Great American Beer Festival Features 500 Breweries And 2,000 Beers

ACROSS AMERICA — Some of America’s favorite brewers are competing this week at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver. At the Thursday-Saturday event, they’ll be competing for gold, silver or bronze medals and the coveted “Brewer of the Year” title.

Now in its 40th year, the festival will feature more than 2,000 beers from 500 breweries.

Hosted by the Brewers Association, the trade organization representing more than 5,600 small and independent American craft brewers, the festival is once again an in-person event at the Colorado Convention Center after two years of a pandemic-imposed hiatus.

The festival’s craft beer and food pairing event, PAIRED, is back with the in-person event. It pairs 25 chefs and 25 breweries collaborating on a tasting menu.

The craft beer festival, considered a beer lover’s bucket-list item, has grown exponentially over its 40-year history. Just 24 brewers brought 47 beers to the first Great American Beer Festival in 1982.

If you love beer and happen to be in or traveling to the Denver area, check for ticket availability.