonprofit Pints for Prostates, the festival raises money for prostate cancer research and pours some of the rarest and most sought after beers in the country made.
Many breweries from around the world also come to pour their beers outside the festival at breweries/restaurants in the Denver metro area. It’s great to walk into any restaurant and get access to some great Colorado breweries but also see breweries you love from your neck of the woods or breweries you admire/always wanted to try being poured.
The economic impact of GABF is also strong. In 2022, the festival brought in about 15.2 million dollars. That’s a lot of money from beer!
My Favorite Beers of the Week
I got to sample so many delicious beers. Here were some of my favorites.
Black Star Recalcitrant Dockhand Porter was my favorite beer I had on the festival floor. It’s hard to brew a porter that hits roast and drinkability perfectly and this one by Austin, Texas based Black Star achieved it so well. It had won medals in the past, which makes total sense.
At the Denver Rare Beer Festival, Fidens Brewing from Colonie, New York was pouring a hazy double IPA called Jasper with Nelson that drank so smoothly without any alcohol heat that I went back for more. Fidens has a lot of credibility, with many in the Northeast talking about them being the next “it” brewery and I can see why.
Hercules/Cervecería Colorado Mariachi Mash was a lovely collaboration between Denver based Cervecería Colorado and Hércules, a brewery based in Central Mexico that has the reputation of being one of the best craft breweries in the country. A Belgian style witbier, this white ale was flavored with marigold and curuba fruit.
So, if you’re a beer lover, I highly suggest a trip to GABF. It’s a wonderful time where you can meet some great people and drink some great beer.