GABF conclusion

So I poured on Saturday afternoon & I remembered my camera. Unfortunately it was the "Connoisseur Session", meaning the tickets cost more & the attendees were a lot more sedate. Serious beer drinkers, in the literal sense. Hence, there was no bagpipe band to open the ceremony and only a handful of costumes. I hate to admit, I took nary a photo. I assure you, I will be there next year camera at the ready on all three NIGHTS.

The beer. I've already told you about the beers I was serving. I also sampled many many other microbeers from across the country. The especially notable ones were: Alaskan Brewing Company's Alaskan Smoked Porter. (Silver for “smoked beers”). Yum. Very. Yeah, here's were my memory fades. Next year I am taking a notebook & pen AND my camera. The oddest brew was from Chicago Brewing Company in Las Vegas (eh?) I sampled on a dare from some random drinker who said it tasted like battery acid. “Hawaiian Honey”. It was odd not at all like beer. More like barleywine (which, sadly, I did not have the opportunity to sample any this year). Sweet & honeyish. Definitely not something I would ever purchase to drink. It actually won 3rd place for “specialty lager or ale”. Iron sh*tty, I mean City, was there. I tasted it just to remind myself how bad it really is.

The hoppiest beer by far was the "Mean Manalishi" from the Hoppin’ Frog Brewery in Akron, OH. I had to sip my one ounce. Yes, you read correctly, sip one ounce. It wasn't awful, just hoppy beyond belief. I think it is the reason I was burping hops Friday night.

Dogfish Head Brewery (one of my favorites) from DE had the longest lines at each session. Could be that their offerings had the highest alcohol content -18%, give or take a few points depending on the brew. Potent stuff.

Also packed was Short's Brewing Company from MI. I sampled one of their offerings made with spruce needles! It was interesting. And tasty.

Surprisingly, the big national companies were packed too. Anheiser-Busch, Coors, Miller, Boston Brewing. Blech. Not for me. I can drink those anytime, why would I sample them at the GABF?

I sampled a gluten-free beer from Bard's Tale in CT. It was not so good. Glad I don’t have to be gluten-free.

Three more memorable beers. Two fruity & one chocolate-y. From Carolina Beer Company, the pumpkin spiced ale & the strawberry ale were quite tasty. The strawberry was light & not overly fruity, but it tasted & smelled like strawberry. It was very refreshing. The pumpkin spiced ale was one of the best I’ve tasted. Not overwhelmingly spicy like some, & not too fruity. It was just scrummy. Finally the Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout from Foothills Brewing in NC was delish. More like dessert than beer. Gives me a new perspective on stout beer.

Whereas last year I discovered that I prefer hoppy beers, I think the biggest lesson I learned this year was that I don’t like lager. Not really. Not really at all. I much prefer ales, porters, or stouts. (Maybe the reason I never like Bud or most any of the other nationals).

I may run through my list of medal winners & post the brews I tasted. That may refresh my memory too. Or not. It was a feel good time for everyone, attendees & volunteers.

Now, who’s gonna join me next year???