The Great American Beer Festival kicks off today at 5:30 p.m. with 462 breweries pouring 2,200 different beers -- the biggest number ever served. But if you're not one of the 49,000 people lucky enough to have bought tickets, there are still plenty of beer-soaked things to do around town.
Great Divide Brewing, 2201 Arapahoe Street, rocks its GABF kick-off party to day at 2 p.m. with its line-up of kick-ass brews paired with artisan cheeses, locally cured meats and food from Duo.
Also at 2 p.m., Falling Rock Taphouse crack into a barrel of Boulevard Dark Truth Stout; at 4 p.m., they'll hit the Rogue Double Chocolate and John John Ale; and at 10 p.m., Falling Rock will pull out some mysterious kegs of Stone beer from the owner's collection.
At 4 p.m., the Cheeky Monk, 534 East Colfax, welcomes Dogfish Head's Sam Calagione, Victory's Bill Covaleski and Greg Koch, from Stone, for a special tapping of Saison du B.U.F.F., a collaboration between the three respected breweries.
At 5 p.m., Euclid Hall, 1317 14th Street, lights into its new house brew, Euclidian Pale Ale, made by Durango's Steamworks Brewing. Brewreyt founder Kris Oyler will be on hand for beers.
At 6 p.m., hang out with the boys from Brew Crew TV, or @brewcrewtv, for their monthly beer tweet-up, #BrewDEN. This time, it will be at Uptown Bros. Brewing, 320 East Colfax, which has a host of great craft beers on tap and more in bottles.
After GABF, check out screenings of the movie Beerituality at the Wynkoop at 10 p.m. and Old School at Big Game Restaurant, 1631 Wazee.
