The Great American Beer Festival: Five new things in 2010

There is nothing like the Great American Beer Festival anywhere on earth. Featuring 2,000 beers from more than 450 breweries, it is the largest craft beer fest in the world, and a trip to Denver is on the life lists of every beer lover in the United States.

GABF is always changing, and this year is no exception. And aside from the earlier-than-normal date -- the festival takes place September 16-18 -- here are five new things about the 2010 incarnation:

Support Your Local Brewery Pavilion
The festival had a small version of this in 2009, says GABF director Nancy Johnson. "But we are making it the centerpiece of the festival this year. It will be right in the middle of the floor." Details are still being worked out, but the pavilion will feature interactive displays of items used in the brewing process, like malt, hops and a one-barrel brewing.
Twelve different brewery guilds will be pouring beer and representing their states. "It's sort of the beer tourism area," Johnson says.

New Beer Categories to Try
There are four new categories of beer included in the judging this year, bringing the total to 79 (along with a couple dozen sub-categories).

IPAs Set a Record
There will be more than 150 IPAs competing for awards this year, making the category the largest one ever. On the other end, the smallest category this year will be for Gluten Free Beers, which has sixteen entries.

73 New Breweries
The Boulder-based Brewers Association, which produces and hosts GABF, says there will be 73 new breweries pouring suds this year in the hall. Some, like the new Pizza Port location in Ocean Beach, California, are related to regular attendees. Others aren't. A list of the new breweries hasn't been released yet, but Westword will post it when it is.

Farm to Table Pavilion
The Brewers Association showcased a smaller version of this in 2009 as well. But the pavilion - which requires a special ticket -- will be bigger this year. Here, beers not available elsewhere at the festival will be paired small plates of food prepared with local ingredients. Chefs, farmers and brewers will talk to attendees.

Based on the following sources:
http://blogs.westword.com