The Great American Beer Festival begins a week from today. If you want to be ready (and believe me, we are soooo ready), you'll need to check in here every afternoon for some lowdown, some insight and some tips on how to do it right.

Last year, I dissed on breweries located to the right of our square state, claiming that "there's really no reason to venture any further east." I was soundly admonished. So this year, I'll focus on finding those reasons, starting with ten breweries located east of Colorado whose beer we're willing to stand in line to try.

The beers from these breweries are either hard to find or nonexistent in Colorado, but we've heard so much about them that our one-ounce glasses are already ready.

1) Bell's Brewery, Kalamazoo, Michigan

2) Cambridge Brewing Company, Cambridge, Massachusets

3) Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois

4) Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, Ohio

5) Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, Michigan

6) Magic Hat Brewing Company, Burlington, Vermont

7) New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, Wisconsin

8) Nodding Head Brewery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

9) Surly Brewing Company, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota

10) Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, Indiana

• Booze