While a beer festival isn't the normal type of adventure I post about, I think the largest craft beef festival in the country is worth a few paragraphs here in my blog and it was certainly a fun experience. This is actually my second time attending the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), which is the Brewers Association's flagship event and again this year (like every year) is being held in Denver. My wife and I attended about four years ago and had a fantastic time. With my love of craft beer, it's always on my radar. The event is held over three days and at the end of Denver's Craft Beer Week as a crowning event.
I flew from Atlanta to Denver on Thursday morning and arrived at my hotel just afternoon. I've learned from past experience that this type of event warrants getting a room as close to the event as possible. And I made my reservation nearly a year ago for a hotel that is just across the street from the Colorado Convention Center, where the event is held. Each year, the festival is separated into four or five sessions, each requiring a separate ticket. The sessions are generally four hours long with one being held in the day and one in the evening on both Friday and Saturday. Thursday is the opening ceremony and generally only has an evening session. I bought tickets to the Thursday night and Saturday day (members-only) sessions.
After getting checked into my room, I took a short nap. I had intended to sleep on the plane, but ended up talking craft beer with the couple I was seated with it. As it turns out, they and twenty or so other people on our flight were attending GABF as part of Taco Mac's Brewniversity Club. Taco Mac is a chain of restaurants in the greater Atlanta area known for buffalo wings and great tap lists. Their Brewniversity Club (which I'm a member of) is a promotional program that awards members with points for drinking craft beers they haven't had before. At certain point levels, members are awarded with things like ball caps, sweatshirts, kegerators, or even a trip to GABF. I've only been a member for a little over a year and so, I have a ways to go before getting the free trip to Denver. It was great talking to this knowledgeable craft beer enthusiasts though and to see their excitement at attending their first GABF.
Shortly before starting time of the Thursday night session, I walked across the street to the entrance to the festival. The line wasn't bad at all and after getting through a security check, I was corralled into a waiting area along with a few thousand other attendees. Just before the we were allowed into the festival, a marching pipe and drum corp. paraded through the walkways of the festival. Nothing says it's going to be a great beer festival quite like Scottish bagpipes. And with that bit of ceremony, we were off to the races . . . err . . . taps.
I quickly made my way to some of my favorite breweries and began tasting their wares. They were all quite delicious. After a few samples, I began looking for the signs for the related Paired event. Not seeing any, I had to ask around. Eventually, I was directed through an exit and into a an area below the main floor. Paired is an add-on event that grants access to more beer samples and food pairings. Around twenty-five breweries had been paired with chefs from all around the country to create inspired pairings. There things like duck bourbon sausage and chicken salted popcorn, each expertly paired with my favorite malty beverage. I tried several pairings, but eventually started to get full and head to surrender. They were all quite delicious.
After about an hour downstairs, I headed back up to the main floor for more samples. Just as I got back to the entrance, a loud "booooooo" rolled over the crowd and I was reminded that this is the traditional reaction to someone dropping their glass on the concrete floor. It's all meant in good fun. The timing was just about right too. I had wanted to get a sample of the 2021 Utopias by the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams), which would only start being poured at 8:13pm. I'm not sure the significance of that time, but when I arrived (well before 8:13), there was already a huge line. I decided to wait anyway even though I've previously had the 2017 Utopias. This very special 'beer' is only released every other year by the brewery and is a labor of love. It is aged in a number of different barrels and crafted to taste very much like a tawny Port. It retails for around $200 for a 750ml bottle, which is designed to look like a whiskey still. I bought a bottle of the 2017 as a treat and it was an amazing experience. That said, the 2021 seemed a bit hotter to me and I didn't enjoy it quite as much.
I awoke to a lazy feeling and relaxed in my bed for a while watching TV. Eventually, I went downstairs for some breakfast and then came back to my room. I didn't have anywhere in particular to be today, since I didn't buy tickets for either of the Friday sessions. I decided to walk to some of the nearby breweries. The exercise and fresh air would do me good. I ended up visiting three breweries (Epic, 10 Barrel, and Great Divide) all within a mile-and-a-half or so of the hotel. Some of the beers here were incredible, especially an espresso stout at Great Divide. Many of the breweries around town release special selections for Denver Craft Beer Week.
Returning to the hotel in the early evening, I resigned myself to resting and watching some TV, before preparing myself for another day at the festival and calling it a night. Tomorrow, I would be attending the member's only session, which is restricted to members of either the Brewers Association or the relate American Homebrewers Association. I'm told this is the session to be at.
The member's session kicked off at noon and I was there when it opened. Much like Thursday night, the bagpipes played while we were admitted from the corrals and began exploring the wares. I had a plan of the breweries I wanted to visit, but the first one had a line of fifty or more people when I got there. I waited anyway - Bottle Logic is probably worth it . . . and it was. I continued around to other stands and tried a variety of samples.
As I approached the Brooklyn Beer Company's stand, I couldn't help but notice Celebrity Brewer, Garrett Oliver behind with a pitch in his hand pouring samples. I had to enjoy the pilsner, which he had formulated and was now pouring. As he poured a small sample into my glass, I thanked him for the beer and for all he has done for the industry. He raised his hands in a grateful gesture thanked me.
I noticed a small section of the back corner of the gigantic convention floor that was walled off with a stage and several rows of chairs. After looking around a bit, I discovered that there were to be two lectures/tastings being held here starting in just a few minutes. I decided to sit in. The first was a lecture on beer and food pairings. It included a couple of really delicious food samples paired with beer made by students at the Culinary Institute of America. The second was a beer and cheese pairing, lead by a renowned cheese author. Everything was delicious and it gave me a chance to sit. When I had walked into the area, I was curious how the audio would be, but I was pleasantly surprised to be handed a set of sanitized head phones. The entire audience was listening into the speakers through a closed sound system. It worked great.
With just a couple more samples, I decided to end my session and headed back to the hotel. I fly out early tomorrow morning and wanted to get some rest. The Great American Beer Festival as again a fantastic event and I'm really glad I came to Denver for it.
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