Episode 349 - GABF Memories

ABV Chicago Craft Beer Podcast

For the first time since this podcast started almost seven years ago, there’s no trip to Denver to drink beer at the Great American Beer Festival - and we’re feeling a little sad about it. So we embark on a gleefully nostalgic and self-indulgent episode, wherein we revisit some favorite memories (and interviews) from the first five years at GABF all while drinking five beers to represent years 2014-2018. You’ll hear some brief interview snippets from the past, including Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head), Jay Goodwin (The Rare Barrel), Jeff Stuffings (Jester King), Randy Mosher (Forbidden Root/being “The Mosh”), and Tomme Arthur (The Lost Abbey/Port Brewing/The Hop Concept). We also have a few ridiculous pizza stories, share our all-time top 20 beers from GABF, and fire up a game of Doom on a pregnancy test. It’s also a bit of a meditation on how beer has changed since 2014 through the observation of trends shifting from year to year at America’s largest beer festival. It’s a long one, but we hope you dig it.

Beers Reviewed

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery - 90 Minute Imperial IPA

The Rare Barrel - Forces Unseen 2016 (Golden sour aged in oak)

Jester King Brewery - Bière de Miel

Forbidden Root Brewery (Columbus) - Cosmic Trust Fall (Double Hazy IPA)

The Lost Abbey - Ghosts in the Forest - Guava (Oak-aged wild ale w/guava)