The Great American Beer Festival (GABF 2018) is back for its 37th consecutive year!
Beer lovers gather in Denver, Colorado every year for the country’s top beer festival and competition. This years event will take place September 20th – Septemeber 23rd. We here at VicinityBrew software have put together our list of the 5 things to do and drink at the Great American Beer Festival. Now you can spend more time drinking beer and less time planning.
Photo © Brewers Association
1. Beer & Food Pavilion
Experience the art of beer and food pairings as expert chefs and brewers team up to tempt your taste buds and divulge their culinary secrets. Check out these sessions you won’t want to miss!
What: A Bug’s Life
When: Thursday 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm
About: More than two billion people eat insects as part of their regular diet. Are you one of them? Join a panel of brewers and chefs as they present a delectable pairing of three dishes containing insects and three beers inspired by the flavors of Mexico. Hear a discussion of edible insects and their role in Mexican and American cuisine.
What: Cheese, Beer, and Chocolate
When: Friday 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm
About: A trio of experts will guide you through the pairing trifecta of cheese, beer, and chocolate. Join GABF gold medal winner Chris Johnson from Six Ten Brewing in Tampa, Florida as he discusses how the grains used in brewing beer can relate to cheese and chocolate. Bill Conroy of Cordillera Chocolate provides the perspective of chocolate and how it translates to cheese and beer. Michael Landis, director of education for the Institut du Fromage, will show you how the three elements work together to create a perfect pairing. Attendees will have the chance to sample Six Ten’s Mischievous Black Lager, a gold medal winner from 2017.
2. The Jameson Caskmates Barrel Aged Beer Garden
This year Jameson honors the craft beer community and its brewery partners by providing them a global platform to showcase their unique beers at Great American Beer Festival®. Each brewery received Jameson Irish Whiskey barrels from Midleton, Co. Cork, Ireland that had previously held Jameson Irish Whiskey, these barrels were then used to age each brewery’s beer. Make sure to check out one of VicinityBrew’s valued clients Great Divide Brewing Co. to taste their barrel aged brews!
3. CraftBeer.com Pavilion
Skip the lines, have a seat and sip on craft beers with CraftBeer.com. Join Andy Sparhawk of CraftBeer.com as he hosts some of the best known—and under-the-radar—independent craft brewers. Check out Sit & Sip with Vicinity client Allagash Brewing Company.
When: Friday 8:30 pm
Featuring: Allagash Brewing Company | Portland, ME
With: Jason Perkins
4.Suds & Stogies | The Official GABF After-Party
Miami’s The TANK Brewing Co. is partnering with Tampa’s Cigar City Brewing for the official GABF after-party! We’ll be featuring specialty brews, along with cigars from Altadis USA, Rocky Patel, Plasencia, General Cigars, and Smoker Friendly Cigar Lounges.
Tickets include live music, rooftop view, two specialty brews from the Tank Brewing Co., two specialty brews from Cigar City, and four cigars, one from each brand represented.
Tickets will be available at the door for $30.
5. Meet the Brewer
Meet the Brewer is a great opportunity for beer fans to chat with their brewing heroes, learn more about their beers and talk shop. With over 100 breweries participating you really can’t miss this! Look for these booths located in the center of the festival hall and be sure to chat and taste with VicinityBrew client Payette Brewing Co.
We hope GABF 2018 is If you’d like to learn more about VicinityBrew Software, contact us today.