From new Experience Areas to the addition of cider in the competition, an increase in non-beer booths and more, there was a fresher vibe at this year's fest. There hasn't been this much change surrounding GABF in quite some time.
What changes landed? What didn't? Here's our take:
GABF Gets a Fresh Look
Booth sections were built around the new Experience Areas throughout the festival. There were also a number of hard seltzer, cider and other non-beer booths, some of which were new, while others marked an increase from last year.Many of the attendees that I spoke with enjoyed the changes. It was quite festive to walk around the floor, sampling beers and seeing entertainment throughout. Whether it was lucha libre wrestling matches, bull riding or constant stein-hoisting competitions, this was a clear added value for most of the folks I spoke with.
Most of the criticism that I heard this year was centered around it being more difficult to figure out where breweries were located, along with several choke points where people were just jammed into overcrowded spaces. Luckily, an improved map for 2025 and some traffic-flow improvements shouldn't be difficult to accomplish.
The darker, Halloween-led area was a major topic of conversation, though the worst thing that I heard from attendees was that it was difficult to read the names of the beers. Most people enjoyed the differentiation in that area, however, so I think it was probably a winning idea that just needs a minor touch-up for improved beverage identification.
It was noticeable that the crowd was younger and more varied this year than ever before. I don't have access to the number of tickets sold, but a more diverse drinking crowd is always appreciated — diversity has been an uphill battle for craft beer since its inception. It's also worth pointing out that a dip in ticket sales can still mean success, since the industry has been sliding from its peak over the last few years. There's a saying in the poker world: Sometimes losing the least amount in a hand is the best possible outcome.
Complaints About Non-Beer
I did hear some complaints leading up to the festival (and after) about how the Great American "Beer" Festival should only be focused on beer — that it's not pure if you have non-beer at the festival.I don't find these complaints particularly compelling. They ring hollow, like the "make IPA clear again" movement, or the "hazy is lazy" days. Those phrases are at least humorous, and I think many of the people pushing them are just having a good time.
I'm old enough to remember when many grocery stores wouldn't carry craft beer and said things like, "Is an 80 IBU beer or a 12 percent imperial stout even a beer?" That type of closed-mindedness has constantly held back craft beer, and now it's coming from within, from people who can't see beyond their own personal preferences.
I drink more clear, dry beer than anything else. My friends and I go to GABF just for the beer. You won't find me bull riding or inside a silent disco. I do see how those things are valuable to other attendees, however, and they don't really infringe on my personal experience at the festival. (In some ways it improves it: Watching people fall off of a bull is fun!)
There is more beer at the GABF than any one human could drink, even if they attended all three sessions. I don't drink hard seltzers, personally, and while I love hop water, I'm not drinking it at the fest. If these changes are drawing more people in to help make such a large festival a success (which clearly benefits the ancillary events, ones that wouldn't take place if GABF didn't exist), then I'm all for it. If a seltzer drinker finds a couple of beers that they enjoy, even better.
Craft beer has grown by adapting, and breweries are succeeding by becoming community gathering spaces — and many are staying true to their brand while offering a variety of beverages. It only seems natural that GABF should do the same.
The Great "American" Beer Festival has had some stellar international beers present at the festival for years now, as well. It doesn't dominate the festival by any stretch; it's just a nice touch for the many people who have visited places like Belgium and want a taster or two to mix things up.
Imagine walking down a street called restaurant row and complaining that among the dozens of restaurants sits a coffee shop or convenience store. That would be silly. Now, if restaurant row only had a couple of restaurants, you'd have a reason to complain. The liquid at GABF is still 90 percent or more beer.
Cider Makes Its Mark
This was the first year that cider categories were included in the GABF competition. Colorado's Haykin Family Cider won a gold medal for its Mountain Rose, while the Western Slope's Snow Capped Cider won silver for Gravenstein and gold for the Russets.Cider is another aspect of the festival that I see as a success. The passion and dedication that Kari Williams, owner of Snow Capped Cider, has for her craft is admirable and unmatched. She's lamented to me before about cider not being treated as seriously as wine. She's absolutely correct, and that's also an issue that beer has had for decades as well, not to mention trying to find attention from under a shadow of lower-quality macro products within the genre. Perhaps the two beverages can find a home together.
When I hand someone a quality cider from a place like Snow Capped or Haykin, their first reaction is always, "Wow, I didn't know cider could taste this good." It brings me back to the reactions I'd get twenty years ago handing friends and family members craft beers — usually brown and pale ales. There's a synergy here, and I hope that GABF has tapped into it, at least a bit.
Paired at GABF
Paired is an incredibly underrated event that happens during GABF on Thursday and Friday nights. Twenty-five chefs team up with an equal number of breweries to build two different beverage and small bite pairings each.Fifty pairings is too much for one person to consume, so you have to pick and choose. One of my favorites was Maine Beer Company's Lunch IPA paired with blue crab salad from this year's James Beard Award winner for Best Chef, Mountain Region — Matt Vawter, from Breckenridge's Rootstalk and Radicato. Another was Wren House Brewing's Fresh Hopped Wrenovation paired with smoked cod roe from Phoenix chef Derek Christensen, fresh off a win on the Food Network's Chopped.
Even when pairings didn't work well together, you were often left with a delicious bite of food and a quality beer to wash it down with.
Side Events Run Strong
GABF draws a large number of out-of-town fans and industry members to Denver. Side events are built around this week, with tap takeovers, showcases, collaborations and even smaller festivals happening throughout the week. Some of the highlights included:Krispy King Lager Competition
This event, hosted by Barrels & Bottles, felt more like a lager festival than anything else. With a free arcade, plenty of food and a cigar lounge, there was a lot to do on Wednesday evening. The star of the show was the excellent display of both in-state and out-of-state lagers, some 35 in total, available to sample in half or full pours. Many brewers were on hand, and it felt like a combination of a brewery's anniversary party and a brewers' gathering. This event is growing, and organizers are planning to expand it even more next year.
Rare Beers
The festival, a fundraiser for Pints for Prostates, had a successful move over to Bierstadt Lagerhaus on Thursday afternoon. The fact that the festival is still selling hundreds of tickets at $200 each shows the dedication from founder Rich Lyke, as well as the breweries and volunteers who participate. Many less affordable rare beer-style festivals have come and gone since COVID, but Rare Beers remains.
Punk Lager Fest
Craft lager is big, it's growing, and it's not going away. This has never been more clear than during GABF week. Cannonball grabbed a bunch of its local and out-of-state friends and hosted a shindig centered around fantastic lagers. The brewery was jamming and the kegs kicked fast. Everything from easy drinking Helles to hoppy lager was available, with the backdrop of a pair of enjoyable local punk bands.
Porch Drinking GABF Showcase With the Block Distilling at Cohesion Brewing
This was another lager-focused event, held both Friday and Saturday evenings at the park across from Cohesion Brewing. Despite its tiny size, the brewery has had an outsized influence across the country. Tasty beer combined with a steadfast dedication to Czech-style beer and consumer education has earned the brewery a national reputation. Combine that with Porch Drinking's decade-plus experience covering beer across the country, and a small but mighty list of national lagers was curated and enjoyed by many.
Great Mexican Beer Fiesta
This is an entirely different festival with its own fantastic vibe. Local Latin music, some of the best food trucks in the city and a handful of collaborations between Denver's Cervecería and Mexican craft breweries make this a must-attend event on Saturday afternoon. If you're on the fence for 2025, there's also a vendor market and lucha libre.
The above were just some highlights. There were great tap takeovers at places like Hops & Pie and Cerebral Brewing, and quality special releases at breweries like Burns Family Artisan Ales.
If beer isn't exciting to you after a week like this, then maybe it's just you. It's definitely not us.
