GABF16_Hero_Ticket_SalesFor the 35th year in a row, craft beer lovers will gather in Colorado at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the premier beer festival and competition in the U.S. With 379,000 square feet in the tasting hall, an anticipated 60,000 attendees will have the opportunity to sample some 3,800 beers from more than 800 breweries.

GABF has been bringing exceptional brewers and beer lovers together since 1982. Evolving with the booming craft beer industry and keeping up with Americans’ desire to tap into indie beer, GABF is now the single largest ticketed beer festival and event with the biggest selection of beers in the U.S. Attendees have an opportunity to try a varied assortment of beers from all corners of the country and experience the eclectic U.S. beer community. Coupled with a private competition and awards ceremony, the overall event showcases the U.S. as the greatest and most diverse brewing destination on the planet.

Event Dates & Times

Thursday, October 6: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Friday, October 7: 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, October 8*: 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Ticket Info

GABF tickets will be available for purchase to the general public online on August 3, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT via Ticketmaster.com.

A ticket pre-sale exclusively for members of the American Homebrewers Association and Brewers Association will take place on August 2 at 10:00 a.m. MDT/12:00 p.m. EDT. You must purchase a membership to the American Homebrewers Association or Brewers Association by July 24, 11:59 p.m. PDT, to be eligible for the member pre-sale.

Members-Only Session tickets are $65 each, with a two ticket limit per member number.

General Session tickets are $80 public/$75 members (if purchased during the members only sale on August 2) and include:

  • Commemorative tasting cup
  • Unlimited one-ounce samples of your choice of 3,800 beers
  • Festival guide and free app to help attendees navigate the festival hall
  • Access to dozens of educational and interactive seminars across all four sessions, focused on beer appreciation
  • Opportunity to speak with brewery representatives in the Meet the Brewer Hall
  • Complimentary artisan cheese samples, craft soda samples and a variety of other food options
  • Entertainment including games, karaoke, Silent Disco with a live DJ and more

*Due to limited availability, GABF General Session ticket sales are capped at four tickets per session per ticket buyer.

What Else Happens at GABF

GABF Competition: Not only about sampling quality beer, GABF is also a beer competition— one of the world’s largest and most distinguished. 2016 is expected to see nearly 7,000 beers from over 1,600 breweries competing in 96 beer style categories for their chance at the coveted gold, silver and bronze medals as named by GABF’s prestigious beer judges.

Craft Beer and Business: According to data recently released by the Brewers Association, the number of operating breweries in the U.S. is at an all-time high of more than 4,600 breweries, 99% of which are indie breweries. At GABF, discover the economic impact these small and independent brewers are having on our country, what’s next for the thriving industry and more.

Beer and Food: What’s better than a good beer? A delicious bite to pair. Embracing the growing popularity of beer and food pairings, Paired, formerly known as the Farm to Table Pavilion, provides an intimate setting to indulge attendees’ senses. Paired will feature 21 of the most renowned chefs from around the country, possessing accolades ranging from Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, James Beard Foundation and more, who will personally plate their dishes for guests and discuss the dynamic pairings. Exclusive craft beers served in Paired are available only in this pavilion and not in the festival hall. As in previous years, a separate ticket ($145) is required for entrance. Paired tickets are available exclusively to members of the American Homebrewers Association and the Brewers Association and as such, can only be purchased during the members only sale on August 2.

GABF is made possible by the support of generous sponsors.

About the Brewers Association

The Brewers Association is the not-for-profit trade association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. The Brewers Association (BA) represents more than 70 percent of the brewing industry, and its members make more than 99 percent of the beer brewed in the U.S. The BA organizes events including the World Beer CupSM, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America®, SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Homebrew Con, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. The BA publishes The New Brewer magazine and its Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers