Craig’s GABF 2025

Another year, another Great American Beer Festival (GABF). Regardless of what’s going on the beer world at the time, GABF is always a bucket-list beer item that you should go to at least once. We’ve been fortunate enough to go multiple years (this was my 10th). I’ve seen this fest expand and blossom, then contract, and then try to adjust to the new reality. So how was GABF 2025?

Can’t Take Back All Those Years

GABF has not been immune to the current beer climate in which more breweries are closing than opening. Breweries are also tightening their belt and unfortunately cutting something like pouring at GABF is on the table as a cost-saving measure. (For example, Illinois reliably sent double-digit breweries to pour at the festival for a long time. This year – 7.) What does that mean for the fest?

At least for this year, lots of open space. Where there normally would’ve been another 2 rows of breweries pouring there existed empty space. While that’s not ideal, the positive of that was little to no lines blocking movement in the sections. You could move through sections with ease with no prepared path in mind.

And what of those “experience areas?” All 6 – Fright, Blast-Off, Chill, Meet the Brewer, Prost, and Score returned. Score was by far the most consistently packed of the sections, mainly due having the Southwest lounge, a mini-tennis court, and TVs showing college football and the MLB playoffs. Prost had the best brewery lineup and we found ourselves being there for a majority of the fest. Chill and Meet the Brewer maintained a steady flow of people while Fright and Blast-Off were the least congested. I still love the idea of the “experience areas” but more balance and things to do in each would really help (Blast-Off and Fright really got the short end of the stick here).

I Wanna Wake Up Where You Are (Area Breweries)

Of course we just didn’t hang out at the festival all weekend. We managed to hit four breweries while in town.

We started off by hitting the two closest breweries to Denver International Airport – Dancio (closest) and milieu fermentation (second closest). Danico focused more on hoppy fare, as their West Coast IPA Pacific Tendencies and Hey Pard’ Pils both brought the bitterness and clean finishes. Danico frequently has food trucks, is right next to a Taco Bell, and has a nice little patio to enjoy their beers. 

milieu fermentation featured a wide-array of styles, from lagers all the way to the heavy hitters. The standouts were, of course, their mixed fermentation sours, highlighted by the last keg of the FoBAB-gold-medal-winning smol. (More is on the way; this was just the last of that batch.) They too have a patio but also a nice park-like space right outside to possibly have a picnic on a nice day (don’t know if you can drink their draught beer out there or not). A lot of their barrel-aged things weren’t ready yet, but we did get a preview of their peach sour and we’re definitely looking forward to trying the finished product. (They also have some bigger beers that they are planning to send to FoBAB.) A must stop if you’re a fan of any style.

After the Saturday session we mosied on over to the Westbound & Down (downtown location), for two reasons – we hadn’t been there and they had just cleaned up at GABF, winning 6 medals (3 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze; more than all of Illinois!) as well as the 5,001-15,000 Barrels Brewery and Brewer of the Year. Both their gold medal Italian Pils and bronze medal Westbound IPA were on tap and I could’ve sat there all night drinking those two. Bitter, crisp, refreshing and just what I wanted after three days of beer festival. 

Westbound & Down’s space was byzantine at best. You could easily tell they were forced into that space (it’s with other businesses, akin to Component in Milwaukee.) The outdoor patio space was slammed (thank you Paul McCartney) but there was ample bench, bean bag, or table seating throughout the area. If you enter off Blake, just be aware that the bar is below you.

After getting some grub across the street at Pony Up, we went to a place I had been wanting to go to for years – River North. They also cleaned up at GABF, winning gold for both their River North White and Squirrels Just Want to Have Fun, a coffee brown ale. They also took home the Brewery of the Year Award for 1001-5000 barrels. 

Noted for their very high ABV stouts and barleywines, those GABF medals show they’re just as competent with lover ABV offerings. West End Squirrels (brown ale) and Fifteener both really stood out and were consumed quickly. But I couldn’t stay away from their big beers. I got a sample of some crazy 22% ABV 13th anniversary blend that had alcohol streaking all over the glass but with little alcohol burn while drinking without losing any flavor, most notably brown sugar. Shadow Guardian, another crazy blend of Shadowman imperial stout, God Complex Belgian quad, and Last Guardian strong golden ale, clocked in at 20.6% percent but went down smooth.

The real win for me was Barrel Aged Nightmare Fuel. Bombastic coffee, big barrel presence, nice vanilla/cream notes, and a drinkability that rivals beers half its 13.6% ABV. If we didn’t have to get back to the hotel to record (and happen into something else, but more on that later) I would’ve drank it all night. The Matts – owner Matt Hess and head brewer Matt Malloy – showed up and we chatted and generally just had an absolute blast trying most of what they had. They will be participating at FoBAB this year so you’ll be able to try some of this sweet, delicious nectar yourself. Do not miss it.

I Just Want You To Know Who I Am (Best Beers)

Let’s talk about beers at the festival. There naturally were too many beers pouring to have them all or even wrap your head around them. Of what I sampled, I narrowed it down to 15 or 20 of the best that I had.

Smooth Ops: Pina Colada | Hard Seltzer | 3 Sons Brewing Co. | Dania Beach, FL | 6% ABV

These types of drinks are both easy and difficult to describe. If it doesn’t have the things in the name in spades (or tastes off), there’s a problem. 3 Sons absolutely nails the pina colada, bashing you over the head with pineapple and coconut. At 6% I had multiple pours before I left the booth. A fruity, refreshing drink that mimics the actual pina colada minus the rum notes.

Smokey the Beer | Rauchbier | Blind Tiger Brewery & Restaurant | Topeka, KS | 5.6% ABV

One of the few rauchbiers pouring at the fest, I naturally had to try the beer that grabbed gold over Double Clutch’s version a few years ago. While not as meaty and savory in both aroma and taste, the smoke on Smokey the Beer is just as impressive. This smoke leans more towards campfire (which can get overpowering real fast) but is kept in check and never truly dominates you into submission.

Funksloth | Farmhouse ale | Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. | Albuquerque, NM | 6.3% ABV

So I initially went in for their chili/spice beer just to see if I could handle the heat. Ryan went for this. I couldn’t handle the heat, so I went back for this. Thankfully I did. Funksloth is an absolutely outstanding foeder-aged farmhouse ale. Just enough tartness and funk combined with an absurd amount of fruit flavors had me flashing back to GABF 10 years ago, when sour and mixed-culture fermentation ruled the floor. One of the best if not the best beer at GABF.

Don’t Worry About That Fireplace | Barrel-aged Imperial Milk Stout | Breakside Brewery | Portland, OR | 13.5% ABV

I initially went for Learning from Las Vegas (which was also outstanding), but managed to get a pour from the last bottle of Don’’t Worry About That Fireplace. A barrel-aged blend of porter, stout and barleywine, it was smooth yet a little boozy, sweet yet finished dry and, above all, featured a huge apple note that I was really not expecting. Chocolate all over the place as well, making this akin to an Affy Tapple minus the nuts.

Orange Coastal | Golden ale | Dzo Brewing Company | Garden Grove, CA | 4.2% ABV

One of the last (if not the last) beer I had at the fest was this Orange Coastal. A light, refreshing golden ale that packed a fair amount of orange citrus notes into the beer. A light tartness finished off the beer and, combined with the refreshing qualities, made this one very easy to drink. More refreshing golden ales please!

Uber Omni Gruber | Imperial Pastry Stout | Firestone Walker Brewing Company (collaboration with FrauGruber and Omnipollo) | Paso Robles, CA | 13.6% ABV

While I always worry about imperial pastry stouts, I should know better if Firestone Walker is involved. While not all four adjuncts were up front and in my face (coconut was kind of lacking), the coffee and vanilla provided a lovely base for the star of the beer – hazelnut. The hazelnut popped from the first sip and really made the beer stand out. Thankfully the barrel showed up at the end and kept any residual sweetness at bay. Yet another reason to join their Brewmaster’s Collective group.

Schloss Tor/Japanese Rice Lager | German Pilsner/Rice Lager | Helper Beer | Helper, UT | 5% ABV/5% ABV

Jacob Sembrano recommended we hit this booth up for their Japanese Rice Lager and he was right. Their Japanese Rice Lager used rice, Japanese sansho pepper corns, and Sencha green tea to give it a crisp yet full mouthfeel, a little bit of punch, and a very dry and welcoming finish (respectively). Schloss Tor won a gold in the pilsner category and it was more than deserving, featuring a big grain note that I love and a clean, crisp finish. We were able to talk to Jaron of Helper Beer and he made me want to visit ASAP!

High as a Kuyt | Kuyt | Lagunitas Brewing Company | Petaluma, CA | 6% ABV

Finally a kuyt beer at GABF! Having had only one previously, I was not well versed in the kuyt style. But what Lagunitas managed to do was full in mouthfeel and very bready. Which I hope is what a kuyt beer is supposed to taste like! Easiest comparison would be a fuller-bodied, bready Oktoberfest. If you’d like to hear both of us try it, subscribe to our Patreon as it was part of one of our exclusive Low ABVs!

Amaro Barrel-aged Barleywine/Frambozen | English Barleywine/Lambic-style | pFriem Family Brewers | Hood River, OR | 11.5% ABV/5.7% ABV

We’ve raved about pFriem’s Frambozen multiple times, but it still deserves a mention when it’s pouring (FYI, they’ll be at FoBAB this year and if Frambozen is pouring, drop everything and get it). It’s fruity raspberry on a suitably tart base that leaves you wanting more. But they’re noted for their sours. They also do higher gravity beers, like their Amaro BA Barleywine. A “darker” barleywine with big notes of molasses, brown sugar, and dark fruits, it was smooth, flavorful and enjoyable.

The Speed of Now | Fresh Hop IPA | Radiant Beer Co. | Anaheim, CA | 6.5% ABV

Since the fest was held in October, wet/fresh hop beers were more readily available at booths. So of course I had to try them. The Speed of Now kept things green, with some fresh cut grass and pine notes. Using Strata hops, it also featured a bounty of citrus fruits (most notably grapefruit) as well as a nice amount of bitterness to clean things up. 

Ouija Heavy | Wee Heavy | Sun King Brewery | Indianapolis, IN | 12.6% ABV

I like the wee heavy/scotch ale style and I like chocolate! What happens when you put them together? Apparently a bronze for chocolate beer! This was intriguing enough to get before I knew it won and rightfully so. The wee heavy-side of the coin brought about a big bready note with a little bit of smoke. The chocolate brought with it a kiss of sweetness. Combined, it resulted in a sweet, chocolate bread with a waft of smoke. Sign me up!

Higher Consciousness | Scotch Ale | Third Eye Brewing Company | Cincinnati, OH | 8.6% ABV

After one sip, I was questioning why this won a GABF gold this year. Then I took a second sip and understood why. An assault of toffee and brown sugar backed with a slight smoky presence made this one of the standouts of the fest. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a scotch ale this flavorful and robust. I hope more breweries decide to start making them again!

Fresh Hop Day Beer | India Pale Lager | Trap Door Brewing | Washougal, WA | 5.8% ABV

While Trap Door won for their other fresh hop IPA, Fresh Hop Day Beer still scratched that itch, with bountiful pine and dank notes with a bitterness spike that really made me wish I had more than the 1-2 ounces they gave me at the festival.

Grow Old With You | Barrel-aged Barleywine | Verboten Brewing and Barrel Project | Loveland, CO | 13% ABV

Always a standout at FoBAB, Grow Old With You still slaps after all these years. Verboten knows its way around a barrel and it shows in this English Barleywine. Big molasses, dark fruit and brown sugar flavors pair well with the bourbon barrels it was aged in, making for an enjoyable drinking experience. Definitely seek them out at FoBAB.

I Won’t Tell ‘Em Your Name (Best Booths)

Pilot Brewing Company | Charlotte, NC

Pub Ale/Late Czech Out/Hazy Skies Hefeweizen/The Peaceful Protest of Sessionable Intentions

Pub ale, Czech dark lager, hefeweizen, and a 5% hazy IPA. That’s how you get me to the booth and to try the hazy IPA. Pilot Brewing nailed their pub ale and Czech dark lager and their hefeweizen featured banana and clove but didn’t go overboard. Then the hazy IPA was next, and it really wasn’t a hazy IPA. Light, refreshing, and one you could see through!?! It did everything I wanted out of a hazy IPA with all of the fruit notes and none of the sweetness. But the Pub Ale and Late Czech Out were the standouts here, with the Pub Ale rivaling podcast-favorite Flipside’s Rascal King and the dark lager bringing all the right roasty notes. It may get overshadowed by Asheville’s beer scene, but take the trip to Charlotte if you’re there to at the very least hit Pilot Brewing.

Templin Family Brewing | Salt Lake City, UT

Templin Family Helles/Templin Family Rauch Bier/Templin Family Granary Keller Bier/Templin Family Jarda CZ Pilsner/Templin Family Oktoberfest Bier

The Austin Beer Garden Brewing | Austin, TX

Hell Yes/Industry Pils/Rocket 100/Velvet Revolution/lighten up Francis

I’m grouping The Austin Beer Garden Brewing (ABGB) and Templin Family Brewing together as their booths were right next to each other and I spent a majority of the festival bouncing between the two breweries. Both were serving outstanding “lighter” fare – lagers, pilsners, etc. While you could not go wrong with anything at either booth, the Templin Keller Bier and ABGB’s Hell Yes stood out the most. Both had an undeniable grain quality and finished light and refreshing. I felt absurdly lucky to be able to get something from ABGB, take 3 steps over and get something from Templin. And then repeat the process. Easily had the most pours from both of these breweries.

UPP Liquids | Bend, OR

Flower Child/Chasing Sunsets/Catfight Club Vol. 1/Hot Commodity/Dollar Kitten

File this one as why you attend GABF. I had no knowledge of this brewery at all; probably ran right past it when looking at the list before the fest. Someone in line even thought their name was “UPP Liquors.” Well that won’t be a problem now as UPP Liquids won 5 (!) GABF medals – 2 gold and silver and a bronze – and 250-500 Barrel Brewery of the Year. Pretty good for a rookie brewer…oh wait. The people behind UPP Liquids were part of the 10 Barrel Innovation Brewery, acquired by AB-InBev, then by Tilray, then closed by Tilray. (Some folks from Immersion Brewing are also involved.) The only disappointment here is that only one of the five winners was pouring – Flower Child, silver for Gose. Featuring peach, chamomile, and cardamom, Flower Child burst with the peach notes while featuring a supportive backbone from the chamomile and cardamom all while not getting too aggressively sour or tart. Chasing Sunsets has yuzu done well with a pinch of ginger to make it something you wouldn’t forget. Hot Commodity was the only miss – it was a chili beer with pineapple and mango. Wish I could taste those fruits! For those that like spice it’d be right upp your alley. Not looking past them again!

See the Young Man Sitting in the Old Man’s Bar (Hall Of Fame)

WeldWerks Brewing | Greeley, CO

WeldWerks brought it again, for the, what, 7th year running. Their goofy GABF experiment – gyro gose – worked well enough to warrant its existence. (Think cucumber gose with some bready notes.) Their fruited offerings – Orange Creamsicle and Strawberry Margarita – tasted exactly how they should without going too sweet overboard. Some of the best fruited beer I had at the fest. But WeldWerks made their name on BA stouts and they brought the fire on that front. While MD Blend #2 was a little too thick and syrupy (but still good in moderation), their one-two punch of Mezcal Barrel Aged Mexican Achromatic and Single Barrel Dubai Chocolate Bar Medianoche probably ruled the fest. The mezcal in the Achromatic was perfect, adding a little smoke but not too much (as mezcal barrels sometimes do) while complementing the Mexican Achromatic base stupidly well. It was close, but I preferred the Dubai Medianoche, with its absurd pistachio notes and very dry finish. WeldWerks doesn’t slow down – and they’ll be at FoBAB again!

Russian River Brewing Company | Santa Rosa, CA

They are nothing if not consistent. Standards Pliny the Elder, STS Pils, Damnation, and Row 2/Hill 56 ensure a solid base of choices at the booth. Newer fare such as Docta-Ron, Intinction: Sauvignon Blanc, and DDH Pliny kept people showing up just to try it, possibly for the first time. But they also brought some brand new things (I’d go to their booth anyways, but it was nice to try something I’d not had!). Simcoe 25 is a love letter to the Simcoe hop, celebrating its 25 year of existence. Russian River 110 was a pilsner that was hopped like an IPA (and drank like a godly combo of both). Hop Grower’s Tribute Series: Mac Hops featured 4 New Zealand hops (Rakau, Nelson Sauvin, Nectaron, and Riwaka) from Mac Hops in honor of their 125th (!) anniversary. Only wish they were pouring their sole medal winning beer of the year – RnD West Coast Pils # 7, featuring the new Vera hop.

The Lost Abbey | San Marcos, CA

Let’s see. It last showed up in 2022, which means this year is 3 years from that year. Which means it’s a Duck Duck Gooze year! (FYI FoBAB 2025 attendees.) So that was pouring, but the people (notably the guy wearing a shirt that said, “Douche”) only wanted Inferno (bottles arrived a little late). Inferno’s great but it’s Duck Duck Gooze! As usual, The Lost Abbey doesn’t skimp on their pouring selections, this time also bringing the delicious Gnoel de Abbey (a winter warner that comes off as kind of a coffee hot chocolate) and Serpent’s Kiss (a blended BA beer with cacao nibs). Want something newer? Kangaroo Fighter, an XPA, gives you a break from all the higher gravity things. As if we needed to tell you, they’re a must stop at FoBAB (it’s a DDG year!) 

Boys Named Goo

I won’t go into it fully here (listen to the podcast for the insane story behind it) but we managed to see the Goo Goo Dolls that happened to be playing in our hotel. Set review: played a lot of new stuff. I only recognized two songs – Broadway and Iris (“We can’t leave without playing this one.” – Johnny Rzeznik). I poorly sang loudly to Iris.