Great American Beer Fest (2014 Quick Guide)

Transportation
Uber is in Denver, and works pretty well with plenty of drivers typically around. Much cheaper than a cab. You can only do the Uber SUVs from the airport to the city, but going to the airport to leave it is way cheaper (from my neighborhood just west of City Park Uber is ~$35 vs $55-60 for a cab).

 

To add to the MJ advice since it is arguably the most unique aspect of Denver. Like alcohol, you need to be 21. It is an almost 100% cash business. You are limited in the amount you can purchase, especially if you are from out of state, and no, you can't take it home with you (if you are out of state).

B Cycle is a very convenient way to get around. I recommend going station to station and walking to wherever you are going to avoid service charges. It is 8 bucks for a 24 hour pass, and rides are free if you return the bike within 30 minutes. If you have a day of non GABF where you are just doing breweries/taprooms, it is great (there are plenty within a few blocks of the nearest station)

Some other interesting things to do in the area if your not drinking... Estes Park/Rocky Mountain Nation Park, Red Rocks, Denver Zoo, Denver Mint. I'm sure there is a million things I missed.

Lastly, whatever you do, don't be a douche. Nobody likes the guy who slaps the beer out of other people's hands.

 

I guess you can if you want to lose some teeth in Denver?

Transportation
A nice alternative to Über is Lyft which is also available in Denver. They're the pink mustache mobiles and sometimes more Lyft drivers are available than Uber drivers (and vice versa). During peak hours, which will probably be all week of GABF, I'd recommend having both of those apps in your phone.

If you've had a little TOO much GABF fun and the interwebs are too complicated just try to remember:

Area code 303 and bash in

222-2222
333-3333
or
888-8888

Those are the local cab companies. Single digits. Its genius

Now that all the semantics are out of the way lets start posting about all these bozo events!

 

I like food. And beer. So I'll add the foodie-ish take on downtown Denver. Here are my beer-centric food thoughts:

$$$$-The Kitchen (the one at 16th and Wazee and not to be confused with the Kitchen Next Door which is part of the same group, but a different restaurant) has great food and a good bottle list. Not much on tap. High end food and closer to fine dining.

$$$-Euclid Hall has very good food and a very good beer list. Taps and bottles. Less expensive food than the Kitchen and less of a fine-dining experience, but still solid and sorta pricey.

Colt and Gray is across the river, but I'm calling it downtown.... The place has a small selection of brews, but the list is well thought through and the food is pretty good. This place errs toward fine dining.

$$-$$$-Freshcraft has pretty good food (although their execution has been spotty recently) and a very solid beer list. One solid step up from those places listed below, however, in terms of price and food quality.

Lucky Pie-Good pizza that errs on the fancy side of the pizza spectrum. Their beer list is quite good and I think this place is often overlooked.

Wynkoop Brewing-Marginal food and mostly marginal beers. That being said, they Wynkoop has a couple of solid beer selections that fly under the radar.See, e.g., Patty's Chili Beer.

Ale House at Amato's has a decent beer selection and marginal food that is one step above a Chili's. Slightly corporate feel, but good views of the city. Also across the river, so not technically in downtown, but very close.

Cheeky Monk has some Belgian inspire fare that, quite frankly, isn't great. But they beer is good and I have heard rumors that they changed up their menu, so perhaps the has improved.

$-$$-Rock Bottom Brewery (multiple locations, but there is one downtown) has so so food and so so beers. Rock Bottom was, however, one of Denver's first microbreweries. So there is that.

$-$$-Falling Rock...quite frankly, the food is not good, but the beer list is tough to beat.

The good thing about living in Denver is that pretty much any place will have something to offer. Even if it isn't Crooked Stave, nearly every restaurant worth a damn will have and Odell or Oskar Blues beer to sate your desires.

Periphery Mentions:

Vine Street -- Good, low-key, friendly food, decent beers. $$
Fruition -- Great food, fine dining with a nice (but smaller) bottle list. $$$$
Hops and Pie -- Have not had the pizza, but it is supposed to be OK. Beer selection is quite good. $$
LowDown Kitchen -- Solid food and beer. Nothing crazy, just good stuff. $$

My Meh (blah food and boring beer selection) List:

Thirsty Lion
Yard House
Tom's Urban

 

Snooze for breakfast... Get there early or prepare for a long line.
-Peaches and Creme pancakes and Huevos Ranchers with an extra egg (get the eggs over medium) and chorizo.

 

While the BA Guide to Denver is great, it doesn't mention a lot of the smaller (just opened) breweries in the last year:

Here's a short list of the breweries that have opened since last year. (there are even more in the surrounding area as well)

Baere Brewing Company
Beryl's Beer Company
Chain Reaction Brewing Company
Comrade Brewing Company
Denver Pearl Brewing Company (possible name change by GABF)
Former Future Brewing Company
LowDown Brewery + Kitchen
Station 26 Brewing Co.
CODA Brewing Co. (in Aurora just outside Denver)
Mu Brewery (in Aurora just outside Denver)
Joyride Brewing Company (in Edgewater just outside Denver limits)
Goldspot Brewing (possibly open for GABF)
Fiction Beer Company (probably open by GABF)
Declaration Brewing Company (possibly open for GABF)
Alpine Dog Brewing Company (possibly open for GABF)

 

Also in FC - Equinox and Horse & Dragon

 

Is there a compilation of events somewhere? Particularly, I can't find anything on Avery doing the Barrel Aged Bike Ride again - that was awesome last year

 

That's actually a law firm (I used to work there, don't call them, for the love of everything don't call them if you need a lawyer....). The cab company is 922-2222. Weird, I know.

 

Thanks for the correction, Dr. Google or my fat fingers failed me.

Was gonna say give that number a call anyways if any of the above applies but I'll just give you a call instead!

 

I'm coming in for my first GABF and am so stupidly excited for all of this. This is a great thread and it definitely got bookmarked.

 

Great list. Also, don't forget about B-Side. New spot in town with a great beer and cocktail list and KILLER fried chicken. It's not right downtown, but not too far and close to Vine Street Pub as well.

 

I actually think Yard House has a pretty solid tap list, considering it's chain. But don't expect to find any steals...

Anyway, a few other awesome food options I have found in my few months here...

Steuban's. Probably the best "diner" food ever, a mix of new and nostalgic old, all done with a great vibe. Just slightly uptown on 17th st, a must do.

Jax Fish House. If you want seafood, especially Oysters, this is the best place arguably in the state. It's also quite casual for what it is, so go in whatever you got. But, expect to put a dint in your wallet.

Highlands Tavern. Super awesome pub foods and fun. But that stupid DDD "guy" kind of alerted the masses.

Snooze. So, obviously your're going to need a good base to the day, and there isn't really a better place than snooze to find that in the morning. New Union Station location is a huuuuge plus.

 

Since I live nearby, the wife is out of town and the kids are at a sleep over I stopped into B-Side. That chicken is killer. I could eat that every day.

 

I'm not a fried chicken guy, but I'll have to check it out.

 

Ok so pick 10 breweries in the city worth visiting. Keep in mind the larger ones like great divide and avery have distribution where i live so those are only worth it if there's some crazy brewpub/tasting room exclusives. Also if they are near those bike share stops that would be cool since my friends and I have decided that drunkenly biking through a city we barely know sounds fun. Also 10 outside the city preferably all in the same roughly general area(or on the same route) because we are free friday.

Also show your work so why are these the best. basically gimme like 2 beers from each one that are can't miss.

 

And of course, Avery ALWAYS has tasting room exclusives going on during GABF...