I had the pleasure of attending the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Denver Colorado on
September 29th and 30th 2011. The GABF is kind of the Super Bowl of Beer.
The GABF is more than the flavor of beer, it’s the people, the passion, the culture,
and it’s appreciating what God has given us for our
pleasure.
Before going to GABF I read several survival guides.
Here is my survival guide:
-go with a plan – decide what you want to see and do BEFORE you enter the hall
-go to the special events – the quality of the guest speakers is
astounding and don’t worry, you will be served beer during the
event. You will not miss out on tasting, what could be finer?
SITTING and getting served great beers! Also, the beers served in the
special events may not be available at the festival.
-make or buy a cup holder to hold your tasting glass
so your hands are free for other tasks. You don’t want to
drop your glass!
-make and wear a pretzel necklace. It sounds strange but
it is useful for clearing your palate and soaking up beer.
-Eat a full meal before going into the festival hall. This will
allow you to more fully enjoy the tasting.
The GABF has a culture all its own, from the pretzel necklaces
of all shapes and sizes, the pirates, Waldos, and Monk costumes,
When someone drops their plastic tasting glass all people around
erupt into an “OOOOhhhhh….”. Throughout the evening you
would hear the “OOhhs” from all around the massive room.
The GABF appeals to a wide spectrum of beer skill levels, and
appreciation with truly something for everyone as long as you
possess the common denominator, the passion for beer.
You need passion and drive to survive the massive crowds and to
adjust to the constant roar of the crowds.
This event is not for the faint of heart.
The GABF is Beer culture, friendly and pleasure-seeking.
At the GABF you can meet and talk to the luminaries in the
brewing industry, best-selling Authors, and even the Father of home brewing,
Charlie Papazian.
Like a scene out of “Braveheart”, I will never forget the opening day, the rush of climbing the
stairs to the festival hall with the blaring
battle cry of a team of bag pipes. The only thing missing was the
face paint! Cheers!
