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Well, another year has come and gone for The Great American Beer Festival. With 2, 200 beers available and 522 breweries covering 48 states (stats courtesy of the Brewers Association), this was a record breaking year for the festival. It even sold out 5 weeks prior to the event, a record this year. In addition to the variety of beers for all to try, the festival at its core is still an industry event. At the core of this, is the competition. The Brewers Association states that this years competition has:

152 judges,10 countries,10% international, and 10% new judges

•79 categories, representing 133 different styles of beer

•125 competition volunteers

•More than 3,500 beers entries

It was incredible to watch, taste and most importantly, learn about so many good craft beers available around the country. Without further ado, I give you this years winners: 2010 Great American Beer Festival winners.

Originally posted on UpTake Sep 20, 2010 6:37 – By: Jeremybanas

If you are considering a trip to Colorado in the fall and are not sure where to go or what to do, let me suggest something. Head to Denver and the Great American Beer Festival, or GABF as it’s affectionately known. GABF is the largest beer festival in the world. This year alone it was host to over 450 breweries and more than 2,000 different craft beers available. What is craft beer though? Who is a craft brewer? The Brewers Association defines a craft brewer as “An American craft brewer is small, independent and traditional. Small: Annual production of beer less than 2 million barrels. Independent: Less than 25% of the craft brewery is owned or controlled (or equivalent economic interest) by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.” Essentially, they are the brewers who create a beer, not mass produce it.

Day 1 of the General Session

The event is a chance for these craft brewers to get their beers exposed to so many people who would not otherwise know of these breweries or get a chance to try there beers. This is especially important when you consider that the U.S. has more breweries in operation than prior to Prohibition, but most of us may not even know exist. It is also a chance for many to be educated about what beer has to offer. The event has seminars on everything from beer styles, to how to start a brewery. Many industry representatives are on site as well.

Continue reading ‘Fall Destinations in Colorado: The Great American Beer Festival’

Orignally posted by myself Sep 14, 2010 21:08 on UpTake.Com

Tucked away in downtown Denver only a few blocks away from Coors Field and the Colorado Rockies, resides Falling Rock Taphouse. This beer bar that features more than 75 craft beers on tap and an additional 130 or so in bottle, as well as a few bottles of wine. What’s interesting is that it’s both known and unknown to most. Essentially an underground place where craft beer reigns supreme and yet a place you can call your own.

Now I’ve been here many a time, and what always impresses me is not just the wide range of craft beer (that’s right, nor Miller or Bud Lite here), but the atmosphere that goes with it. It’s like New York industrial meets…beer. You walk in and immediately feel as if you walked into what used to be a firehouse. Lined all over the upper reaches of the main room are an incredible collection of beer bottles both past and present.

On this particular night, I was there meeting some of my family. Plenty of open space, as well as a few booths round out the upper level of Falling Rock. Make sure that you park a few blocks away though, there is not a lot in the way of parking out front. What amazed me further was the taps behind the bar. Wow, those tap handles looked amazing.

Continue reading ‘Falling Rock Taphouse in Fabulous Denver, Colorado’

Sarah Huska lives in the Chicago area. An area known for the 1893 World’s Fair that spawned the first Ferris Wheel and also brought Chicago back from the dead after fires nearly destroyed the city in 1871. But why stop there? Chicago is home of the Cubbies, the White Sox, Blackhawks and Bears. Mike Ditka, Al Capone, Wrigley Field and Chicago style deep dish pizza. For me, it’s one of the cleanest metropolitan cities in the United States. Chicago has had quite a history the last 150 years. But Chicago is also becoming known for other things. Sure the allure of Michigan Ave. is hard to resist. Lake Michigan is gorgeous to look at, but Chicago is also known for its involvement in craft beer. It also home to Ray Daniels and the Cicerone Certification Program.

What has this to do with Sarah Huska? Quite a lot actually. She is the sole employee for the Cicerone Program and responsible for most of the administrative duties. Don’t et that fool you though. Sarah knows a hell of a lot about beer. Not just the styles, how to pour, or what the 3-tier distribution system means to beer in the U.S., no she knows what is needed in a particular style, how it should look and feel and taste. She’s seemingly taken what was an interest and turned it into a passion. Oh, and she’s only 24.

Continue reading ‘The incomparable Ms. Sarah Huska.’

This is the first in what hopefully will a series of features on others passionate about craft beer. Those who learn as much as they can about that which they put in their glass and strive to educate others that their is more to beer than the mass produced, fizzy yellow stuff we see on T.V.

Lee Norman Williams (He may hurt me for using the middle name) hails all the way from Bristol, England. These days he hangs his hat in Brooklyn, New York. Lee is the mastermind behind ‘Hoptopia’, one of the best beer review sites out there.

Mr. Hoptopia himself

Lee is everywhere. Twitter. Facebook. The internet. The iPhone. Android. Yes, he even has apps for the iPhone and Android. The man seems insistant on taking over the craft beer reviewing world.

I had a chance to talk with Lee a little about himself, craft beer and Hoptopia.

Continue reading ‘Hoptopia. ‘Nuff said.’