Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association

Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is an American trade group of over 1,000 brewers, particularly concerned with the promotion of craft beer and homebrewing....

, held in Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more than 2,000 different American beers. Over 100 beer judges from the United States and abroad evaluate beer in the associated competition, ultimately judging 3,300 beers entered by almost 500 domestic breweries. Gold, silver and bronze medals in 83 beer-style categories (as of 2011) are awarded, though not every medal is necessarily awarded in each category.

Started in 1982, the GABF was created by Charlie Papazian

Charlie Papazian

Charles N. "Charlie" Papazian is an American nuclear engineer who founded the Association of Brewers and the Great American Beer Festival, and wrote The Complete Joy of Home Brewing. Papazian is the current president of the Brewers Association...

 in Boulder, Colorado

Boulder, Colorado

Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...

. The original GABF had 22 participating breweries and the 2009 festival had 457. In 2009 the festival expanded into a hall one-third larger than the previous year. The GABF is considered the largest ticketed beer festival in the United States.

2009

• Attendance - 49,576
• Breweries at the fest - 457
• Beers at the fest - 2,100
• Breweries in the competition - 495
• Beers in the competition - 3,308
• Category with the most entries - American-Style India Pale Ale, 134 entries
• Medals awarded - 234 + 3 in Pro-Am

2008

• Attendance - 46,000
• Breweries at the fest - 432
• Beers at the fest - 2,052
• Breweries in the competition - 472
• Beers in the competition - 2,902
• Category with most entries - American Style India Pale Ale: 106
• Medals awarded - 222 + 3 in Pro-Am

2007

• Attendance - 46,000
• Breweries at the fest - 408
• Beers at the fest - 1,884
• Breweries in the competition - 473
• Beers in the competition - 2,973
• Category with most entries - American Style India Pale Ale: 120
• Medals awarded - 222 + 3 in Pro-Am

2006

• Attendance - 41,000
• Breweries at the fest - 384
• Beers at the fest - 1,668
• Breweries in the competition - 450
• Beers in the competition - 2,402
• Category with most entries - American Style India Pale Ale: 94
• Medals awarded - 203

2005

• Attendance - 29,500
• Breweries at the fest - 377
• Beers at the fest - 1,672
• Breweries in the competition - 466
• Beers in the competition - 2,335
• Category with most entries - American Style India Pale Ale: 103
• Medals awarded - 206

2004

• Attendance - 28,000
• Breweries at the fest - 334
• Beers at the fest - 1,454
• Breweries in the competition - 398
• Beers in the competition - 2,016
• Medals awarded - 201