GABF 2023 Recap: Brewery of the Year Winners, Pretzel Necklaces and Mini Flex in Denver
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In Batch 376 of Craft Beer Republic, Greg and Erica of Neck Nosh recap the 2023 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, with Flex joining from home after attending in cardboard form as Mini Flex. They cover the Denver breweries worth the trip, which GABF sessions got the drunkest, the California row that stole the show, and the Brewery of the Year winners.
Denver Beer Research Before GABFBefore the festival, Greg hit Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Our Mutual Friend Brewing and Cohesion Brewing, which pours German-style lagers under 5%. Our Mutual Friend got extra laughs because everyone in the group assumed Greg was going to visit a friend's brewery. He also recommends Ace for wings.
Slinging Pretzels at GABFErica's Neck Nosh booth sold pretzels and Hold My Beer necklaces across four long days. Thursday was quiet and full of industry people. Friday was wild, with people already falling over in the street before the doors opened. Greg and Shannon worked the booth during Saturday's members session so Erica's crew could drink, and that turned out to be the drunkest session of all.
The Best Row at the FestivalGreg and his wife tried a stack of breweries they'd never heard of and found a lot of mediocre beer, likely because GABF takes anyone who pays, unlike invite-only festivals such as the Firestone Walker Invitational. The standout was a single California row with Pizza Port, Pure Project, Radiant and Russian River side by side. Pure and Radiant kicked kegs fast, and Russian River drew lines all weekend with Pliny the Elder.
Pints for Prostates and a Silent DiscoThe crew also hit the Pints for Prostates Rare Beer Tasting with friend of the show Davis, three floors of big barrel-aged beers and a barbecue buffet. Greg's other recommendation for any listener is the silent disco, which turned into one of the longest lines at GABF.
GABF 2023 Brewery of the Year WinnersGreg runs down the Brewery of the Year winners by size: Balter Beerworks in Knoxville, Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville, Ohio, Liquid Gravity Brewing, Wibby Brewing in Longmont, Colorado, Saint Arnold Brewing in Texas, and Allagash Brewing in the brewery group category. The smallest category went to Shred Beer Co. in California, a brand new brewery with a co-founder who came from Arrow Lodge.
Craft Beer NewsNew Jersey breweries released a collab called Sign the Bill, Phil, pushing the state's governor, Phil, to sign a bill easing brewery restrictions. Virginia created the Virginia Beer Distribution Company so craft breweries can self-distribute up to 500 barrels a year.
Tilray closed its $83.4 million purchase of Shock Top, Blue Point, Breckenridge, Redhook, Widmer Brothers, 10 Barrel, Square Mile Cider and HighBall Energy from Anheuser-Busch, and 10 Barrel hung a sign reading "now with less Anheuser-Busch." A California judge also upheld Stone Brewing's trademark verdict against Molson Coors over Keystone and denied a new trial.
Beers We're Drinking
Greg and Erica: Worthy Brewing DelusionalGreg and Erica are drinking Delusional from Worthy Brewing in Bend, Oregon, an 8.5% juicy double IPA triple hopped with Citra and Mosaic that still tasted great six months after canning.
Flex: Transient Artisan Ales CromulentFlex is drinking Cromulent from Transient Artisan Ales in Bridgman, Michigan, a 6% American pale ale with Mosaic and Simcoe that he calls phenomenal, at $12.89 a four-pack.
Listen to Craft Beer Republic: Mini Flex Takes on the Great American Beer FestivalBatch 376 of Craft Beer Republic recaps the 2023 Great American Beer Festival with Erica of Neck Nosh, the Brewery of the Year winners, Worthy Brewing, Transient Artisan Ales and the latest craft beer news. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app!
In Batch 376 of Craft Beer Republic, Greg and Erica of Neck Nosh recap the 2023 Great American Beer Festival in Denver, with Flex joining from home after attending in cardboard form as Mini Flex. They cover the Denver breweries worth the trip, which GABF sessions got the drunkest, the California row that stole the show, and the Brewery of the Year winners.
Denver Beer Research Before GABFBefore the festival, Greg hit Bierstadt Lagerhaus, Our Mutual Friend Brewing and Cohesion Brewing, which pours German-style lagers under 5%. Our Mutual Friend got extra laughs because everyone in the group assumed Greg was going to visit a friend's brewery. He also recommends Ace for wings.
Slinging Pretzels at GABFErica's Neck Nosh booth sold pretzels and Hold My Beer necklaces across four long days. Thursday was quiet and full of industry people. Friday was wild, with people already falling over in the street before the doors opened. Greg and Shannon worked the booth during Saturday's members session so Erica's crew could drink, and that turned out to be the drunkest session of all.
The Best Row at the FestivalGreg and his wife tried a stack of breweries they'd never heard of and found a lot of mediocre beer, likely because GABF takes anyone who pays, unlike invite-only festivals such as the Firestone Walker Invitational. The standout was a single California row with Pizza Port, Pure Project, Radiant and Russian River side by side. Pure and Radiant kicked kegs fast, and Russian River drew lines all weekend with Pliny the Elder.
Pints for Prostates and a Silent DiscoThe crew also hit the Pints for Prostates Rare Beer Tasting with friend of the show Davis, three floors of big barrel-aged beers and a barbecue buffet. Greg's other recommendation for any listener is the silent disco, which turned into one of the longest lines at GABF.
GABF 2023 Brewery of the Year WinnersGreg runs down the Brewery of the Year winners by size: Balter Beerworks in Knoxville, Third Eye Brewing in Sharonville, Ohio, Liquid Gravity Brewing, Wibby Brewing in Longmont, Colorado, Saint Arnold Brewing in Texas, and Allagash Brewing in the brewery group category. The smallest category went to Shred Beer Co. in California, a brand new brewery with a co-founder who came from Arrow Lodge.
Craft Beer NewsNew Jersey breweries released a collab called Sign the Bill, Phil, pushing the state's governor, Phil, to sign a bill easing brewery restrictions. Virginia created the Virginia Beer Distribution Company so craft breweries can self-distribute up to 500 barrels a year.
Tilray closed its $83.4 million purchase of Shock Top, Blue Point, Breckenridge, Redhook, Widmer Brothers, 10 Barrel, Square Mile Cider and HighBall Energy from Anheuser-Busch, and 10 Barrel hung a sign reading "now with less Anheuser-Busch." A California judge also upheld Stone Brewing's trademark verdict against Molson Coors over Keystone and denied a new trial.
Beers We're Drinking
Greg and Erica: Worthy Brewing DelusionalGreg and Erica are drinking Delusional from Worthy Brewing in Bend, Oregon, an 8.5% juicy double IPA triple hopped with Citra and Mosaic that still tasted great six months after canning.
Flex: Transient Artisan Ales CromulentFlex is drinking Cromulent from Transient Artisan Ales in Bridgman, Michigan, a 6% American pale ale with Mosaic and Simcoe that he calls phenomenal, at $12.89 a four-pack.
Listen to Craft Beer Republic: Mini Flex Takes on the Great American Beer FestivalBatch 376 of Craft Beer Republic recaps the 2023 Great American Beer Festival with Erica of Neck Nosh, the Brewery of the Year winners, Worthy Brewing, Transient Artisan Ales and the latest craft beer news. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app!