America’s Greatest Beer Celebration: The 2008 Great American Beer Festival and Competition

The 2008 Festival and Competition Shattered Records and Made Beer History

Boulder, Colo. • Oct. 16, 2008 - The Great American Beer Festivalsm (GABF), America’s greatest beer festival and competition, attracted beer lovers from across the world on October 9th, 10th, and 11th. This year’s event, held in Denver, Colorado, had 432 breweries, 60 plus exhibitors and 2,600 volunteers. A total of 46,000 attendees could choose from 2,052 different beers, one ounce at a time, from 432 breweries across the United States. The festival sold out two weeks before the start date and the competition was the largest commercial beer competition ever to be held.


Link to High Resolution Photo

“The Great American Beer Festival celebrates American’s flavorful and innovative beer culture, featuring small independent craft brewers who are brewing some of the best beer in the world,” stated Charlie Papazian, President of the Brewers Association and founder of the festival. “Despite a softening economy and raw materials challenges, beer from U.S. craft brewers continues to generate global excitement and interest in the American beer and food scene.” http://www.greatamericanbeerfestival.org

The Great American Beer Festival Competition attracted 127 international beer judges. Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver, and bronze medals in 75 distinct beer categories, establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S. New style categories this year included: Fresh Hop Ale, American-Belgo Style Ale, and Leipzig-Style Gose. This year’s entries came from 472 breweries. A total of 2,902 beers were judged.

The average number of beers entered per category was 39. Category 46: American-Style India Pale Ale had the highest number of entries with 106. Category 4: Fruit or Vegetable Beer was second with 90 entries.

Leading Medal Winning States – 2008 GABF (Link to Complete Winners List)

• California: 506 entries, 39 medals won, 8% of entries winning medals


• Colorado: 356 entries, 34 medals won, 10% of entries winning medals


• Oregon: 209 entries, 19 medals won, 9% of entries winning medals


• New York: 134 entries, 10 medals won, 7% of entries winning medals


• Wisconsin: 134 entries, 15 medals won, 11% of entries winning medals


• Pennsylvania: 115 entries, 10 medals won, 9% of entries winning medals


• Washington: 108 entries, 7 medals won, 6% of entries winning medals


• Michigan: 98 entries, 5 medals won, 5% of entries winning medals

Great American Beer Festival 2008 Statistics:

• 432 Breweries in the festival hall


• 2,052 Beers served at the festival


• 46,000 attendees (includes brewers, volunteers, ticket holders)


• 2,600 volunteers


• 41,679 volunteer hours, estimated


• 472 Breweries in the competition


• 2,902 Beers judged in the competition


• 75 Categories judged + Pro-Am Category


• 127 Judges from eleven countries


• Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 39


• American Style India Pale Ale Category had the highest number of entries: 106

2008 GABF Official Sponsors are: (Official Sponsors) DRAFT magazine, Anheuser-Busch, Inc., Coors Light, Miller Lite, Microstar Keg Management, 97.3 KBCO, 103.5 The Fox, and AM 760. (Associate Sponsors) Samuel Adams, Eco-Products, Inc., Here's To Beer, Four Points by Sheraton, WAHL 'Let It Grow Tour', Winter Park / Copper Mtn. Resorts, Westword

For images photos or B-roll please contact Cindy Jones. 303.447.0816 x144 / cindy@brewersassociation.org

For podcast, video and images from the festival visit the Press Room pages on GreatAmericanBeerFestival.com

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Based in Boulder, Colo., U.S.A., the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association for American craft brewers and the community of beer enthusiasts. Visit the website: www.beertown.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival sm ; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; American Craft Beer Week (May); Zymurgy magazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 17,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.