Great American Beer Festival

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The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association that is traditionally held at the end of September/beginning of October in Denver, Colorado (dubbed “the Napa Valley of beer” by many of the world’s beer experts). The GABF brings a record number of beer connoisseurs from around the world to sample more than 1,600 different American beers. The GABF is deemed the ultimate event for tasting the beer’s of the globe’s greatest brewing nation. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the GABF is the place to find the largest selection of beers available at one time in the world.

The GABF also hosts one of the world’s largest and most prestigious tasting competitions. Over 100 professional beer judges from the United States and abroad evaluate over 2,300 beers entered by more than 450 domestic breweries. Gold, silver and bronze medals in 69 beer-style categories are awarded.

Started in 1982, the GABF was created by Charlie Papazian in Boulder, CO. The festival was desgined to celebrate the flavor and diversity of American brewers. The original GABF had 22 participating breweries and the 2006 version had 384! From the smallest breweries in the US, to the largest, the GABF has a sampling of the varied and unique breweries that make up one of the greatest brewing cultures in the world.

2006 marked the 25th anniversary of the festival. 2007 dates for the festival are October 11-13th at the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver.

GABF visitors enjoy one-ounce beer samples from the fest’s breweries. These breweries are arranged on the festival floor by regions of the country, giving beer lovers a walking tour of the nation’s beer-blessed landscape. Many of the booths are staffed by the brewers themselves.