Skip to main content

Our Favorite Brews From the Great American Beer Festival

The Great American Beer Festival attracts thousands of beer lovers to Denver each year and, while it has its drawbacks, it’s a great place to see what’s hot in the industry.

This year’s festival, October 5-7 at the Colorado Convention Center, has seen some criticism based on its awards — how does a 5.8 percent ABV beer win session beer? — as well as regional bias and scale. It was impossible to try all 7,200 beers from more than 800 breweries at the three-day, four-session festival (especially when only attending two sessions), but these were our favorites.

Recommended Videos

Pilsner by pFriem

pFriem Pilsner
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Pilsners are certainly a growing trend in the craft community because drinkers don’t always need big, boozy adjunct stouts or IPAs loaded with hops. Oregon-based pFriem’s pils has rightly won plenty of awards in the category. The slightly flowery, grassy, sweet beer is an absolute stunner for such a simple brew.

Everything from Speciation Artisan Ales

Speciation Artisan Ales
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This Michigan-based brewery is less than a year old — making this list as a hometown favorite of this writer — but owner Mitch Ermatinger was playing host to long lines all weekend. The golden ale, Incipient, was aged in tequila barrels with blood orange, pink guava, lime, and salt. The tequila taste was subdued and the beer was a beautiful meld of all those flavors in a slightly sour ale.

This year’s festival was proof that the sour beer trend is not going anywhere and breweries like Speciation, which is open for sales just once a month, are a viable business model. Speciation’s other sour beers, like the Tart Cherry Incipient, are going to bless the scene for some time.

Critical Band by Modern Times

Modern Times Critical Band 
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Critical Band from San Diego’s Modern Times is an incredibly fruity and deliciously smooth IPA. The beer wasn’t overtly anything, aside from a tasty, crisp, tropical brew without any harsh bite. Perhaps it was the timing of the taste, or simply because it was fantastic, but it was our favorite IPA at the festival.

Las Vegas Winners

Big Dogs Brewing Co Tripel Dog Dare
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This writer recently made a move to Las Vegas, but while in Denver, an effort was made to try beers from multiple Sin City breweries in one day. During the awards ceremony, two of those beers were called. The Big Dog’s Brewing Co. Tripel Dog Dare won gold in the Belgian tripel category and Joseph James Brewing Co. won gold in chocolate beer for Imperial Smoked Porter with cacao nibs.

Tweak by Avery Brewing Co.

Avery Brewing Co Tweak
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Avery, located in Boulder, Colorado, attracted fairly large crowds with all their special tappings, including the Rumpkin, a pumpkin ale aged in rum barrels, and the standout Tweak, an espresso bean-soaked, bourbon barrel-aged stout. Overall, stouts were on display at many of the legacy breweries (and smaller ones too), evidence that the movement which helped build craft beer is here to stay. If anything, the adjunct stout longevity simply shows the versatility and depth beer can offer consumers.

Pat Evans
Pat Evans is a writer based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, focusing on food and beer, spirits, business, and sports. His full…
What is Gibraltar coffee? The trendy espresso drink you need to try
Where and how this tiny espresso drink began
gibraltar coffee

Found only at select coffee shops is the Gibraltar coffee -- a coffee menu item that will leave you saying, "What is that?" based on its name alone. This specialty coffee originated in San Francisco at Blue Bottle Coffee but has since spread to small coffee shops worldwide. I'd describe this coffee as similar to a Cortado, yet these two drinks have unique differences.

When I first saw a Gibraltar coffee at a coffee shop, I knew I needed to learn more about what this coffee was all about. I chatted with Gibraltar coffee expert Vadym Granovskiy, an expert in coffee Artistry, expertise and mentorship, and TEDx Kyiv Speaker, to learn everything about the Gibraltar coffee -- from how it's made to how it was invented. Granovskiy is especially inspired by the story behind the accidental invention of Gibraltar coffee, drawing inspiration as a coffee lover himself. In his free time, he loves to experiment with new coffee and espresso beverages.

Read more
World Whiskey Society is launching a bourbon that’s finished in a rare, Japanese cask
World Whiskey Society's newest bourbon was dubbed "Samurai Edition"
Whiskey in a glass

Fans of exceptional, unique whiskey know all about the World Whiskey Society's prowess. Founded in 2020, this brand strives to bring rare, ultra-premium expressions to whiskey drinkers' home bars and liquor cabinets. Its newest whiskey combines America's "native spirit" with the aging techniques popularized in Japan.
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished In Japanese Mizunara Shochu Barrels

To say this whiskey is unique is an understatement. This 108-proof Kentucky straight bourbon dubbed the "Samurai Edition" begins with a mash bill of 75% corn, 13% rye, and 12% malted barley. Originating at the renowned Bardstown Bourbon Company, it's first matured in charred white American oak barrels before being finished in rare Japanese Mizunara oak casks previously used to age Shochu.

Read more
Michter’s releases two legacy whiskeys packed with flavor and heritage
Micher's is releasing two historic, timeless whiskeys
Michter's

If you're already a fan of Michter's iconic whiskeys like Michter's US-1 Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, Michter's US-1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon, or the iconic Michter's 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon, you'll be excited to learn about the popular brand's two new releases set to hit store shelves this month.
Shenk's Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger's Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon

This month, the distillery will release two whiskeys in its Michter's Legacy Series: Shenk's Homestead Kentucky Sour Mash Whiskey and Bomberger's Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon.

Read more