GABF 2010. Who's Going?

[BillyBroas]

I can't decide. I want to go to teh members session on Sat but all my friends are going to Sat night session. I don't feel like driving 6 hours and spending $55 to go to a crowded session full of total drunks. I also hear that by Sat night a lot of the vendors are either out of beer or packed up and gone. Anyone have any experience with this?

I'm in a similar situation. I'd prefer members only but have a bunch of friends going Saturday night. I'd prefer to be with them than alone at the members session. Hopefully there is still some great beer around sat night, but if not, I'll have plenty more GABFs in the future since I now live in Denver.

 

[jds]

Just bought my tickets for Saturday afternoon, but I may volunteer and attend a different session too.

As for meet-ups, some of us got together for brunch on Saturday morning last year before the members' session. A bunch of us ended up hanging out at the Falling Rock after, as well.

 

[chumprock]

Finally got our hotel. We're there for the whole week to give us room to acclimate to the altitude and exercise the liver a little before the sessions start..

 

[Brewmoor]

Finally got our hotel. We're there for the whole week to give us room to acclimate to the altitude and exercise the liver a little before the sessions start..

Drink lots of water. If you think you drank enough, drink more. I worked for years in a high end hotel in Vail. I would see athletic people come to ski and end up sick in bed.

Coming a week early is good. Your body should acclimatize most of the way in about 3 days. Plus you will be in denver which is a few thousand feet lower then where I live.

I can't wait for the festival. Though i can wait for the end of summer. It is too quick around here.

 

[penutbuttrdeath]

I'll be there Thursday night and Saturday night. Last year saturday night session sucked because there were tons of idiot drunks running around and the "creative" beers were all gone. I try to taste all the beers i cant buy at the local liquor store here. I work during the day so cant go to the members only session but 2 years ago i went and thats the best time to go fo sho. I learned alot about brewing just by talking to the guys standing in the beer lines with me

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Denver's Octoberfest is going on the same weekend, along with a bunch of other beer activities....

http://www.denver.org/denverbeerfest/

 

[catspajamas]

going for the 4th year in a row, ever since i turned 21. going for both friday and the saturday night session. always a good time.



what brewmoor said, if youre from out of town its a good idea to drink a bunch of water. last year my buddy from california got altitude sickness right during gabf. not only did it suck for him but sucked for me cause i had to leave at 8 to take him back. thats 2 more hours of drinking good craft brews i could have done.

 

[madbare]

Going Friday night then hitting Oktoberfest afterwards...

 

[jmkratt]

Still planning on attending the Saturday member's only section with my buddy. Have a 3rd guy who is trying to come along with us but isn't a member of AHA. I told him to 1. Start brewing his own beers 2. Join AHA 3. Join us at the event (assuming that session isn't sold out)!

I mean it's simple!

 

[Padstack31]

We will be pouring there for the first time, stop by the Emerald City Beer table and say hi!!!

 

[penutbuttrdeath]

Going Friday night then hitting Oktoberfest afterwards...

So your going to drink alot of the best beers in the country for 5hrs then go drink Coors Light or Killians after that... Sounds like a drunken night!:rockin:

 

[TheWeeb]

. .. I thought the Oktoberfest was sponsored by Paulaner?

I will be going; flying in on Friday, hotel downtown, homebrewer's session Saturday, back to New Mex on Sunday. Falling Rock Friday anyone?

 

[madbare]

So your going to drink alot of the best beers in the country for 5hrs then go drink Coors Light or Killians after that... Sounds like a drunken night!:rockin:

Haha, funny! But they actually have Paulaner Hefe which is pretty good.

 

[SourHopHead]

Drive up on Friday and attend Friday night and Saturday members only. Not sure if we are heading back Sat or Sun.

 

[cruelkix]

I'll be at the saturday afternoon members only session with 4 other people. 1 of which is also a member on this site. I think doing falling rock after is a great idea. I'm really excited to see the difference between the members only session and the saturday night session. I have been going for the last 3 years (ever since i moved to CO). It totally turns into a drunk-fest, which is fine if that is what you are going for....... I go for the quailty of the beer not the quantity. (maybe a little quantity )

But yeah, we should call Falling Rock and get some seats reserved for afterwards. Let them know it is for Homebrewtalk members so when people come in they know where to go?

-Craig

 

[olllllo]

I'll be at most of the sessions. Falling Rock is a great place and I will be there almost every day during the fest, but you can count on it being line-out-the-door after the sessions.

If I could recommend one thing, it's that we should all meet at Naked City during the midpoint of each session for a toast. After all. Don (Brewtopia) started here as a homebrewer!

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

olllo - good suggestion.......for the Sat members session would that be 2:30 ish? I would agree that FRTH will be crazy most of the time....but I am wondering how busy it will be on Sat eve? After the members only session. Anyone ever been at that time?

I look forward to meeting some HBTers!

 

[olllllo]

Last year on Saturday evening, Adam Avery was in line to get in Falling Rock.

 

[Zen_Brew]

The G/F and I will be at the Friday night, and Saturday members session.

+ 1000 to doing some toasts at the Naked City set-up. Great idea ollllo!

I talked to Don a couple weeks ago and he is major stoked to be pouring at GABF. He will also have a pro-am beer in the race. A Wood Aged Imperial Porter that he team brewed with 2 members from my home brew club (GEBL Greater Everett Brewers League). I'll be sporting my Naked City shirt for the Saturday members session.

Also for Seattle locals, or anyone visiting the area Don will be holding a pro-am rally at Naked City on Aug 21st.

AHA/Pro-Am Rally currently scheduled for August 21st at Naked City Brewery from 1-4 pm (the entire bar will be only open to AHA members!) Come by for a chance to drink up to 16 of the winning beers!

 

[riverfrontbrewer]

Last year on Saturday evening, Adam Avery was in line to get in Falling Rock.

Damn, I hate lines!

 

[mwhc22]

Are we making a contact list again for this years GABF? last year it seemed to work out to do some tweets and also have a list of texting capable HBT'ers to arrange breakfast/beers together. It has been kind of cool the last 2 years to know who was going from HBT and to arrange to meet some of them while there.

 

[Brewtopia]

I will be there. Pouring this year for the first time! Can't wait and I'm looking forward to meeting some more HBT'ers and seeing some old friends. Cheers!

 

[pjk49202]

I will be volunteering after many years of attending. Can't wait to see how what brewery I end up at.

 

[zman]

I will be volunteering after many years of attending. Can't wait to see how what brewery I end up at.

I am volunteering also. I am greeting on Thursday and Friday as well as set up on Thursday and Tear town Sunday afternoon

 

[Hopheader]

Hey here's a question. On a whim, it looks like I might be able to get out of work for a few days and was thinking of getting down to the fun. "Sold Out" is what I'm hearing. On the off chance I'm able to find entry, can anyone who's been there before or lives in the area PM me with accommod. advice? I'm planning on a 'next year' properly-planned visit, but on the off chance I get to go this year, it is an 'alright' flight price for me, so starting to look at 'what if' chances for this year. Thanks!

 

[jds]

Hey here's a question. On a whim, it looks like I might be able to get out of work for a few days and was thinking of getting down to the fun. "Sold Out" is what I'm hearing. On the off chance I'm able to find entry, can anyone who's been there before or lives in the area PM me with accommod. advice? I'm planning on a 'next year' properly-planned visit, but on the off chance I get to go this year, it is an 'alright' flight price for me, so starting to look at 'what if' chances for this year. Thanks!

Don't know much about hotel prices, since I live here, but you can almost always get a ticket on the street in front of the convention center. I don't like the scalpers, but they might be able to get you a ticket.

Speaking of, mine haven't arrived in the mail yet. Has anybody recieved their actual tickets?

 

[BoogieBrandBooze]

Speaking of, mine haven't arrived in the mail yet. Has anybody recieved their actual tickets?

Just got mine in the mail yesterday.

 

[celticcolorado]

Don't know much about hotel prices, since I live here, but you can almost always get a ticket on the street in front of the convention center. I don't like the scalpers, but they might be able to get you a ticket.

Speaking of, mine haven't arrived in the mail yet. Has anybody recieved their actual tickets?

I have not received mine in the mail either. Colorado is probably mailing last.

 

[SourHopHead]

Mine showed up yesterday. WOOHOO! Hotel booked and we will drive back on Sunday!

 

[jds]

My tickets showed up about a week ago. yay!

Edited to add: Last year, a number of us made our own ID badges for GABF using http://bighugelabs.com/badge.php
The idea was that it's easier to figure out who's who and who you know if you have a semi-official looking badge on. Plus, it's kind of fun. Think of it as a con for beer geeks, which is pretty much exactly what GABF is.

Here's my badge for this year: