More space and more to enjoy as beer lovers congregate in the Mile High City
What
For the 37th consecutive year, beer lovers will gather in Denver, Colorado, in Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the most important beer festival and competition in the country. This year’s GABF will offer 62,000 attendees the chance to sample over 4,000 beers from over 800 breweries in an expanded festival hall.
When
Thursday, September 20: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Friday, September 21: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Saturday September 22*: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
* Brewers Association and American Home Brewers Association® (AHA) members-only session
Saturday September 22: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Where
Colorado Convention Center
700 14th street
Denver, Colorado
Why
The GABF represents the largest collection of American beers ever served, in the form of a public tasting and a private competition. Dubbed by Thrillist “The Beer Festival You Must Go To Before You Die”, GABF has been at the top of beer lovers’ bucket lists since 1982, bringing together beer lovers and brewers from across the country to celebrate. growing craft beer culture. .
Ticket information
GABF tickets will be available for purchase online to the general public on August 1, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT via AXS.
A presale of tickets exclusively reserved for members of the American Homebrew Association and Brewers Association will take place on July 31 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT. American Homebrewers Association or Brewers Association memberships must be purchased by July 18, 11:59 p.m. MDT to be eligible for the Member Presale. The public is invited to join the AAH at any time.
Members only session tickets are $70 each, limit two tickets per member.
General session tickets are $85 public/$80 members (when purchased during the members presale on July 31):
Tickets include:
- Commemorative tasting cup
- Unlimited one-ounce samples of over 4,000 beers
- Festival guide and free app to help attendees navigate the festival hall
- Access to educational and interactive seminars focused on beer appreciation
- Opportunity to speak with the personalities behind the beers in the Meet the Brewer section
- Entertainment including games, karaoke, Silent Disco with a live DJ and more
Note: Due to limited availability, ticket sales for the GABF General Session and PAIRED are capped at six tickets per session per ticket purchaser.
Additional ticket information is on the ATM website.
Access to media
To apply for media accreditation, please visit media access section of the GABF website.
Website
Note to Editors
Please visit the following links for the event b-roll footage and Pictures.
New for 2018
Expanded festival footprint: With the addition of 100,000 square feet – a 17% increase over 2017 and bringing the festival’s footprint to 584,000 square feet – attendees will have more space to hang out and mingle with brewers and other enthusiasts of beer while discovering new breweries, learning more about beer at educational and experiential programs, playing games and just having fun.
Reconfigured festival format: The brasseries in the village hall will be listed in alphabetical order this year. Pro Tip: Breweries with “la” in the title will be listed under the first name after “la”. (i.e. The Bruery will be under B)
Collaboration competition and stand: In recognition of the collaborative spirit of the craft brewing community, we have added a new contest This year. Up to 48 collaboration beers will be judged in a Best of Show format. Many competition entries will be served during the GABF at the collaboration competition booth. Don’t miss this chance to taste these unique and limited edition beers!
Expanded Meet the Brewer section: Enlarged by popular demand! Meet the Brewer is a very special opportunity for beer enthusiasts to strike up conversations with their brewing heroes, learn more about their beers and talk shop. Look for these kiosks located in the center of the party hall. Two more islands were added in 2018 to accommodate up to 165 breweries, a 40% increase!
Additional meeting points and pavilions: Joining the floor this year will be the 12,600 square foot Jameson Caskmates Barrel-Aged Beer Garden, which will feature 17 small, independent Jameson craft brewery partners and their limited-edition barrel-aged Jameson beer; and the 3,600 square foot Buffalo Wild Wings Sports Bar, where attendees can kick back, relax and enjoy independent craft beer and wings while cheering on their favorite teams on 10 TVs.
story ideas
GABF competition: As one of the largest and most distinguished beer competitions in the world, GABF 2018 is expected to see a line-up of over 8,300 beers from over 2,200 breweries competing for their shot at gold medals , silver and bronze awards in 102 beer style categories. (Note: Final and official competition stats will be released on Saturday, September 22, after competition results have been compiled and medals announced.) Who will win the first medals in the new Juicy or Hazy (Cat 60, 63 & 65) and other new 2018 categories?
Craft beer and business: Dive deeper into the growth of craft beer and beer culture in America. According to data recently released by the Brewers Association, there are more than 6,300 operating breweries in the United States, 99% of which are independent. At GABF, learn about the economic impact these small independent brewers are having on our country, what’s next for the craft brewing community and more.
Craft beer and food: Looking to take your GABF experience to the next level? Look no further than PAIRED®. Showcasing craft beer’s ability to shine from tap to table, PAIRED offers attendees exclusive access to expertly crafted little bites composed by celebrity chefs from across the country. For 2018, PAIRED has expanded its space, welcoming more chefs and wine pairers than ever before. The exclusive craft beers served at PAIRED are only available in this pavilion and not in the village hall. A PAIR ticket ($160) is required for entry. The ticket also includes access to the party hall.
The man behind GABF: Charlie Papazian: As GABF founder Charlie Papazian leaves the Brewers Association in January 2019, take a retrospective trip with the man who started it all.
More information
Click on here for the history, facts and figures of the Great American Beer Festival.
Sizzling reel
Click on here for the Great American Beer Festival sizzle reel.
2018 Sponsors
The GABF is made possible thanks to the support of generous sponsors.
social media
Follow @GABF on Twitter, hashtag #GABF; Like GABF on Facebook; and follow @greatamericanbeerfestival on Instagram.
Contact: Abby Cohen (on behalf of the Brewers Association) 646-695-7044
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About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the nonprofit trade association dedicated to America’s small, independent brewers, their beers, and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents more than 4,000 American breweries. The BA Independent Craft Brewer Seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers from small independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the beer world cup®, Great American Oktoberfest®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, SAVOURTM: An American Craft Beer and Dining Experience, HomebrewCon™, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The new brewer® magazines, and Brewers’ Publications™ is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the United States. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the vibrant world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and on homebrewing via BAs American Homebrew Association® and free Brewing Guru® mobile app. follow us on Facebook, Twitter and instagram.
