Ten things I learned at GABF

Okay, by now you’ve read all the Great American Beef Festival Roundups, heard about the awards winners, and various pundit’s impressions, expressions and opinions.

So now you get to read the rest of the story.

This year was our (i.e., Molly, Mojo, Adam and me) first trip to “The Show”.

And what a show it was.

We’ve attended our fair share of beer festivals, but none has ever been quite like this. Beyond learning that it is simply not possible to hit every single booth at GABF even when you have four day, early access brewery passes, we found out that not all beer is good beer. Actually, we found that most beer is not good beer. (I can write that because my opinion carries no weight in the beer world – even though it’s totally, 100% true.)

More importantly, we learned ten valuable lessons at the GABF. Here they are:

1. Elvis is alive and drinking beer

(I have no idea who this guy is, but he has great hair and knew his beer)

2. Pabst comes in cans larger than 40 ounces

I’m pretty sure it was “samples” this size that led to Pabst being large brewery and brewer of the year

3. Bagpipes make great drinking music

I totally get why those guys wear skirts now

4. It is possible to do two things at once at GABF

No, there were no senators from Idaho there

5. There’s only one (okay two) way to get someone to drink Miller Chill

`nuf said.

6. Colt 45 actually does make guys look attractive

Let me make this clear – I am NOT saying this girl is a guy. Or that Colt 45 makes him more attractive… really.

7. Brewers are actually thoughtful, intellectual people with many important opinions

That’s Pizza Port’s Noah Regnery and Avery Brewing’s Adam Avery pondering the sum of two plus two.

8. The ladies dig Stan Heiryonmous

Sure, Hugh Hefner may have a mansion, but Stan’s got an endless supply of beer.

9. Tomme Arthur digs Ray Daniels

I think Ray knows, but he’s not talking.

10. Tomme Arthur is every bit as good as he thinks he is (but don’t tell him — he’s insufferable as it is)

Tomme wins small brewery and brewer of the year after collecting Two gold medals and a silver medal. Oh, and it’s his third time as brewer of the year.

Many thanks to Tomme Arthur and Port Brewing/Lost Abbey for having us as guests, as well as all the wonderful folks who were at GABF and showed us a great time.

You’ll find our full photo album here:

Great American Beer Festival 2007

Cheers!