Quantcast

TR: Great American Beer Festival

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
Well, I'm finally getting around to typing up a short report from the GABF. We got to the venue around 3:15pm on Saturday and met my buddy who is owner of Healthy Brew in Fort Worth, TX.

He had a couple brews - a stout that was pretty tasty (even for me who doesn't like stout much) as well as a wheat beer. The wheat was really smooth and not too "wheaty" - which was good for me, 'cause I don't like too much wheat in my wheat beer. ;)

Then we went out on the floor in an attempt to taste every IPA and double/Imperial IPA we could get our hands on. We started our quest in California, which along with the PNW produced a *number* of very good hoppy beers. We then proceeded to the Rocky Mt. Region and ended the evening with the NE (which was mostly out of beer by the time we got there :think: ).

And the winners were:

Firestone IPA Nectar
Hoppy Brewing Amber
Anderson Hop Ottin
Hoptown Brewing IPA
Hoptown Brewing DUIPA (an *excellent* double)
Kona Brewing Castaway IPA
Marin Brewing White Knuckle DIPA
Oggi's Pizza & Brew Torrey Pines IPA
Pelican Pub Indian Pelican Ale

All told we probably tried 50-60 IPAs. Some of which were veritable swill. Others of which were decent but not particularly outstanding. The best, I think, was the Hoptown Double IPA.

All in all, a fun time! Next year we'll go better prepared. :sneaky:
 

I Are Baboon

The Full Dopey
Aug 6, 2001
32,383
9,287
MTB New England
Trying 50-60 IPA's, I can't imagine you tried anymore than a couple of sips each.

I've been to one beer festival and the "samples" were 4-5 ounces each. After 20 or so samples, I kind of lost the capacity to identify the different flavors.

Was there any good chow at the GABF?
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
narlus said:
did you try Victory Hop Devil, Smuttynose shoals or Dogfish 60min IPA?
Victory was not represented from what I could see. I've tried HD before and was underwhelmed. Way too sweet and malty for my taste. Don't remember Smuttynose either, but like I said - alot of NE breweries had run out of IPAs by the time we got to their "section."

I did try Dogfish 60min (since they were out of 90 & 120) and remember it as being OK. In other words I didn't dump it out with a disgusted look on my face. :D
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
I Are Baboon said:
Trying 50-60 IPA's, I can't imagine you tried anymore than a couple of sips each.
I didn't try more than a *single* sip each, unless they were decent. Even then I'd only give it one more taste.

I've been to one beer festival and the "samples" were 4-5 ounces each. After 20 or so samples, I kind of lost the capacity to identify the different flavors.
At the GABF the samples are 1 oz - I'd usually cut them off while they were pouring before they got to the 1 oz. mark. I only wanted to taste 'em.

Was there any good chow at the GABF?
There were rumors of chow being presented, but we never found it. :think: The convention center is frikkin' HUGE:

http://www.denverconvention.com/center-floor.htm
 

riverside73

Monkey
Nov 29, 2004
362
0
Pelican Pub Indian Pelican Ale
Just visited their brewpub last month. Not much a beer drinker anymore but their pub is killer. Right on the beach on the Oregon Coast. Step off the deck and you're in the sand. And damn good food for a Brewpub as well!!:cheers:
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,375
12,529
In a van.... down by the river
So Victory was at the event this year but didn't have any IPA. :disgust1:

And Dogfish was there with nothing stronger than 60 minute...

Big winner this year was Deschutes Hophenge. It's a good thing we tried it late because I'd have just hung out and drank that the whole night. :cheers:

Topped off the evening by a 3-1/2 hour dinner at Cafe Berlin with liters of Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen.

 

BikeGeek

BrewMonkey
Jul 2, 2001
4,573
273
Hershey, PA
We took two bronze medals. The Flying Mouflan (American-style Barley Wine) and Dead Reckoning Porter (American-style Stout) :)
 
Last edited:

Secret Squirrel

There is no Justice!
Dec 21, 2004
8,150
1
Up sh*t creek, without a paddle
So Victory was at the event this year but didn't have any IPA. :disgust1:

And Dogfish was there with nothing stronger than 60 minute...

Big winner this year was Deschutes Hophenge. It's a good thing we tried it late because I'd have just hung out and drank that the whole night. :cheers:

Topped off the evening by a 3-1/2 hour dinner at Cafe Berlin with liters of Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen.

Awesome.

I gotta say though...the hophenge (in a bottle...the only way I've had it so far here in Seattle) makes me want to age it for about 18 months...holy young hoppyness batman...