Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is an annual beer festival hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado. Typically held in late September or early October, the event is currently held at Denver's Colorado Convention Center. Established in 1982, it is the largest ticketed beer festival in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.
== History ==
The GABF was founded by brewer Charlie Papazian, and the first festival was held in conjunction with the American Homebrewers Association's annual conference in Boulder, Colorado in June 1982, featuring 24 participating breweries, 47 beers, and 800 attendees.
In a private event, held the week prior, judges evaluate the beers in the associated competition. They then award medals in over 100 beer style categories. In 2019, the panel consisted of 322 judges from 18 countries, who evaluated over 9,400 beers. There were 800 breweries and 4,000 beers. In 2023, 250 judges from 10 countries evaluated 9,298 entries. There were 263 breweries.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2020 and 2021 in-person festival was cancelled with a virtual event held instead.
== Statistics ==
For a list of all medalists, see the List of Great American Beer Festival medalists
=== 2004 ===
Attendance - 28,000
Breweries at the festival - 334
Beers at the festival - 1,454
Breweries in the competition - 398
Beers in the competition - 2,016
Medals awarded - 201
=== 2005 ===
Attendance - 29,500
Breweries at the festival - 377
Beers at the festival - 1,672
Breweries in the competition - 466
Beers in the competition - 2,335
Category with most entries - American-style India Pale Ale: 103
Medals awarded - 206
=== 2006 ===
Attendance - 41,000
Breweries at the festival - 384
Beers at the festival - 1,668
Breweries in the competition - 450
Beers in the competition - 2,402
Category with most entries - American-style India Pale Ale: 94
Medals awarded - 203
=== 2007 ===
Attendance - 46,000
Breweries at the festival - 408
Beers at the festival - 1,884
Breweries in the competition - 473
Beers in the competition - 2,973
Category with most entries - American-style India Pale Ale: 120
Medals awarded - 222 + 3 in Pro-Am
=== 2008 ===
Attendance - 46,000
Breweries at the festival - 432
Beers at the festival - 2,052
Breweries in the competition - 472
Beers in the competition - 2,902
Category with most entries - American-style India Pale Ale: 106
Medals awarded - 222 + 3 in Pro-Am 
=== 2009 ===
Attendance - 49,576
Breweries at the festival - 457
Beers at the festival - 2,100
Breweries in the competition - 495
Beers in the competition - 3,308
Category with the most entries - American-style India Pale Ale, 134 entries
Medals awarded - 234 + 3 in Pro-Am 
=== 2010 ===
Attendance - 49,000
Breweries at the festival - 455
Beers at the festival - 2,248
Beers in the competition - 3,523
Category with the most entries - American-style India Pale Ale, 150 entries
Medals awarded - 236 + 3 in Pro-Am 
=== 2011 ===
Attendance - 49,000
Breweries at the festival - 466
Beers at the festival - 2,375
Breweries in the competition - 526
Beers in the competition - 3,930
Category with the most entries - American-style India Pale Ale, 176 entries
Medals awarded - 248 + 3 in Pro-Am 
=== 2012 ===
Attendance - 49,000
Breweries at the festival - 578
Beers at the festival - 2,774
Breweries in the competition - 666
Beers in the competition - 4,338
Medals awarded - 254
=== 2013 ===
Attendance - 49,000
Breweries at the festival - 624
Beers at the festival - 3,142
Breweries in the competition - 732
Beers in the competition - 4,809
Beer categories - 84
Category with most entries - American-Style India Pale Ale, 252
Medals awarded - 254 
=== 2014 ===
Attendance - 49,000
Breweries at the festival - 710
Beers at the festival - 3,500+
Breweries in the competition - 1,309
Beers in the competition - 5,507
=== 2015 ===
Attendance - 60,000
Breweries at the festival - 750
Beers at the festival - 3,800
Breweries in the competition - 1,552
Beers in the competition - 6,647
=== 2016 ===
Attendance - 60,000
Breweries at the festival - 780
Beers at the festival - 3,800+
Breweries in the competition - 1,752
Beers in the competition - 7,227
Beer categories - 96
Category with most entries - American-Style India Pale Ale, 312
Medals awarded - 286
=== 2017 ===
Attendance - 60,000
Breweries at the festival - 800+
Beers at the festival - 3,900+
Breweries in the competition - 2,217
Beers in the competition - 7,923
Beer categories -
=== 2018 ===
Attendance - 62,000
Breweries at the festival - 800+
Beers at the festival - 4,000+
Breweries in the competition - 2,404
Beers in the competition - 8,496
=== 2019 ===
Attendance - 65,000+
Breweries at the festival - 800+
Beers at the festival - 4,000+
Breweries in the competition - 2,295
Beers in the competition - 9,497
Beer categories - 107
Category with most entries - Juicy or Hazy IPA, 348 entries
Medals awarded - 318
=== 2022 ===
Attendance - 40,000
Breweries at the festival - 500
Beers at the festival - 2,000
Breweries in the competition - 2,154
Beers in the competition - 9,904 entries
Beer categories - 98
Category with most entries - American Style India Pale Ale, 423 entries
Medals awarded - 300
=== 2023 ===
Attendance - 40,000
Breweries at the festival - 500+
Beers at the festival -
Breweries in the competition - 2,033
Beers in the competition - 9,298
Beer categories - 263
Category with most entries - Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale, 365 entries
Medals awarded - 263
Craft beer

== External links ==Great American Beer Festival