The Great American Beer Festival 2009

Beer drinkers, brewers and enthusiasts unite

"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."-Humphrey Bogart

It's a nice quote, but at the Great American Beer Festival, this simply is not the case. With over 3,362 beers entered into this year' Great American Beer Festival Competition and of which 2,100 are available to taste, there is plenty of beer to go around. It's a beautiful thing when beer drinkers, brewers and enthusiasts unite, and the GABF is a prime example of the hoppy madness that happens when they do.

The festival takes place downtown at the Denver Convention Center every year around the beginning of fall, and is three straight days of brewers (there are 495 represented this year), showing off a combination of their best, classic and most unique brews to both a panel of 133 judges from eight different countries and to thousands of thirsty festival goers.

Attendees are given a commemorative tasting cup that can be filled as many times, with whatever kind of beer they want, over and over again. Just don't drop your cup; as tradition has it, the embarrassing sound of plastic hitting the ground within the halls of the GABF invokes a rally of hundreds of "OHHHHS" that echo throughout the festival.

There is plenty to do besides drink (or do while you drink), such as the silent disco, where you enter a closed off dance floor and bust out your best moves with a set of headphones on, so no one can hear the music except you (hence the silent disco name). This year also features the Great American Beer school with everything from a brewer's studio pavilion, food and beer pairing demonstrations, games and great food.

The winners will be announced Saturday, so Saturday ticket holders will get the chance to taste this year's best, of which there are 78 different categories.