Great American Beer Fest - Denver CO

My brewing partner and some close friends just booked our hotel rooms and flights out to Denver. Also already booked a tour at New Belgium. Anyone else plan on attending? Any tips on side trips we should take outside the event? Event tickets go on sale in June. Details below

Great American Beer Festival 2010
September 16-18, 2010
Colorado Convention Center
Denver, Colorado
http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.com/

If you are hitting New Belgium, you should also hit Odell as they are less than a mile from each other.

An old friend of my wife owns a deli near New Belgium. It's called Choice City Butcher and Deli. From what I gather there's a pretty good beer/wine selection and good food, too.

http://www.examiner.com/x-33093-For...cher--Deli-recognized-as-Best-Beer-Restaurant

Looks like their website is down but the addy is:
104 West Olive Street
Fort Collins, CO 80524-2832

His name is Russ.

Enjoy your trip

Left Hand, Oskar Blues, Upslope, Twisted Pine, Avery, Boulder Beer, and Mountain Sun. All of these guys are in and around Boulder/Longmont. Pretty tasty stuff in there. Have fun. I went to the GABF in '07 I think. It was epic. I'd love to go this year but I am transferring schools and moving in September and don't think I can swing the funds. Drink some pints for me.
AM

While you are out here, you should go to Avery and Southern Sun in Boulder (Avery for the tour around 4, dinner at Southern sun). While in Denver, the Wynkoop has some good brews, and Falling Rock Tap House has some amazing beers in bottles/on tap

http://www.mountainsunpub.com/
http://www.fallingrocktaphouse.com/
http://www.wynkoop.com/

Some Beer-centric friends an I have an annual Mancation where we target different brewing festivals. Last year we were at the Portland Brewers Festival, and this year we're going to the GABF. Very excited!

I just have one question: Where's the best place to stay in Denver relative to the convention center? I've never been to Denver so I'm not sure about how accessible public transportation is, or where the place to stay is in the city. My initial impression from Google Satellite is that the area around the convention center isn't the best place to stay.

Looking for maximum safety, but maximum fun. Anyone have any suggestions?

Flyapart said:

Some Beer-centric friends an I have an annual Mancation where we target different brewing festivals. Last year we were at the Portland Brewers Festival, and this year we're going to the GABF. Very excited!

I just have one question: Where's the best place to stay in Denver relative to the convention center? I've never been to Denver so I'm not sure about how accessible public transportation is, or where the place to stay is in the city. My initial impression from Google Satellite is that the area around the convention center isn't the best place to stay.

Looking for maximum safety, but maximum fun. Anyone have any suggestions?

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We are planning on going to the GABF this year. What did you make out with the hotel choice? Any other tips related to the Beer Fest? I noticed that the additional events such as the food pairings and dinners are about two weeks prior to the actual Beer Fest. I just wondered if anything like this goes on during the 3 day event? Is the food good inside or is like fair food?

Thanks!

The Hyatt Regency is directly across the street from the convention center. No matter how many one-ounce pours you have you should be able to stumble back to your room.

In terms of food at the fest is ok. Think Old Chicago mini-pizzas.

The festival is a great time! I'm local, so I make a point of pouring every year... it's a great chance to taste regional brews and the most rewarding volunteer experience of my year

The Hilton Garden Inn is very close too. I liked that one quite well.

My only gripe with the 2009 GABF (didn't go last year) was the looooooong lines to get in. The lines were reasonable once inside.

M_C

anyone know if hotels are booked up yet downtown? i have tried a couple times to get a room in the past week online and i keep getting a no rooms avail result. i have booked a room in july aug time frame the past 3 years and always got a room.

topherm21 said:

the hyatt regency is directly across the street from the convention center. No matter how many one-ounce pours you have you should be able to stumble back to your room.

In terms of food at the fest is ok. Think old chicago mini-pizzas.

The festival is a great time! I'm local, so i make a point of pouring every year... It's a great chance to taste regional brews and the most rewarding volunteer experience of my year

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thanks!!

mwhc22 said:

anyone know if hotels are booked up yet downtown? i have tried a couple times to get a room in the past week online and i keep getting a no rooms avail result. i have booked a room in july aug time frame the past 3 years and always got a room.

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I didn't have any trouble finding rooms last week...

When up at Fort Collins (one of the best beer cities in the country, and definitely the best beer city in the state), you have to visit Funkwerks (and Crooked Stave in the same brewery), Odell and Equinox (their Saison IPA is one of the best IPAs in the country).

The New Belgium tour is also the best brewery tour I have ever been on, push to go see the foeders.

well i found a room last week for both friday and sat downtown. it cost me almost double what it has the last 3 years though as all the cheaper ones were sold out almost instantly i guess.

SWMBO and I will be in staying up by new belgium thursday night if anyone else is in the area. then downtown friday and sat nights before we spend a few nights up in estes and rocky mt national parks.

I have never done a brew exchange any of the times i have gone yet with any other HBTer's. anyone in for one? each bring 2 or 3 bottles and do a group taste test for lunch or something in someones hotel?

The brewery in Estes Park doesn't get a lot of love on beeradvocate but when I was there a few years back (and just getting into good beer), I really liked some of their brews. Think you could play mini golf next door too so that was a fun combo event.

I could be down for some brew exchange!

just bought my tickets for the members session

bottling up some brew from a keg i have tomorrow so i will have a few bottles to bring to do an exchange/tasting

I just did some checking on hotels and can confirm that as of now the main closest hotels (Hyatt Regency, Hilton Garden, Doubletree Curtis) are booked solid the 29th-2nd. I've stayed at all 3 of those in the past and it was very nice to be able to stumble back after the fest and the inevitable "aftermath" of a trying to have night around town after leaving the convention center. Oh well. I may have to cab it further back and forth this year (though that's going to suck for the Saturday back to back sessions). Grand Hyatt is showing space available right now at $235/nt. (but going 3 miles out gets you $99 rates at just as nice of places from what I'm seeing)

Nobody mentioned La Boheme to the first timers in the thread but... if you are without SWMBO (or with a really cool one) chances are you'll end up there. The talent they bring in for the fest is fairly amazing and I found it a nice way to wait out the line if you are doing both Saturday sessions (so I miss 20-30 minutes.. of the evening session... at that point I really don't have to grab a beer real quick...)

I'd also suggest to the new folks going that while it is indeed ridiculous to do all 4 sessions... it's also a lot of fun. I like to break it up the sessions into all IPA's on Thursday, Stouts and Porters on Friday, and then Miscellaneous Day (that one hurts). You do have to throw a few of the ones that are going to run out in there sooner though...

Hopefully I can connect with some of you in Denver in a few months! (I will be preparing my liver at the Portland Brewfest in a few weeks... mint beer... hmmm...)

Cheers!

I signed up to volunteer at the Brew Studio. I have not attended the GABF. Can someone give me an idea what they do in the Brew Studio? I have not heard from the brew studio coordinator yet.

Hey Everybody,

First time going to the festival, as with most things I procrastinated buying tickets, so when I went to buy, there were no member entrance tickets for Thursday and Friday. Just wondering how early I should get there these days to get in at a decent time and enjoy myself?

Thanks for the feedback,

John

Again, I volunteer so I get through the doors pretty quickly, but the line is always pretty long when I walk by it.

Also, if anyone is still looking for rooms, there's a Sheraton on 16th street too.

+1 on La Bohem and also Diamond Cabaret during GABF weekend.

TopherM21 said:

Again, I volunteer so I get through the doors pretty quickly, but the line is always pretty long when I walk by it.

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Sweet! I'm going to be a greeter on Thursday from 2:00 - 7:00, and wasn't aware of this perk to being a volunteer.

Turlian said:

Sweet! I'm going to be a greeter on Thursday from 2:00 - 7:00, and wasn't aware of this perk to being a volunteer.

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I was talking about when checking in for a volunteer session (not as an attendee). Sorry if that was misleading.

Since I work brew crew, I get plenty of time to taste and still run into palette fatigue.

woot! 1 day left of work until i go on vacation for GABF...gonna spend some time in the Estes park area as well after denver.