Last week, I broke the very sad news to my friends and followers that, for the first time in 5 years, I was unable to attend the Great American Beer Festival. Unfortunately, the brewery I work for was unable to participate this year and I didn’t have the budget to go on my own.

No beer for Wenchie = #sadface

Upon posting my sad news, an angel of beer named Micha Rains appeared. She told me, “the Great American Beer Festival cannot happen without The Wench. We must make this happen!” And then she proceeded to pitch her company, AGA Marvel, on a partnership between our two brands. They offered to buy me a plane ticket and put me up in a hotel room in exchange for helping to work their booth during GABF. A chance to go to GABF and all I had to do was help promote amazing kegerators? My answer was obvious.

My Fairy Beermother Micha

And so, I hopped on the first plane out to Denver, rolled my sleeves up and became a mini-ambassador for AGA Marvel. And let me tell you, I had a blast. And because I’m so grateful for AGA Marvel’s kindness, I want to take this opportunity to tell you about their awesome beer dispensers, which I had the honor of “playing” with all weekend.

If you’ve never seen them before, the AGA Marvel beer dispensers are a glorious sight to be seen. And I’m not just saying this because they were so kind to me, I’m completely honest when I tell you how versatile, efficient, easy-to-use and just plain old pretty these things are. We were showing off the outdoor models, which were wrapped entirely in super shiny stainless steel. I love shiny objects, so I was instantly enamored.

I heart shiny objects

Each 24″ system comes ready to go with all necessary tapping equipment – draft tower, hoses, 5 lb. CO₂ tank and regulator, drip tray, and interior floor shield to protect the inside liner. They all provide the option to store one half, one quarter (plus bottles), or two 1/6 barrel kegs–or can be converted to a full refrigerator with metal shelves that easily store inside when not in use.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. The Marvel beer dispensers come with several custom options.

First, you can opt for the indoor model, which comes in black, stainless steel or wood; or the outdoor model, which is built with corrosion resistant commercial grade stainless steel. Next, you can decide between a single tap tower or a duel tap tower. Then, you can choose between an exterior drip tray or a drip tray that empties into a plastic bottle inside the refrigerator, for easier cleaning.

Double the beer, double the fun!

There is also a portable outdoor version that comes with heavy duty casters and mug rails, pro-style handles and stainless steel toe kicks so you can wheel it around in style. Both versions can either be free-standing or built under existing counter-tops and bars. Cooling temp ranges from 33° – 52° F, so you can keep your beer chilled at the most optimal serving temperatures.

Bottles and kegs, oh my!

When it comes to price, which I’m sure you all are curious about, these systems run upwards from $1,899, depending on the model and variations chosen. Naturally, extra perks like drip trays and wheels cost a bit more. As far as buying concerns, AGA Marvel has a national network of independent dealers, servicers and fitters that sell, install, repair and maintain their products. To locate a dealer, enter your zip or postal code here.

All in all, these systems were easy to setup and use. On the floor, we used an a portable outdoor beer dispenser to pour rootbeer and DRAFT Magazine used two of the portable outdoor systems to pour special beers in their VIP lounge. Everyone who came across the systems were wickedly impressed–as was I. And if you are in the market for a kegerator, the AGA Marvel beer dispensers come highly recommended by none other than yours truly!

Super sleek design.

In closing, I just want to send a super shout-out to my friend Micha and her team at AGA Marvel who gave me the wonderful opportunity to attend the Great American Beer Festival. It was officially the best GABF I’ve been to yet and it would never have been possible without the amazing folks at AGA Marvel! Thanks Art, Micha, Dick and Leah! XOXO!!!

Follow @AGAMARVEL on Twitter

Like AGA MAVERL on Facebook

Follow AGA MARVEL on Pinterest

Okay, so I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry — but, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have the scoop on the best events surrounding the big fest. Some events are more exclusive than others, and some events are definitely more expensive than others. But, it is my mission to share the wheres and whens to be during GABF with my fellow beer geeks.

GABF Event Radar

Battle of the States!

The Who: Golden Road (CA) and Oskar Blues (CO)

The What: Craft Beer “Throw Down” between new can brewery, Golden Road, and pioneer can brewery Oskar Blues. PLUS the special release of Golden Road’s Burning Bush IPA — A Rauch IPA, Burning Bush uses the smoked malt characterized by a traditional German style Rauchbier, combined with the hops of a west coast IPA. According to its brewers, the Burning Bush undeniably delicious. The Kitchen party attendees get to try it first.

The Where: The Kitchen

The Address: 1530 16th St (Denver)

The When: October 11th

The Time: 3-6pm (before the Thursday GABF session)

The Beers:

• Burning Bush Smoked IPA
• Hudson Imperial Rye Porter (Brandy barrel aged)
• Golden Road Hefeweizen
• Point the Way (cans)
• Wolf Among Weeds (cans)
• Oskar Blues G’Knight Imperial Red
• Oskar Blues/Sun King Chaka collaboration Belgian-style ale
• Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale
• Oskar Blues British Knight

Okay, so I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry — but, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have the scoop on the best events surrounding the big fest. Some events are more exclusive than others, and some events are definitely more expensive than others. But, it is my mission to share the wheres and whens to be during GABF with my fellow beer geeks.

GABF Event Radar

(Photo Credit: Cyrus McCrimmon, The Denver Post)

Crooked Stave “GABF Gone Wild”

The Who: Crooked Stave

The What: Daily tapping of an amazing (super limited release) sour beer each day during GABF (and a few days leading up). In addition to the special tappings, Crooked Stave will have bottles for sale including Batch#1, Oculus, Sentience Bourbon Barrel and they have even threatened to pull some rare oldies out of the cellar. If you are a sour freak, Crooked Stave is a must-visit during GABF. Be there, or be very very square.

The Where: Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar and Taproom

The Address: 1441 W. 46th Ave. Unit 19

The Time: Beers will be tapped every day at NOON.

The Epic Schedule:

Monday, Oct. 8th:
Cuvaison – Rustic 5 Grain Saison blended with various sour barrels.
W.W.B.I – 100% Brettanomyces fermented with Blueberries aged in oak.
Surette Reserva blended with Grape Kombucha – Rustic 5 Grain Saison with Grape Kombucha.
Tapping:
Sentience Bourbon Barrel aged Wild Quadruple
Batch #1 – 100% Brettanomyces, 100% barrel fermented

Tuesday, Oct. 9th Tapping:
Surette Reserva Chardonnay Barrel-aged (Batch 1 of Surette Aged 12 months in Chardonnay Barrels)

Wednesday, Oct 10th Tapping:
Oculus – Belgian-style Golden ale fermented with Colorado Biodynamic grapes and aged for 12 months in White wine barrels with our house sour culture.

Thursday, Oct. 11th Tapping:
Sentience Cognac Barrel aged Wild Quadruple

Friday, Oct. 12th Tapping:
Nightmare on Brett Bourbon Barrel-aged – 100% Brettanomyces Baltic(ish) Porter, Aged in Heaven Hill Barrels!

Saturday, Oct. 13th Tapping:
Blackberry Petite Sour – Classic!

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Do you know of any other kickass events happening in Denver during GABF! Leave a comment below or shoot me an email!

CHEERS!

Okay, so I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry — but, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have the scoop on the best events surrounding the big fest. Some events are more exclusive than others, and some events are definitely more expensive than others. But, it is my mission to share the wheres and whens to be during GABF with my fellow beer geeks.

GABF Event Radar

Pucker Up Poker Run

The Who: Avery Brewing Company & Denver Off The Wagon

The What: Crazy bar to crawl five of Denver’s premier pubs! At each stop, you will get a 4oz. pour of a rare, barrel-aged sour beer, a 6oz. pour of a palate cleansing beer, and a playing card. Best hand at the end of the crawl will win a super kick-ass prize.

The When: Friday October 12th 11am-5pm (ish)

The Where: Start at Falling Rock Tap House at 11am, and split up into groups to visit Lucky Pie Pizza & Tap House, Highland Tap and Burger, Euclid Hall, and finish at Star Bar.

The Cost: $45

The Tickets: http://www.ticketalternative.com/Events/20628.aspx

Even though I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry, I have visited enough to have the down-low on Denver’s coolest bars for craft beer enthusiasts. It is important to note at this time that I am a cross-drinker and that, during GABF, I’m guilty of sipping on cocktails. This might sound sacrilegious, drinking booze during the country’s largest craft beer festival, but I assure you that palate fatigue happens to the best of us and more brewers than you think suffer from cross-drinking tendencies.

Regardless of whether or not you dabble in the spirits realm or only drink beer, I’ve compiled a list of what I think to be THE BEST booze destinations in the city of Denver — especially for craft beer lovers. So if you are headed to GABF this year, make sure to add these bars to your bucket list!

Photo Credit: Denver Nightscape by Dag Peak

10 Best Bars in Denver for Craft Beer Lovers

1. Falling Rock Taproom

1919 Blake St.

Even if you’ve never been to GABF, you’ve probably heard of the legendary Falling Rock Taproom. Located a good stumbling distance from the Colorado Convention Center, Falling Rock Taphouse is, by far, the most popular place to be during GABF. Falling Rock not only boasts an always updating tap list of the most coveted and celebrated craft beers in the country, it is also home to some of the most epic and buzz-worthy events during GABF including Dr. Bill’s famous rare beer tasting. Not to mention, I spend about 80% of my GABF trip at Falling Rock — so if you want to find me, look there!

Twitter: @FallingRockTap

2. Star Bar

2137 Larimer Street

Located just blocks from Falling Rock, Star Bar is a great destination for cross-drinkers looking for a place to escape from all the hops and perhaps even belt out a song or two (yes kids, this is a karaoke bar on Thursday nights). But, don’t forget your beer swilling friends — Star Bar also boasts an outstanding selection of craft beers both on tap and in the bottle. Can’t choose between a cocktail and a craft beer? No worries! Star Bar is one of Denver’s premier spots to enjoy a really well-made beer cocktail.

Twitter: @StarBar_Denver

3. Euclid Hall

1317 14th Street

For those desiring an orgasmic food & beverage experience, look no further than Euclid Hall. Fresh hand-cranked sausages, poutines to die for, and an extensive seafood selection — Euclid Hall is a carnivore foodie’s wet dream. They also have a full liquor license, mixing up some of the best cocktails you will find in Denver. Once again, if you can’t decide between one of their awesome craft beers and a cocktail, no worries! Euclid Hall is also a beer cocktail destination in Denver!

Twitter: @EuclidHall

4. Rackhouse Pub

208 South Kalamath Street

For those who partied too hard during the GABF festivities, Rackhouse Pub offers the best hangover deal around: $3 Beermosas and Bloody Marys plus FREE Bacon on Sundays. Now, you don’t have to wait until Sunday to experience the boozalicious awesomeness of the Rack. Not only is the mac & cheese alone worth the visit, Rackhouse Pub is also a whiskey lover’s paradise. Attached at the hip to Stranahan’s Distillery, Rachkhouse boasts a whiskey menu 60+ varieties deep, offering whiskey flights to the experts & novices alike. And you guessed it, the Rack also has beer cocktails!

Twitter: @RackhousePub

5. Cheeky Monk

534 E. Colfax

Belgophiles rejoice! Less cheeky and more monky, the Cheeky Monk is a one stop destination for all things Belgian and beer. If you are a mussel freak, and I’m not talking about WWF, this place is screaming your name. Cheeky Monk is famous for its moules & frites, offering  7 unique award-winning mussel recipes including the ever popular Bacon & Gorgonzola and my personal favorite, the Mulligatawny. Cheeky Monk also serves an extensive selection of Belgian and Belgo-style craft beers, all properly served in their coordinating vessels.

Twitter: @TheCheekyMonk

6. Colt & Gray

1553 Platte Street

A little ways a way from the Colorado Convention Center activity, the cab fair to Colt & Gray is well worth the cash. Limited release beers, high-end cocktails, world class wines — Colt & Gray is serious about it’s beverage program. But don’t let the booze menu distract you too much, Colt & Gray is also a gastronomy haven. For the meat afficianados, Colt & Gray offers an amazing array of charcuterie — painstakingly made in house. Foie gras, tartare, sweatbreads and bone marrow are also amongst the amazingly decadent meat items on the menu. If there was one place to splurge in Denver, this would be it. Oh yeah, Colt & Gray is yet ANOTHER beer cocktail hot spot.

Twitter: @ColtandGray

7. Freshcraft

1530 Blake Street

The name says it all. Fresh food, craft beer and a fun atmosphere, Freshcraft is open early (11am) to help you start your day of beer adventures — or recover from the previous night. And vegetarian beer lovers can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Although the farm-to-table beer destination boasts a menu loaded with tasty meat products, Freshcraft also has a delicious selection of meatless treats including vegan sliders, fried pickles, and quinoa cakes. Hungry after midnight? Freshcraft is one of the only beer spots you will find the serves a late night menu till 1am on Friday and Saturdays. Facing palate fatigue? Freshcraft is yet another destination that offers a great selection of spirits and cocktails!

Twitter: @FreshCraftFood

8. The Cruise Room

Located in the Oxford Hotel, 1659 Waze Street

No trip to Denver is complete without a pit stop at this legendary martini bar. The Cruise Room is downtown Denver’s first bar — opened the day after Prohibition was repealed in 1933. Always dark with beautiful Art Deco décor, the Cruise Room is original in its entirety. Now I know what you are thinking; Hot damn girl! All you have done so far is talk about cocktails, do you even drink beer? Well, that is what the actual festival is for, my friends. But, if you are like me and my fellow cross-drinking brewers, your palate gets exhausted after drinking liquid hops, lacto-bombs, and imperial this-that-and-the-other-thing all day and night. If you want to run into la creme de la creme of the beer industry, this cult classic cocktail bar would be the spot.

9. Great Divide Taproom

2201 Arapahoe Street

The list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning at least one brewery stop — and Great Divide tops my list as the best taproom in town. In addition to hosting some cool events during GABF, the Great Divide taproom is the perfect place to guzzle down awesome craft beers. Oh, and I hear it is a great spot for ogling cute beertenders (but don’t take my word for it — wink). Last year, Great Divide expanded its taproom, making it bigger, better and beerier than ever! And for those looking to start their craft beer adventures early, Great Divide is open early at the ripe hour of 10am Thurs-Sat during GABF!

Twitter: @greatdividebrew

10. Whiskey Bar

2201 Larimer St.

For those who need that one last drink before calling it a night, Whiskey Bar is the spot for ensuring your arrival in hangover city. But you don’t have to wait until last call to get your whiskey fix, Whiskey Bar offers $3 specials all day every day and a $3 you call it (yes, you read that right — you all the shots) happy hour from 4-7pm. With 200+ whiskeys and a constant streaming of sports, Whiskey Bar is also a great place to escape the madness of GABF to watch “the game” (whatever that may be for you).

Twitter: @WhiskeyBar

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But outside of amazing craft beer, awesome food and cocktails, these bars all share something much more important in common — all boast great atmospheres and wonderful people.

As with all lists of this nature, I’m sure there will be a plethora of hemming and hawing and some hurt feelings — which is why encourage leaving feedback in the comment section below!

Cheers!

Okay, so I haven’t been going to the Great American Beer Festival for nearly as long as most of my colleagues in the beer industry — but, this doesn’t mean that I don’t have the scoop on the best events surrounding the big fest. Some events are more exclusive than others, and some events are definitely more expensive than others. But, it is my mission to share the wheres and whens to be during GABF with my fellow beer geeks.

GABF Event Radar

Colorado Rare Beer Tasting

The What: Amazing rare beers from 18+ amazing Colorado craft breweries

The When: Wednesday, October 10th from 6-9pm

The Where: Rackhouse Pub

The Address: 208 South Kalamath St. Denver, Colorado 80223

The Cost: $35

The Who: Aka PARTICIPATING BREWERIES & BEERS:

• AC Golden Brewing Company – TBD
• Avery Brewing Company – TBD
• Bristol Brewing Company – TBD
• Colorado Cider Company - Ol’ Stumpy, Pome Mel
• Crazy Mountain Brewery – TBD
• Dry Dock Brewing Company – Swabby Stranahan’s Barrel-Aged Quadrupel, Old Bligh’s Barrel-Aged Barleywine, Cellar Barleywine
• Elevation Beer Company – Apis IV, Oil Man Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout, Signal De Botrange
• Funkwerks – TBD
• Great Divide Brewing Company – TBD
• Grimm Brothers Brewhouse – TBD
• Left Hand Brewing Company – TBD
• New Belgium Brewing- Prickly Peach Passion
• Odell Brewing Company – TBD
• Oskar Blues Brewery – TBD
• Prost Brewing – TBD
• River North Brewery – TBD
• Ska Brewing Company – TBD
• Wynkoop Brewing Company – TBD

The Tickets: Click below!

Lucky enough to score a golden ticket? Here is what to expect at the 2012 GABF.

Nearly 50,000 attendees.

Over the course of 3 days, over 49,000 people are expected to attend the 2012 GABF. If you think that this sounds like a lot of people, you’re right. And make sure to get there early, the line starts to wrap around the building as early as an hour before doors open.

Approximately 580 breweries.

The 2012 GABF will have 110 more breweries pouring their beers in the hall this year, which is a 23 percent increase over 2011. It is also important to note that this growth is in correlation to the overall growth the craft beer segment has experienced this past year.

Farm-to-Table Pavilion

Quite possibly my favorite part of the fest, the Farm to Table Pavilion returns for a fourth year, bringing together chefs and craft brewers from across the country to serve small plates paired with special release beers that aren’t available in the festival hall. Sadly, one must have a ticket to enter the farm-to-table pavilion — a ticket which is only offered to BA and AHA members.

Confirmed farm-to-table breweries include:

• Alaskan Brewing Co
• Avery Brewing Company
• Ballast Point Brewing Company
• Denver Beer Company
• Devils Backbone Brewing Company
• Firestone Walker Brewing Company
• Ghost River Brewing Company
• Jester King Craft Brewery
• Saint Arnold Brewing Company
• Smuttynose Brewing Company
• Sun King Brewing Company

Brewpub Pavilion

New in 2012!!! The pavilion will include approximately 24 breweries representing all regions of the country and will be set up to replicate the brewpub atmosphere that craft beer enthusiasts enjoy, including seating and bite-sized snacks available for purchase.

Fresh Hop Ale Competition Category

New in 2012!!! This year’s GABF competition will feature a brand new “Fresh Hop Ale” category. The addition of this category signifies not only growing interest in this beer style, but also increased appreciation in the role of beer ingredients. This category was not possible in past years due to the timing of the festival and the hop harvest.

Pro-Am Competition

The GABF Pro-Am competition judges beer collaborations between professional craft brewers and homebrewers. Each beer entry is based on an award-winning homebrew recipe from an American Homebrewers Association (AHA) member. The homebrew recipes are scaled up and brewed by professional craft brewers for submission into the competition.

GABF Awards Ceremony

One of the most renowned competitions in the industry and recognized worldwide as a symbol of brewing excellence, the GABF competition honors 84 beer style categories with gold, silver and bronze medals. In 2012, an estimated 4,300 beers will be judged by an expected 185 judges from across the globe.

Silent Disco

Quite possibly the most popular event on the convention floor, the silent disco is sponsored every year by Oskar Blues. It involves a bunch of dancing fools getting down to music that only themselves and their dancing partners can hear through wireless headphones. Only those wearing the headphones can hear the music, so whether you are dancing or watching — it’s guaranteed to be hilarious.

And that’s not all folks! There will be book signings, educational panels and demonstrations from some of the country’s best brewers, merchandise, and so much more! And don’t forget about the after parties …. more info on those to come!

In my world, nothing truly beats an amazing food & beer pairing. Well, there might be an exception or two, but I will leave that to your imagination.

Food and beverage pairings, let alone food and beer pairings, are not easy. They require a palate far beyond the average chef, sommelier and brewer. Few chefs understand the complexities of nuances of beer like a brewmaster, and in contrast, few brewers understand the complexities and nuances of food like an executive chef. Those capable of crossing the line between brewmaster and executive chef are not just few and far between, they are virtually mythological in nature — beings of legends and lore.

A few select individuals, humans capable of transcending the science and artistry of brewing and the science and artistry of cooking, actually do exist. These supertasters possess amazing abilities, almost incomprehensible to us mere mortals. One such modern wonder is Jared Rouben, Pub Brewmaster for the Goose Island Brewpubs in Chicago, IL.

Now before some of you get all huffy puffy on me, it is crucial to note that the Goose Island Brewpubs are NOT owned by AB-InBev. It’s okay, breathe a sigh of relief with me now. Okay, feel better?

Back to the story.

Isn't he adorable?

Not only is Jared a phenomenal brewer, as exemplified by the amazing beers he produces for Goose Island, he is also an Culinary Institute of America graduate with an extraordinary culinary resume, including working with the legendary Thomas Keller — arguably one of the best chefs in the world — at Keller’s prestigious Per Se in Manhattan.

So yes, you heard me right. Jared Rouben is both a genius brewmaster and a professionally trained chef, which essentially makes him a foremost expert on beer and food pairings. And that brings us to the Great American Beer Festival.

During the Friday night session of GABF, between 7:30 and 8pm, Jared will be teaming up with Stephanie Izard, Top Chef winner and owner/chef of Girl & the Goat, on the stage of the convention floor, where they will will provide insights on brewing beers to complement food and creating food to complement beers. The presentation, called “Sweet and Smokey Chicago Style”, will feature samples of their collaboration: “Farmer’s Market,” a honey smoked Porter made with wildflower honey from Ellis Family Farms in Illinois. This unique, medium-full bodied beer balances honey, roast and smoke flavors, and will be shared with the panel’s audience and paired with a sweet and smoky dish, to be announced. (Check out the video below for more information on the collaboration beer).

But the main event, the raison d’etre, the inspiration of this post, is the night before.

On the evening of September 29th, Stephanie and Jared are partnering with ChoLon Bistro Chef Lon Symensma & Alex Seidel of Fruition to present a beer dinner of epic proportions. All proceeds from the dinner will benefit Share Our Strength (strength.org), a charity dedicated to ending childhood hunger in the US by 2015. The details are such:

• Date: Sseptember 29, 2011
• Where: Cholon Bistro
• Time: 6pm for beer cocktail reception and snacks, 7pm dinner
• Cost: $125

Alongside the Honey Porter, the dynamic beer menu will be showcasing Rumble Oak-aged IPA from Great Divide and Funkwerks Belgium White, finishing with Dulce — Jared’s American Stout made with “crop 2 cup” Ugandan french roast coffee & Seville oranges. Each chef will create a family style dish to accompany the different beers from Jared’s list, to show the many directions one can go and the various styles of cooking that can work well when pairing beer and food.

“We wanted it to be unique as well as representative of both Jared’s brew style and my cooking. One of many qualities that makes Jared unique as a brewer is that he started his career, back in the kitchen, at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. The way that he thinks about layers of flavor in his beers is similar to my approach to food at Girl & the Goat.” — Stephanie Izard.

Naturally, I’ll be there, which can only mean one thing… you should be there as well. And trust me, a beer dinner with an amazing brewmaster with experience from Thomas Keller’s prized Per Se in NYC is no joke. And for $125, it is a steal. BE THERE. Or be sorry…

About Jared Rouben

Originally from Louisville, Jared is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, as well as the Culinary Institute of America in New York and the Siebel Diploma course. After culinary school, he worked as a chef at the Michelin Star Martini House in Napa and as Expeditor at the three Michelin Star Thomas Keller’s Per Se in New York City. After New York, Jared moved to Chicago to become a part of the Rock Bottom brewing team. Jared first joined the Goose Island Clybourn brewing team in 2009 and became the Head Pub Brewer in January of 2010. Since starting at Goose Island Jared has created the Chef Collaboration Series, Farmers Market Series and focused on experimental brewing. His passion for both beer and food is infectious.

Anyone who encountered The Wench during The Great American Festival post-Thursday night is probably aware of my “vocal complications.” Needless to say, the combination of high altitude, dry air, not enough rest, endless consumption of libations and copious amounts of talking … ultimately led to my vocal downfall. Aka: I lost my voice. There were times when I couldn’t even make a single sound. And for the most part, I sounded like a raspy old man who smoked 5 packs a day for 50 years.

Truth be told, I did way more talking and mingling during GABF than I did tasting beers. Sure, I tasted my fair share of beers — but I was not as diligent and dedicated as some of my other beer geek friends, who made sure to take notes, pictures and hit up all the special rare beer tappings.

This is why I’ve called upon Twitter to help me create a recap list of the “best beers” tasted during the Great American Beer Festival. And this is what they have to say, in 140 characters or less:

@TheBeerWench — Not gonna lie, we all know that the collaboration beer between New Holland + Mutineer Magazine that I helped design and brew was my ALL TIME HIGHLIGHT of GABF — and probably of my life, but moving on…

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@hookedonwinter — Bruery Black Tuesday & Oude Tart, Fat Heads Collaborative Evil, Founder CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout), Lost Abbey Cable Car, Rocky Mountain Cherry Pie, Odell Deconstruction

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@kerryfinsand — My favorite #GABF Beer was Two Brothers Brewing Cane & Ebel. A malty rye pale ale with citrus notes & a hoppy finish.

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@odiedog52 – Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Kolsch .. light, crisp, and full of flavor of fruity and grassy hops. Beautiful beer with a fitting name.

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@BasicallyRed —
Rocky Mountain Brewing Da Yoopers-Cherry Pie beer-you could smell cinnamon in the crust & taste the cherry filling! Plus, Duane is crazy

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@darthweef — Funkwerks Saison was by far my fav for the fest .. Legend of the Liquid Brain from Bull & Bush and Pizza Port Bacon & Eggs

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@DosBeerigos — Best Surprise beer: Upstream Grand Cru. Fav beers: Cable Car (Lost Abbey) and Deconstruction (Odell)

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@drinkeattravel (Stan) — TAP’S Remy, New Glarus Engima, The Bruery Black Tuesday, Bull and Bush Royal Oil

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@drinkeattravel (Cambria) — New Glarus Enigma, Bull & Bush’s Royal Oil + Legend of the Liquid Brain Imperial Stout, TAPS Belgian White, Salazar’s Tart Lychee

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@SteveParkes — Beers based on pie rocked this year. Key lime, lemon meringue beers made a nice change from the normal selection of pumpkin pie spiced beers

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@madhouselarry — Capt. Lawrence (all), New Glarus (all) and really dug the brews from Oregon’s Cascade Brewing and Oakshire Brewing. Peace, love and cheers!

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@MSJernigan — Trinity Brewing Co’s TPS Report and Rocky Mountain Brewing Co’s Peach Beer. So Good. Also the Bruery’s Black Tuesday.

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@adrianh77 — I loved the Dogfish Head’s Theobroma. I loved the cocoa powder in the beer and the chilies at the end gave it an awesome aftertaste.

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@Phil_from_MD — Kona Brewing Coconut Stout & Pipeline Porter. Founders Breakfast Stout, Great Lakes Blackout Stout. Ithaca Flower Power.

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BeachBumChris — Easy. the Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout was amazing! Great chocolate malt flavors with a touch of bacon. I want it on my pancakes!

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@AlexPDavis — Cable Car 09, Key Lime, Fatheads Collab Evil, Cuvee de Castleton, CBS, Sang Noir, Apricot, Deconstruction, BB Stout, Coffee Monster

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@mbl4889 — Either the Cherry Pie from Rocky Mtn (believe that’s them) or the Jewish Rye from Triumph Brewing, tastes just like eating Jewish rye bread.

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@sarahhuska — I’d have to say my favorite beer came not from the festival but from Falling Rock. 2007 New Belgium La Folie…holy heaven in a tulip glass!

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@GISBREWMASTER — Gella’s Diner & Lb. Brewing Co. in Hays, Kansas There Red Rider (Amber) and Liberty Stout (American) stout.

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@WindAddict — Tough question. So many great beers! I’ll shout out uncommon brewer’s bacon brown ale & Alaskan’s smoked porter. Yum!

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@taphunter — Boulevard Tank 7, 90 Shilling, Freshcrafts Avery special tapping of “The Missionary” Guava Quad = beergasm

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@MlleBess — The fruit beers from Rocky Mountain the sours from Brugge and the Pumpkin Stout from Elysian! Go!

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@threefrenchs — Cascade’s Bourbonic Plague-Big, no huge beer but amazingly smooth. Tart with a clean finish. A very complex 11+% abv that is a great sipper.

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@AmieDM17 — #GABF Favorite Beer: Tie b/t @CigarCityBeer’s Final Push (Zhukov w/ Weasel Poop Cofffee) & Short’s Anniversary Ale (blood orange wheat wine)

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@StoneBrewJason — From Wood and Red Ale Marble Brewing. Foothill’s Sexual Chocolate. Cascade’s Vlad the Imp Aler. Real Ale’s Rio Blanco and Stone’s Sublimely

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@Beervangelist — Why Mutinous (Battle Chai), of course! Favorite non-New Holland experience was Victory Helios with pate and fruit jelle at Farm to table

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@Hillhaus — Bell’s: Oracle; Bruery: Oude Tart; Cascade: Apricot Ale; Cigar City: Final Push (Kopi Luwak!!!); Alesmith: IPA; MI Brew Guild: sour stout

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@egabrewing — GABF beer favs: Lost Abbey Frambois de Amarosa, Cable Car 08, Bruery Oude Tart.

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@100beers30days — Barrel-aged Coton/The Bruery.Tons of rich molasses, dark caramel, dried dates, maple toast, vanilla.It was UNBELIEVABLE. Chewable. Seriously.

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@AZGirlsPintOut — @FirestoneWalker Velvet Merlin, @YazooBrew Sue, Rocky Mountain Blueberry Cobbler, Founders Canadian Bfst Stout, Hollister Tiny Bubbles

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@COBeerWeek — Hmmm gotta go with a sour, either Snake River Brewing’s Le Serpent Cerise, or The Bruery’s Oude Tart. Both were amazing too hard to pick one

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@brewcrewtv — Raspberry Tart and Key Lime Pie for their sweet ingenuity ………………………………….

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@romejohn5 — Buckbean Very Noddy Double Black Lager

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@thefullpint — @OdellBrewing rocked my world. Rocky Mtn Da Yoopers Cherry Pie & Tatonka Blueberry Cobbler were big surprises. <3 Brugge Brasserie!

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Did I miss your response on Twitter? No fear … just post it in the comment section!

CHEERS!

The Beer Blogger Interview Series

Curious what goes on in the minds of your favorite beer bloggers? Well, The Beer Wench is and she has embarked upon a mission to interview as many beer bloggers that she can — from all over the world. Are you a beer blogger? Do you want to share your story? Send me an email!

INTRODUCING: ANDREW DUNFEE

AUTHOR OF: HIPPO LANE

Beer Blogger Interview

Full name: Andrew Dunfee
Twitter handle: @adunfee
Name of blog: Hippo Lane
Current location: Denver, CO

Background “Snapshot”

1. Where did you grow up?

Pickerington, OH. It’s a suburb of Columbus. It was all farms once. There are now two high schools. I think the football coach is gone. They put in some street lights, a few signs, made it real pretty.

2. What sports if any did you play growing up, through college and beyond?

I played basketball during lunch in high school. Junior year I realized sweat is not hot. 13 years later (aka 6 months ago) I realized, again, that basketball is fun. I now play in a league and shower after the games. They have liquid soap dispensers.

3. How old were you when you had your first beer?

Three.

4. If you can recall, what is the story of your first beer? Where did you have it? What style and brand was it?

I think this guy said, “Here, drink this. It’ll put hair on your chest.” I remember a diving board, orange arm floaties, a pool. If that didn’t actually happen, I know there was this time when I went to a bar on the way to go camping. My head was not yet to the top of the stool. People smoked in bars back then, too.

5. Where, if applicable, did you go to college? What did you study? What additional activities, organizations, sports did you partake in during college?

Ohio University. I studied business. I wanted to study history. I really dug the Reformation and American Indians classes. I had a band called Loesha the Swan Goddess. We were very white. The last time I was interviewed was with them. It was 2001, I believe. We drank coffee and then beer. I sounded pretentious. How do I sound so far?

Craft Beer Epiphany

Every craft beer enthusiast has at least one pinnacle craft beer experience that completely changes ones perspective on beer. I refer to this mind-blowing moment as a “craft beer epiphany.”

1. What was your first craft beer epiphany? Recall as many details about it as you can:

I drove west on 270, an outer belt in Columbus, just past I-71 and said, “What smells like geese shit?”  I was alone, so nobody answered, but in a minute I saw it: the Anheuser Busch plant.

I’m just being dramatic. I really had a few slow epiphanies at different times. In college, the discovery of Guinness and Newcastle was my first foray into non-yellow fizzy beer. Some of my uncles liked this stuff, I think. There was a brewpub called O’Hooley’s in Athens. I tried heavier pale ales, stouts, and porters. It felt more special, somehow, to drink those beers, but still I mostly drank PBR at the Union.

After college, there was a place called The Elevator (still is) in Columbus. It’s kind of a snooty place, so at the time I was a bit of a beer snob. I learned a little and actually liked the beers; this is when I realized stout is my favorite. But I eventually felt like a douche and switched back to PBR, which seemed nice because I didn’t have to think about it and it was cheap.

Then, over the course of several months when I started to brew my own beer and read the Charlie Papazian books, I got back into craft beer big time. I brewed with a friend. He pushed us to learn as much as possible about the process and different styles. Making your own beer is a great way to distinguish the different flavors and styles and come to appreciate them. After, it’s hard to want just one type of beer.

2. Have you have additional craft beer epiphanies since the first? Detail as many of them as you wish:

There were some places that influenced me, places with massive selections of beer and a great beer environment: The Brickskeller in Washington D.C. Flying Saucer in Raleigh and Fort Worth. Falling Rock in Denver. Valhalla in New York. Toronado in San Francisco. St. James Tavern in Columbus, OH.

Beer Blog Background

1. How long have you been writing your beer blog?

I started this site in April, but wrote for brewclick.com for a couple months before that.

2. What inspired you to start writing your blog?

Those guys asked me to. They knew I was writing a book, knew how to make beer, and could put down a few. I was confused at first, but got into it after doing a couple posts and meeting some of the brewers. I started to see that there is a story to be told and meaning in this industry, in offering more choices, going back to tradition and stronger local communities. After a couple of months, I wanted to write more often and have the ability to talk about other topics. So I started hippolane.org.

3. Why did you chose the name of your blog?

That’s not a very nice question. I know; it’s pretty stupid. It has nothing to do with beer, writing, travels, or any of the topics I try to cover. But it’s a nice image, isn’t it?

4. What are you personal goals for your blog? What do you hope to achieve with it?

The things I’ve come to care about the most in the craft beer industry are the sense of pride and artisanship that goes into making great beer and the community that exists around local breweries. For many reasons I won’t go into here, I think we need more of that. I hope I can help. I try to tell stories that make people like they want to be there, like they could be missing out. In the case of craft beer, missing out on fun, friendship, pride in community, and a greater range of experiences.

On a personal level, I want to write books and screenplays. I’m working on my first novel, about 5 major drafts in. This blog helps sharpen my skills. In the future, I hope it leads to a better connection with people that might be interested in any book I write. I also want to do non-fiction books about travel, beer, and other (maybe more political) interests.

5. What is one of the coolest things that happened to you as a result of being a beer blogger?

Every time I go out with my friends to see a new place is the coolest thing that has happened. No seriously, that’s lame. Can I take it back? Can you, like, edit this part out?

6. What are you top 3 favorite beer blogs/beer websites?

• http://jennandbeer.com/
• http://beernews.org/
• http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/

Beer Talk

1. What are your top 3 favorite beer styles?

Stout, ESB, Pilsner.

2. What are your top 3 favorite breweries?

Great Divide, Stone, Deschutes.

3. If you could work with or for any one brewery, which one would it be and why?

Brooklyn. Garrett Oliver seems like he’d be a cool boss; he wears jackets and jackets are cool. There’s a ton of tradition in the brewery, the area, I’m assuming the building. They make fantastic beers.

4. Are you a homebrewer? If yes, what is the most unique and interesting beer recipes you’ve brewed as a homebrewer?

I am. I recently made a gluten-free, sorghum-based beer. After three sips, it went down the drain. My favorite, though, was a hefty imperial coffee stout. I don’t think I answered your question. Can you ask something else?

5. Do you have any beer certifications (BJCP, Cicerone, Siebel, American Brewers Guild)?? If so, what are they?

None. I got a certification in Java once. That’s a computer language. I just labeled myself as a dork, didn’t I? Even more so because now I’m saying things like someone’s actually talking back.

6. What is your favorite beer and food pairing?

I was going to say waffles and a stout or a lambic to be amusing, but in all actuality, that’s probably pretty damn good. A real favorite is Fuller’s ESB with Saag Paneer at the British Bulldog in Denver.

The Personal Side

1. What is your current day job?

Code monkey.

2. If you could change your career at this very moment, without any restrictions on what you could do, what would you want to do and why?

I would like to be a tailor in a large department store. Because you get to look good all day. I had a job in a dressing room once.

3. Are you married? Children?

Not that I’m aware.

4. Outside of beer and writing, what are some of your other hobbies?

I noodle on guitars, garden some, do the weird things we do in gyms, paint, read. I’m a bit obsessed with IMDB. I have a crush on Ellen Page, but that’s not a hobby.

Off The Beaten Path

1. If you were a style of beer, what style would be an why?

I don’t want to answer this question.

2. You were caught smuggling beer illegally, which has now been made punishable by death. Right before you are sent to the executioner, you are offered one last beer. What beer would you chose and why?

Great Divide’s Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout. Is it okay that I had to look up the exact phrasing and spelling of that beer? It’s over 50 characters long.

3. If I contracted you to brew a beer (or design a beer recipe) called “The Beer Wench” — what style would you chose and what, if any, extra ingredients would you add?

An Oktoberfest. A toad’s scrotum comes to mind. Butterscotch. I picture Germany and witches. What am I supposed to say?

4. If you could be a superhero, what would you want your superpowers to be?

It would definitely not be to swim really fast. Seriously, what is the point of Aquaman?

5. What is one of the craziest things you have ever done and lived to tell the story?

We started a lot of fires as a kid. We burned circles in the cornfield, threw smoke bombs down chimneys, put sparklers in the back of rocket engines, made hairspray flamethrowers, and did something utterly stupid with shotgun shells and fire; I’ve forgotten the specifics.

6. What are your thoughts on bacon?

Great next to eggs. Terrible in salads.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ANDREW FOR AN AWESOME INTERVIEW!

CHEERS! (GO BUCKS!)