Tickets to the in Denver went on sale this week, and this year, you don’t even need to like beer to find something to drink.
For the first time in its 43-year history, GABF will serve liquor as part of what itap calling . Twenty spirits companies, mostly from Colorado, will be on the festival floor serving quarter-ounce samples of whiskey, gin, vodka and more. As with beer, all samples will be poured for free.
Founded in 1982, GABF remained staunchly a beer-only event for four decades. But as consumer tastes shifted in recent years, the festival broadened its offerings. In 2023, some breweries were permitted to serve seltzer, cider and hard kombucha. Last year, the festival added ready-to-drink cocktails (RTDs) to the menu.
The pivot to beverages beyond beer also mimics what is happening in the brewery scene, where many companies have created different drinks to widen their consumer bases, or sought liquor licenses that allow them to sell wine and spirits.
Greeley’s WeldWerks Brewing Co., for example, expanded into the RTD space in 2024. In addition to pouring coveted beers like its Medianoche stout at GABF, the brewery will also serve its Strawberry Margarita and Orange Creamsicle canned cocktails. Similarly, Montrose-based Shelter Distilling makes both spirits and beer in-house and will serve both at GABF this year.
GABF comes to the Colorado Convention Center Oct. 9-11 and beverage makers will be set up in themed areas, such as Prost!, a traditional German biergarten; Score! With a sports vibe; and Fright!, a Halloween-themed experience. There will also be costume contests, a silent disco and surprise flash mob performances. The festival’s ancillary Paired event, which pairs beverages and food, will also make a return, though it requires a separate ticket.
General admission to the fest costs $85 (plus fees) on Thursday and $95 on Friday and Saturday — or $220 for a three-day pass. Find tickets and information at .
