Tomorrow I’m off to Denver for the Great American Beer Festival. No complaints — or this wouldn’t be 15 years in a row (a streak that ends after this year — but I am aware that: a) it won’t be the biggest thing in Denver during the next week, and b) most beer drinkers around America, let alone the world, don’t give a hoot.
Although I travel with a specific to-do list I also know that good sense disappears one ounce at a time in the Colorado Convention Center. Every reporter has a certain number of story ideas shoved in his or her face, then you run across a surprising beer or two, get corraled into focusing on a particular style (like barley wine; bad idea) and come Monday you think, “Who cares about any of this?”
So I’m giving you a chance to make suggestions. This might be a really bad idea if what follows is deathly silence. Don’t be shy. I might even ask a superstar brewer your question.
What would you write about if you were going to be at the Great American Beer Festival? Would you . . .
– Lean on Vinnie Cilurzo to reveal what sort of beer he intends to put in all the used Cabernet Sauvignon barrels he has acquired?
– Take tasting notes on every beer from newish breweries like FiftyFifty, Hopworks Urban and Hollister?
– Ask Garrett Oliver what the next beer will be on the 750ml bottle series (while sampling an ounce of the wonderful Local One)? Note: A bad idea because he has promised to delay the next release by a month every time he is asked this question.
– Snarf down every bit of food in the 3,124 food and beer tastings planned for the rest of the week?
– Write haikus?
You tell me.
Find out if the new Miller-Coors merger is actually going to bring about better beer in North America from a large (understatement) brewing player — and whether or not A-B really cares. 😉
Write about the whack-jobs in the pathetic outfits: the walkaround six-pack guys in the bottle outfits, the hairy guy in the dirndl, the guy dressed up like a hop cone. That should be good for a 4,000 word feature.
Or maybe take a look at why this festival runs the way it does, vs. the way the GBBF runs: tiny pours of huge beers vs. big pours of session-strength beers.
Tiny pours of huge beers vs. big pours of session-strength beers.
I’ve been thinking about that, Lew. Some big beers really are best one ounce at a time, but the subtle nuances of a session-strength beer take a little more to appreciate.
The one plus is that when you find such a beer you can stand there and have a second pour, or a third, because there is no lines for those beers ;<(
dunno what you should write about, but have a great time! I’m jealous.
I think it would be interesting to know how brewers plan to cope with the upcoming hop/malt problems. What have they done to prepare?
I’m going to stand beside you, Stan, as we each enjoy an Imperial pint of the best session beer at the fest, one ounce at a time.
You won’t be at GABF next year?
I think you have to go with your instinct and take all suggestions above at the same time – report all issues only in haiku.
Note that Miller-Coors and Molson-Coors have the same number of syllables but that there were many more in SABMiller and Molson-Coors separately. There is more than just industrial efficiencies at play here…for the haiku-aware writer.
Stan:
How about a full account of the Saturday night GABF session? I feel bad for the beer fans who get a ticket for that session because much of the good beer is gone and the party crowd has really pre-gamed for that one.
How about an interview with the longest serving judge who has been at the most GABFs to find out the strangest things (funny, serious, arguments, etc.) that have taken place during the judging?
Finally, I’d love a Falling Rock Tap House gossip column on the comings and goings of brewers, beer writers and other industry types.
Have fun. I wish I was going to be there this year.
Rick
You won’t be at GABF next year?
Jack, I don’t think I’m prepared to have you break my heart again with a last second cancellation or …
We plan to be in Poperinge next year for the hop festival, then other European destinations.
Having not gone myself (yet!), I think my own strategy would just be to capture the chaos, from a blogger’s perspective (does that really mean anything? “Blogger’s perspective”? The real beer writers are cringing about now ;)). Take lots of pictures, write what I see, talk to as many brewers as possible. That sort of thing.
And then as a homebrewer, I’d be curious if any of the superstar brewers still homebrew themselves…
How about talking to brewers and seeing what breweries are working together and how to promote good beer? Such as collaborating on a beer, events held at each others breweries, monthly bbqs? I think the real strength of craft beer is the community that exists between the brewers and I’d love to hear more about it!
How about plotting a graph of escalating IBU, ABV, and oak flavors over the course of the event, and commenting on any corresponding trajectory of quality.
How about plotting a graph of escalating IBU, ABV, and oak flavors over the course of the event, and commenting on any corresponding trajectory of quality.
I’d love to have an accurate analysis of the beers (were there a number for oak flavor) and then find out how they were perceived as the festival wears on. Obviously drinkers get numb (literally) to flavor and need MORE as the evening wears on.
I’m not trolling for an argument, but I live an hour west of Denver and after all these years I haven’t figured out what the big deal is.
If it was going to change what I want to buy at Antler’s (my local store) or even what I can buy then I’d be interested.
I guess the best story for me would be one that amuses me, so don’t go for the heavy stuff.
Cover the “other” barrel-related event in town — namely the Barrel Racing at the International Gay Rodeo Finals.
the Barrel Racing at the International Gay Rodeo Finals.
I think that is something we need live Beer Pix from. My phone is barely a phone, let alone a camera.
I think that is something we need live Beer Pix from. My phone is barely a phone, let alone a camera.
Me, I’m afraid of horses. Tomme loves barrels and he has a new cameraphone. I bet he’ll go.
Hell, I’m already here in Denver now and I don’t know what I’ll write about either.
J
Jay,
But there is plenty to write about, right? I was just wondering if what we see is what people really care about.
Don’t use up all the stories. I’m on my way.
Since no one has debated “beer styles” of late why not ask a brewer who “Hmph!”‘s at the word style: Do they spend more time researching the categories at the GABF for their creative entries or do they spend more time creating an invention based on the existing categories.
Or not…