The 40th Annual Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a much-awaited event that brings together the best of the American beer industry and craft beer lovers. This year, the event was held at the Colorado Convention Center, welcoming 40,000 attendees and 2000 different beers. It is estimated to bring a business boom to the 500 participating breweries and a welcome economic boost to Denver. The main event of the festival is a beer contest, the most prestigious beer competition in the country, and an award ceremony. For the tasting of all that beer, there will be 5,000 barrels of beer, 2,200 cases of beer and more than five kilometers of draft beer queues in the festival hall.
Brown beer lovers were especially delighted as it returned to the Colorado Convention Center for the first time in three years. The GABF began in 1982 at the Harvest House Hotel in Boulder before moving to Denver in 1984 and, in droves, to its current venue, the Colorado Convention Center, in 2000. Those who purchased VIP tickets were treated to an unforgettable beer and food pairing experience with independent craft breweries and acclaimed chefs from across the country. Winning a gold, silver or bronze award at the Heavy Medal last year is a great honor for any brewing company. Festival-goers had the opportunity to sample these award-winning beers.
