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The Brewers Association made this year’s app for the Great American Beer Festival available on Wednesday, and although the beer list won’t go live until today, the app will be more necessary than ever in 2014. That’s because there are about 730 breweries at the festival this year, pouring upward of 3,500 beers. Which is a whole lot. Although I’ve never been one to focus on a certain style, I do like to have a strategy at the festival.
As devised in previous years, it involves checking out a mixture of old favorites, recent discoveries and buzz breweries that I’ve never tried but heard a lot about, either from friends, other beer drinkers or online. None of them are from Colorado, since I can try those on the other 51 weeks of the year — and only a few have ever had even limited distribution in Colorado. Here is a list of thirty or so breweries whose booths I plan to hit up at the GABF.
See also: Nearly 1,400 breweries register for GABF, 81 percent higher than last year
Old Favorites
Although the lines are long at New Glarus, Sun King and Three Floyds, I always come away happy. Drake’s is just plain amazing.
New Glarus, Wisconsin
Three Floyds, Indiana
Sun King, Indiana
Two Brothers, Illinois
Allagash, Maine
Drake’s, California
Yazoo, Nashville
Nebraska Brewing, Nebraska
Recent Discoveries
Ladyface impressed me a lot two years ago at the festival. Glad to see that they are back. I’ve had Societe’s hoppy beers in San Diego. Amazing.
Ladyface Ale, California
Societe, California
La Cumbre, New Mexico
Buzz Breweries
Texas and Florida seem to be coming on strong in the world of craft beer, and I’ve heard good things about several breweries in each state. Black Star Co-op is the first co-op of its kind (another was recently shut down in Texas for playing naked Twister).
Real Ale Project, Blanco, Texas
Austin Beerworks, Texas
Black Star Co-Op, Texas
Funky Buddha, Florida
Due South, Florida
Colorado may be the center of craft brewing in the West, but Wyoming and New Mexico are getting their share of praise as well. In addition to La Cubre (above), I’m going to check out Abbey Brewing (beer made by monks) and Melvin in Wyoming, winner of the Alpha King Challenge two years in a row.
Abbey Brewing, New Mexico
Melvin Brewing, Wyoming
Oregon continues to be one of the best states for craft breweries, and it’s hard to keep track of the scene there. But I got a few recommendations recently. The rest on the list were recommended as well.
Barley Brown, Oregon
The Commons, Oregon
Bend Brewing, Oregon
Boneyard Beer, Oregon
Breakside Brewery, Oregon
Gigantic Brewing, Oregon
5 Rabbit Cerveceria, Illinois
Tree House Brewing, Massachusetts
Rare Barrel, California
Wicked Weed, North Carolina
Port City, Virginia
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