GABF Week (2023)

Bierstadt Lagerhaus is now completely packed during GABF and I feel like they've taken over as the space for industry people to gather.

The Rare Beer Tasting is back again. At the McNichols building.

I still think that Finn's still flies under the radar for having a great beer list.

 

Kinda crazy how different things are right now vs. 6-7 years ago. I think the days of a dozen events every day starting on Monday are done. My favorite was always the Crooked Stave + friends dinner pairing events.

I'm just planning on doing the fest itself (Thurs+Sat), pouring at Rare on Friday, and maybe wandering down to Bierstadt/Finns/RiNo/etc. one of the days.

 

Said already, but Finn's has been my only must-visit in recent years. I'll keep an eye out for what Star Bar is doing, but they always seem hit/miss if they have any cool events. First Draft usually has a decent list, but the crowd can be a bit of a turn-off. Feels weird to say, but Denver seems to have lost its great tap rooms with the exception of Goed Zuur & Hops & Pie neither of which seem to do all that much for GABF.

 

Thinking about it a little, pretty much all the good multi-taps are in the 'burbs now. First Draft and Finn's are pretty much it for downtown. At least outside of the Thirsty Lion and Yardhouse, both in the mall'ish area. Hopefully at some point we'll see a revitalization of proper downtown again. It's such a good area (location-wise) to be the way it is.

If anyone finds out about any fun side events, post 'em here. I'd like to support someone trying to do something new.

 

A bit outside downtown, but I assume both Walters and Ephemeral will have GABF related events/tap takeovers.

 

I've been looking at several social media sites and boards, reading the posts about GABF. When someone excitedly says "Heading to my first Great American Beer Festival this year!," there is always one very helpful person (or several) who tells them that the event is too crowded, all the best beer runs out Thursday night, that the only people who go to GABF are frat brothers who pregame heartily or that they don't go because at $95 a ticket they can't get their money's worth drinking one ounce samples. Other people then lament about how some of the classic beer bars in Denver closed during COVID. Then someone will fondly mention a festival that hasn't happened in 5+ years. And someone else will proclaim they are happier buying a few six packs and having a stay-at-home beer festival by themselves. Many of these folks will also admit that they last attended a beer festival sometime before 2015.

All of this carping makes heading to Denver for GABF sound as appealing as attending a homeowners association meeting to discuss rules on what paint colors should be allowed on front doors in the neighborhood.

I was in Denver last year for GABF and the crowds were smaller. Things had changed around town a bit, the same way they have in many cities because of COVID. But there were still smiling people going to GABF, attending some of the other events and visiting brewery taprooms. The people who got out of their chairs and made the effort enjoyed themselves.

We've lost track of some simple realities. It's beer people! The happiest drink on the planet, likely the universe. Denver is the center of the craft beer world each fall. Instead of conjecture about what is wrong, we need to start celebrating what's right. Because in Denver during GABF week there is certainly more good than there is bad. We need to support the breweries and events that do it right and create memorable times we can enjoy with old friends and new. Let's talk up these great things -- big and small -- because if we allow the GABF haters to control the conversation it's not good for anyone who loves craft beer.

 

I need to keep an ear to the ground on this one. I've never had a real opportunity to attend GABF until this year, and I'd really like to experience it. How soon do tix usually sell out and when to they reveal the brewery/beer lineup?

 

Looks like all the sessions are still available:
https://www.axs.com/series/18928/great-american-beer-festival-2023-tickets?skin=gabf

A few years ago it was selling out in minutes, but I think a lot of that had to do with Ticketmaster scalper bots. It was pre-COVID, too. I don't know if last year's event sold out at all, but the sessions I went to were nearly as busy as ever. Logistically, it's as well run as it has ever been, so that definitely plays a role.

Not sure about when the brewery/beer list will be available. Some years that has been available a long way in advance, while other years I didn't see anything until the week before. With the sheer number of breweries/beers at the show, I've actually stopped doing any research. They hand out programs while you're in the line, so I typically plan the first 3-5 places I want to hit up right then. After that, it's just a matter of trying whatever sounds good/fun.

 

Wow, even the Saturday afternoon members session didn't sell out.

It definitely felt busy last year, but due to the construction at the Colorado Convention Center, the 2022 floor plan was more than 1/3 smaller than 2019. There's a bit more space this year, but still 1/4 smaller square footage than 2019.

 

The brewery/beer list is now online: https://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/
Tickets to all the sessions = still available, too.

 

Looking forward to it!

 

First time to GABF which is amazing considering how long I've been into beer. Looking forward to the fest as well as the side events, smaller that they may be.

I made a short list of breweries to check out at the fest but would love suggestions on any that you all think are under the radar or can't miss? Looks like a ton of local/CO based breweries and brewpubs that I am not familiar with. Thanks gang!

 

In terms of CO places with booths that are a little under the radar, I'd go with Horse and Dragon, Liquid Mechanics, Little Dry Creek, River North, and Verboten. There are plenty more that people DO know, so those are just the ones most people wouldn't.

Don't sleep on our neighbors to the south in NM, too. Pretty much every brewery coming from down there is a heavy hitter and I don't think any are well known beyond La Cumbre.

 

Poking around randomly and saw Cerebral with a lager event. I see you Halfway Crooks

https://www.instagram.com/p/CxEiQ9KO3jR/

 

Whoops. And they are apparently hosting North Park for a tap take over on that Thursday too.

 

I went to this event last year and really enjoyed it. If I remember correctly all the guest beers were in cans. A few had run out by the time I showed in the early afternoon.

 

It's here. Same with Alchemist, Lawsons, Prime, De Garde, Fort George, wayfinder, and a big Casey drop, among many others. Fresh hop Pine top from Little Beast but not too many other fresh hop options -- lemme know what y'all see!