Numero 40/2024
5 Ottobre 2024
KEEPING BEER FESTIVALS RELEVANT – GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL SHOWS HOW!
All pix are copyright Brewers Association.
Is beer festival fatigue a thing? Personally, I don’t think so. Italy has a vibrant and dynamic beer culture and over in the States, it’s a similar story where the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the largest public tasting event in America, is now in its 42nd year and continues to draw huge crowds. But how?
The secret to GABF’s success lies in its constant reinvention from one year to the next with new concepts, new experiences and new innovations to entice the beer-loving public to return. Taking place in Denver, Colorado, 10-12th October 2024 it attracts approximately 40,000 people from all over the world who flock to the festival every year to celebrate American craft brewing creativity and craftsmanship by sampling 2,500+ beverages from 550+ breweries, cideries, distilleries, and other beverage producers. In fact, there are 122 first-time breweries pouring at GABF, an indication of the Festival’s enduring value and relevance.
But this year is different. Organiser, the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association for small and independent American craft brewers, is shaking things up with a new layout where breweries are grouped by themed experience of their choice. These different worlds of immersive experience offer a unique blend of themed décor, specialised beverages, engaging activities and entertainment. Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications at the Brewers Association says: “Beer is still the star of the show, but we also know our younger customers and younger attendees are interested in an overall experience.”
Copyright Brewers Association.
Themed areas include Prost!, a traditional German Biergarten where attendees can dance and sing along to live polka bands playing traditional Bavarian tunes or test their prowess in a stein-holding contest; Score! a sports-lovers haven which combines the thrill of sports with the joy of craft brewing; Fright, a Halloween themed experience that promises a hauntingly good time for all Halloween pre-gamers; Blast Off, an ‘out-of-this-world flavour blast’ featuring the Beer & Beyond experience area for liquid innovations and on-trend flavours from international and domestic breweries; Meet the Brewer a unique, interactive space where attendees can connect directly with their favourite brewers and offers a chance to learn, taste, and engage like never before; and Chill, a backyard gathering space with music, lawn games and exclusive brews.
New beverages are also making their debut this year. While beer remains the centre stage in its many iterations – think pumpkin beer, barrel-aged beers, sour ales, pastry stouts and the ubiquitous West Coast style and hazy IPAs –ready-to-drink canned cocktails, hard tea and hard lemonade will also be introduced for the first time. These newcomers will join a diverse lineup that includes cider, hard seltzer, hard soda, kombucha, various malt-based beverages and an array of non-alcohol beverages.
While the traditionalists among us may question the relevance of these beverages at a beer festival, it’s worth noting that many American craft brewers are now making ‘beyond beer’ beverages that cater to the increasingly diverse consumer pallet. There will be something for everyone at this year’s GABF.
Also new is the first ever Lucha Libre Mexican Wrestling where attendees can cheer on their favourite wrestlers in the ring and flying off the top ropes from Hugo’s Lucha Libre LIVE on the GABF Festival Floor while tasting award winning Mexican themed beers from sponsors Cerveceria Colorado and Denver Beer Co.
Another unique facet of GABF is PAIRED, a foodie paradise where acclaimed chefs unite with independent craft brewers from across the States to design unique small bites perfectly paired with craft beer, craft cocktails and cider found nowhere else at the festival. Compared to the hullabaloo of the festival floor it’s an oasis of calm tranquility where the focus is on the interplay of flavour between both beer and food.
Copyright Brewers Association.
And as if that wasn’t enough there’ll be costume contests, karaoke, a silent disco, an international section, an area serving previous GABF and World Beer Cup award winners, a Gluten-Free garden and much more.
Check back in next month for a round-up of the latest American craft beer trends found at the Festival!
Great American Beer Festival October 10-12, 2024
Look out for award-winning American craft beer throughout Italy.
Free downloadable resources to help you enjoy and understand American craft beer are available at www.brewersassociation.org or www.craftbeer.com
About the Brewers Association
The Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The BA represents 5,600-plus U.S. breweries. The BA’s independent craft brewer seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organizes events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, Homebrew ConTM, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer® magazine, and Brewers Publications® is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the U.S. Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com® and about homebrewing via the BA’s American Homebrewers Association® and the free Brew Guru® mobile app. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Issued on behalf of the Brewers Association, 1327 Spruce Street, Boulder, Colorado, 80302 USA. www.brewersassociation.org
For further press information: Lotte Peplow at lotte@brewersassociation.org +44 (0)7973 698 414
![Brussels Beer Challenge 2023 © Bart Van der Perre – highres-1873[180812]](https://www.giornaledellabirra.it/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Brussels-Beer-Challenge-2023-©-Bart-Van-der-Perre-highres-1873180812-150x150.jpg "America craft beer goes for gold - and gets it - at international beer competitions")
