A New Return to the Great American Beer Festival

Photo © Brewers Association

I’m going back to the Great American Beer Festival for the first time in 10 years. This time I have more on my agenda than celebrating good beer. The beer is still the star, but I’ll be scouting for a certain undertone…an environmental undertone. I’ll be exploring the “environment of beer” by talking to the brewers, attendees, and viewing the fest with my eyes on the environmental world of beer. It’s my new return to the Great American Beer Festival. 

A few years ago, I wrote about the environmental initiatives at Bayern Brewing in Missoula, MT. I spoke with the owner and head brewer about quality ingredients, water, and recycling efforts. It was the first time I wrote about the environmental side of brewing. Since then, I wrote some articles here and there about the connection between good beer and environmental initiatives. For the 2018 GABF, I’m writing an entire series on the environment of beer. I’m profiling breweries and highlighting the Fest’s sustainability. I’m exploring how to drink an environmentally friendly beer and more as I work my way through the Colorado Convention Center.

As the number of breweries in the U.S. exploded over the past decade, there was an equal effort by breweries to make connections outside the brewer’verse. Today, it is common for breweries to use their beer and taprooms to connect their beer, their community, quality food, and the environment. It’s common for breweries to promote their sustainability and support environmental causes. Breweries often use their taproom as a community gathering point for non-profits and charitable organizations. Beer festivals are going solar. Environmental groups often use local craft beer as a fulcrum to get together.

The spirit of the GABF hasn’t changed since I last went in 2008. It has evolved to capture the size, popularity, and thirst of the craft beer culture. When I was going to the Fest in the mid-2000s, we would buy our tickets on Monday to go to the Thursday evening session. A lot has changed since them. I hope the vibe and community are only stronger. And I’m pretty sure the beer is still good.

If you’re attending the GABF and want to share a story, are a brewer with an environmental story to tell, or just want to see what it’s all about, follow along on Twitter @RMPPro.