GABF attendees

Question for first time attendees and those that have been multiple times.

First: How was it? Meet expectations, not quite or exceed them?

Multiple: Same as above + comparison to previous times?

This organization was better this year. A single large room with multiple queues each let in one after another, very efficient. Inside wasn’t much different than the last few years, same atmosphere, floorplan, smells, sounds. Gone are the mini willibechers for the members session, now it’s a 5oz mini glass snifter.

Originally posted by 3fourths
now it’s a 5oz mini glass snifter.

This was my first time attending. We sat in our hotel room until we noticed you could easily walk right in, which didn’t take long.

Overall it was very easy to navigate. Getting pours of beer never took more than a few minutes. A lot of time you’d have 50 or so people standing single file in line but with 4-6 people pouring per booth you could just walk right up and get a pour from the person on the right or left that was just standing around arms folded. Lots of good beers and breweries from all over. Plenty of space(in certain areas).

Still though, I think if I would have paid full price for a ticket I would have been pretty let down. Some good beer, cool people to chat with, but I left to go drink pints of beer around town after a little over and hour or so.

Originally posted by DietPepsicanSome good beer, cool people to chat with, but I left to go drink pints of beer around town after a little over and hour or so.

5oz glass with a 1oz line pouring limit. Members session is the only one I consider anymore. It wasn’t too crowded and lines moved fast.

I didn’t leave early, but the highlight of my weekend was definitely drinking beers around town, and not necessarily the festival. But, it definitely was more organized this year than previous years.

It was my first time, It was what I was expecting. Getting in was really easy, and well done. Merchandise was plentiful and reasonably priced. Scored a really nice pint glass for $5. Lines where I expected there to be lines, beers I expected to go fast generally did, some were a surprise how long they lasted. 3 Floyds (3F) ran out of beer early, like they do at every festival I’ve been to. Most breweries went well beyond the one ounce pour line, some didn’t even hit the line on multiple trips (Surly). That was OK because barrel aged darkness wasn’t that good. I don’t think Funky Buddha ran out of anything, despite the massive line, so kudos to them. The placement of some of the breweries didn’t make sense. Some breweries I’ve never heard of in prime locations, and some big hitters in odd locations where lines were a problem.

The lines generally went very quick, and many hipsters were stuck in lines for breweries I had absolutely no interest in like the rare barrel. Cutting was pretty rampant in the longer lines, but generally didn’t add much time.

All beer festivals have the same problem, you can’t really get your money’s worth, and if you try you get really drunk and forget the great beer you tried. This was no different. Fun time, I probably won’t ever go back though.

I only went because a friend gifted me a ticket for helping him move, but honestly, it was way better than the previous time I went (2008 or so, after which I decided I never needed to go again).

It was organized pretty well and the traffic/lines moved pretty well, whether it was for pours or the restroom.

Overall, it was better than I remember for sure, but I still don’t foresee myself buying a ticket any time soon. Honestly, I prefer all the other weeks in Colorado over GABF week, although some cool stuff does go on.