I had never been to GABF before. I had heard all sorts of things about it, ranging from how it is overwhelming, crazy crowded, and just all around daunting to drink so many different beers without losing your mind and ruining your palate. So figuring you only live once, I thought me and the wife would give it a shot this year, plus Denver is supposed to be a pretty happening city.
We arrived Friday and happened to hook a deal through Southwest to stay at the Oxford Hotel in the LODO section of downtown. Quite a few breweries nearby as well as the infamous Falling Rock Taphouse. The convention center was also just a short walk away.
Outside the Oxford looking at Grand Central Station being revamped.
After settling in decided we to check out Wynkoop Brewing just around the corner. After quaffing a few there headed to Falling Rock. Way too crowded with people already ripped. Servers kind of pissy and the selection so overwhelming you just kind of had to throw a dart at a tap and hope for the best, which probably wasn’t a bad way to go, because I doubt anything there was bunk. I had a Great Divide Double IPA that was memorable and my wife had a Crooked Stave sour of some sort that was quite delicious. Would like to visit this bar when GABF is not in town.
Downtown Denver walking to festival
It has to be quite the feat organizing this festival. The logistics of the beer alone are crazy. Like I said, I haven’t been to this festival before so I’m making this as a blind assumption, but the GABF looks to me like it has become to big. Took 45 minutes to get in the door(WTF). A lot of the beer being poured was warm and a lot of the people pouring didn’t know shit about it. Lines for the more prestigious breweries were a joke. I think you can’t make this festival any bigger without it becoming unpleasant. Anyhow, those are my off the cuff negative observations. Overall it was a great but a somewhat blurry time.
An hour in and I’m already befuddled
After my first hour all my well laid plans slowly fell apart. I had it in my mind to visit East Coast and Mid West breweries. Basically beers we just don’t see in Southern California like Bells, Jolly Pumpkin, Boulevard, etc. I had a quite a bit of Jolly Pumpkin (beats me why everyone wants that New Glarus Kriek when Jolly Pumpkin’s La Roja is a far superior beer with no line) but couldn’t quite get it together to find Bells or Boulevard. Ran into some good beers just randomly. McCoys Gose was one such beer.
Other memorable stuff:
- Dock Street Brewing Firehouse Saison
- Shmalts Jewbelation 17
- Sierra Nevada Hoptimum
- Springfield Heart of Darkness
There were probably others but the festival is kind of a whirlwind of flavor sensation where everything becomes a blur.
Steph in time lapse blur
Do I recommend going to GABF. Yes, if only for the one time experience of such a unreal amount of beer in one place. I don’t think I’ll be returning – the expense alone is a deterrent and there’s so many festivals now locally just makes more sense to go to those.