On September 29, the 30th annual Great American Beer Festival will kick off in Denver, CO. Around 49,000 attendees are expected (it sold out in a week) and 465 breweries will be on hand to pour more than 2,400 beers. If you haven’t been, the festival is a must at some point in your life for anyone who calls themselves a beer drinker. There are two parts to the festival: the country’s most-respected private judging and awards recognition for beer, and then the festival for the public.

Of the 465 breweries on hand, 28 of them will be representing Washington. As a preview for those going and as a guide to who might be up for awards this year, I’ll be posting as much GABF beer info as I can get from WA breweries before the event.

Hale’s Ales
For competition and on the floor:
Kolsch
Pale American Ale
Red Menace Amber
Mongoose IPA
Supergoose IPA

A keg of the Strong Belgian Golden Ale will also probably pour at the WA Brewers Guild booth at the festival.

Snipes Mountain Brewery
For judging and pouring at the festival:
Extra Blonde Ale
Moxee Pale Ale
Coyote Moon (Dark mild)
Dos Barrachos Lager
Ye Olde Roza (Strong ale)
And, for the Pro-Am competition they brewed Karl VanEvenhoven’s Cascadian Dark Ale