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BEER GUIDE
DENVER - The Great American Beer Festival kicked off at the Convention Center on Thursday and there is plenty of beer to go around, if you have a ticket.
The festival's competition features more than 3,000 beers, of which 2,100 are available to taste. It's a beautiful thing when beer drinkers, brewers and enthusiasts unite, and the GABF is a prime example of the hoppy madness that happens when they do.
The festival takes place downtown at the Convention Center, located at 700 14th Street. For three straight days every year, around the beginning of fall, brewers (there are 495 represented this year) show off a combination of their best, classic and most unique brews to both a panel of 133 judges from eight different countries and to thousands of thirsty festival goers.
Attendees are given a commemorative tasting cup that can be filled as many times, with whatever kind of beer they want, over and over again. Just don't drop your cup; as tradition has it, the embarrassing sound of plastic hitting the ground within the halls of the GABF invokes a rally of hundreds of "Ohhhhs" that echo throughout the festival.
There is plenty to do besides drink (or do while you drink), such as the silent disco, where you enter a closed off dance floor and bust out your best moves with a set of headphones on, so no one can hear the music except you (hence the silent disco name). This year also features the Great American Beer school with everything from a brewer's studio pavilion, food and beer pairing demonstrations, games and great food.
The winners will be announced Saturday, meaning ticket holders on that day will get the chance to taste the year's best, of which there are 78 different categories.
The GABF gathers practically every type of beer from all of the regions of the country, and they are arranged geographically in the festival hall. If you don't have tickets yet, you are out of luck for 2009 as the event is sold out but look for 2010 details and get your tickets early next year.
When
Sept. 25: 5:30-10 p.m.
Sept. 26: 12:30-4:30 (Members Only) & 5:30-10 p.m.
Price
$55 (Event is sold out)
Contact Info.
Event Phone Number: 888-822-6273
Event Web site: http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/
Location
Colorado Convention Center
700 14th Street
Denver, CO
To get pumped for the beer-filled weekend, walk down memory lane with pictures from last year's festival on Metromix.com.
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5 months ago
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