Ale Street News Online

This year was a big one - number 30 - for the Great American Beer Festival We’ve come a long way from Boulder 1982 and it’s forward motion all the way.

Stats were up with 4,020 beers from 584 competing breweries before 170 competing judges in 83 categories. Add to this over 2,400 samples out on the floor. In addition to the brewers’ booths, 13 brewer’s guilds offered their best at their own central pavilion. The GABF Pro-Am booth featured over 85 collaborations between brewers and American Homebrewers Association award winners. Attendance topped out again at 49,000 which is full capacity of the Denver Convention Center.

A revised streamlined floor layout prevailed, broken into nine regions nationally with peripheral space for the 1982 GABF Pavilion, Farm-to-Table Pavilion, Cicerone sponsored “You Be the Judge,” and of course the Silent Disco. Improved management of the “hit” breweries accommodated big lines at New Glarus, Dogfish Head, Shorts, Firestone-Walker and Russian River. For the big line at Lost Abbey, I advise future visitors to note that they are right next to both Port and all the Pizza Ports, which have smaller lines and are all part of that happy family.

Award stats, always a querulous math job, indicate a lot of slippage for the East Coast. I’ll apply the usual shorthand of (G)old, (S)ilver and (B)ronze. There were 248 medals awarded, with one Bohemian Style Pilsner (G) abstaining. The East Coast fell back again, this time to seventeen percent for a total of seven percent loss in two years. Good news is the East swept the Vienna Lager category. Bad news is that it only hit 10 medals in 29 U.S. & English style ales, porters, stouts and barleywine categories. Better news is that the East had a much better showing in specialty beers like rye, Brett and various lager styles. Congrats to Boston Beer Co. for scoring with two versions of the same beer: Sam Adams Chocolate Chili Bock (S) and Chocolate Bock (B).

Outstanding East Coast medalists were Boston Beer Co., Boston  MA (four), Starr Hill, inCrozet, VA (three) and Iron Hill of Delaware (three). Pennsylvania Brewing, Pittsburgh PA and Troeg’s proved reliable at two each, as did Blue Mountain, Afton VA, Mad Fox, Falls Church, VA and Sweetwater of Atlanta GA. Cheers also for everyone who singled out. You’re all gold as far as we’re concerned.

A not so casual observance points up that we may certainly suffered due to Hurricane Irene, particularly our pals in Vermont. Knock ‘em dead next year!

Except for Pabst Blue Ribbon and Bob Newman who won large brewing company and brewer of the year,  the West Coast had a sweep.

Pizza Port Ocean Beach/Yiga Myashiro took the small brewpub award. Pizza Port Carlsbad/Brew Guys earned large brewpub accolades.  The TAPS Fish House/Victor Novak earned the brewpub group award.  Chuckanut Brewery/Will Kemper of Bellingham WA took the small brewing company award and earned three (G) (S) (B) medals edging out the two-year-old Indiana based Sun King’s remarkable seven medals: 3 (G), 3 (S), 1 (B).

Farm-to-Table once again made a huge splash, with Adam Dulye of Monk’s Kettle and Abbot’s Cellar at the helm. Guests were savored to death by 12 brewers, 10 chefs and (bless them) the Monterey Oyster Co.  Special thanks to local Cicerone Sayre Piotrkowski for steering me right.

Nostalgia made a strong point with the 1982 pavilion with photos, costumes and (more to the point) tastes from brews and breweries of that bygone era that seems like yesterday to me. When’s the last time you tasted Ballantine IPA or Hudepohl Bock?

No space for favorite beers here, but this year’s drinking strategy was to hit as many little guys as possible and the verdict is very positive indeed. After thirty years we have certainly grown up. Let’s see what happens next year. And remember, GABF sells out really early.

This year the winners’ list is searchable by medal and state at www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/the-competition/winner/ ; click on past winners at the bottom of the page for breakout by category. Search the site for the Farm to Table chefs and brewers while you’re there.