1) Ticket prices went from $55 to $60, but hey, we're talking about the biggest, most well-known beer festival in the world here.
2) There are four new categories: Fruit Wheat Beer, Chocolate Beer, American-Style Brett Ale and International-Style Pale Ale, described as different from American and English pales because they "have a wide range of hop characters, good balance and moderate alcohol, making them great session beers."
3) The Boulder-based Brewers Association, which runs GABF is pressuring brewers to try to have a staffer on hand at the booths throughout the festival. "It's strongly recommended," says festival director Nancy Johnson. "The problem is that if we made it a requirement, we would also have to police it," which is difficult with 450 breweries. "We are trying to move in that direction, though. I would encourage every brewery to make plans to be at their booth. I'm sure that would be seconded by every attendee at the GABF."
4) The Saturday afternoon "members-only" session - one of the toughest tickets in town - will run from noon to 4 p.m. this year rather than 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
5) There will be a retrospective display that highlights the first-ever GABF, which was held at Boulder's Harvest House Hotel in 1982. Four of the brewers from that festival will be at this one as well: Anchor Brewing, F.X. Matt/Sarnac; Boulder Beer; and Sierra Nevada.
