GABF Tasting Recomendations...

Let's get together to put together a list of beers to taste at the festival.

I don't want to waste time in lines, and don't want to miss something that is good and I may not have tried.

The obvious ones to me would be

Rogue
Avery
Sierra Nevada
Dogfish Head
Russian River
Sweetwater

Throw out your recomendations...

I've never made it, despite being in (relatively) close proximity. I recommend tasting whatever you've never tasted before.

> Jealous <

I highly redommend going to lefthandbrewing.com and getting on the Brew Cruise bus #1. Avery, both Oskar blues, boulder brewing, etc. Pretty much all you can drink at all places. And this is the day before GABF opens....But inside...The Bruery Black Tuesday!

In addition I am looking forward to tasting:

Three Floyds
Ale Smith
New Glarus
Stone (of course)
Bells
Cigar City

Last year I was amazed to find that Tommyknocker had some pretty incredible GABF only beers, I would put them on your lists for sure.

Sam Adams also had their Longshot Competition guys there serving, and you got to vote, all 3 beers were unique and interesting... plus voting is always fun, and they tried to bribe me with plenty of refills.

After I hit my favorites I generally hit randoms, especially if they are places I havent heard of before, since I know I probably cant get there beers here very easily.

I'm extremely biased, but I'd say any of the Seattle area beers, but specifically:

Pike Brewing
Boundary Bay Brewing Co
Black Raven

Then comes
Port brewing
Stone
Russian River
Maui Brewing Co

Getting excited already!

My method is to choose some styles I'm interested in, more so than specific beers or breweries. Sure, I have a list of some of those, but mostly I want to try styles that I don't normally see, or ones I am interested in brewing soon.

Last year, I tried a lot of sours, as I don't buy those a lot. I also was on the lookout for a Thanksgiving brew, which I found in Lazy Magnolia's Pecan Nut Brown.

This year, I'll be looking for more sours, as well as looking for the perfect ESB. Maybe Belgian Dark Strongs as well.

this will be my first time --

im stoked on

jolly pumpkin
dogfish head
bells

I'm serving for Detroit's Atwater Block brewery, I think.

Stunningly good Vanilla Java Porter and Double Down Imperial Amber. Do not miss these. They will go fast, and extra fast when I'm chasing an ounce for you with an ounce for me.

Stop by and say hi.

Keep an eye out for Swamp Head Brewery. Their coffee stout is one of my favorites and I believe they are bringing it with them.

If they are there, keep an eye out for Green Flash.

Oh, and in response to 'Atwater', I was very let down by their Java.

jasonsargo said:

I'm serving for Detroit's Atwater Block brewery, I think.

Stunningly good Vanilla Java Porter and Double Down Imperial Amber. Do not miss these. They will go fast, and extra fast when I'm chasing an ounce for you with an ounce for me.

Stop by and say hi.

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im on the brew crew for all four days -- im not sure what breweries yet, im under the impression that ill rotate through --- stoked!!

In general i try to hit breweries that don't bottle. Or those that do, their releases they don't make avaliable.

eg. best colorado brewerys you can't get elsewhere... Bull and Bush, Mountain Sun. Plenty of others but it's early and my mind works slow for now. amazing beers but no circulation.

I'll be pouring thursday and friday then going to the member session. Just can't wait! Try what you've never heard of. Aim for breweries where you see their employees working to learn about em. I try to get as much info as i can about who i'm pouring but sometimes they are totally MIA.

I hope to see some of you at the Naked City booth. We'll be pouring Hoptrocity Rye, Duplicity Dubbel, Ferocity Tripel and Yankee Drifter Summer Ale. Big Chocolate Wood will be pouring at the ProAm booth.

Totally Stoked for Naked City!
I'll be there for sure, what an awesome taphouse.

Subscribed....i am going with a few friends for the saturday evening session. I am pretty excited to try some new beers.

While in SD this past weekend we stopped at Crow Peak Brewing in Spearfish.....I will make a point to stop at his booth!

I'll be there for the Saturday evening session. I'm curious about people's recommendations as well. I've had a lot of excellent OR, NM, CO and CA beers. I'd like to try the ones that I can't get in NM, especially those that people rave about East of the Mississippi.

A few on my list so far are:
The Lost Abbey
Three Floyds
Dogfish Head
The Brooklyn Brewery
Capitol City

I heard Firestone Walker is going to be bringing some of their reserve series stuff. That's worth a drink. Parabola ftw

A friend of mine suggested Blue Point from NY - I've never had any, so can't vouch for the recommendation.

Personally, I'll probably be sampling a lot of the west coast brews that aren't available in Vermont.

I will also be trying to sample as many brews that I can't easily get here in CO.

That being said the group we plan on hitting:

Odell
Bells
Dogfish
Avery
Dry Dock
Deschutes
Russian River
Stone
Ninkasi
Summit
Jolly Pumkin
Mpls Town Hall
New Glarus
Bear Republic
Cigar City

I would also recommend Surly Brewing Company. Their Coffee Bender is delicious. I'm definitely looking forward to Dogfish, Stone, and any other brewery that doesn't distribute to Minnesota.

houge04 said:

I would also recommend Surly Brewing Company. Their Coffee Bender is delicious. I'm definitely looking forward to Dogfish, Stone, and any other brewery that doesn't distribute to Minnesota.

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Surly isn't coming

Jayzilla said:

this will be my first time --

im stoked on

jolly pumpkin
dogfish head
bells

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I believe Bell's only goes every other year and they were there last year so probably not going to be there this year

According to the GABF site Bells will be there again