We hope you’ll join us at Levitt Pavilion October 10 and 11 from 12pm-4pm for tasty brews, live music, and lots of fun under the Colorado sun. 

Need-to-Know Info

As always, your festival ticket includes a tasting glass and unlimited samples from America’s top breweries. There’s also plenty of new stuff this year, including:

• Ticket prices are nearly 40% lower than previous years! 2026 tickets start at an all-in price of $66.53.

• Beer has always been the center of GABF, but this year we’re turning the volume up to 11! We’re curating a stellar lineup of award-winning breweries who will have staff pouring all weekend. This is your chance to connect with the people behind your favorite beers! 

• A public awards ceremony. Yep, awards are open to the public! The 2026 GABF competition awards ceremony will be held during the festival on Sunday, Oct. 11.

• We’ll be offering roundtrip shuttle services from the Sheraton Denver Downtown to Levitt Pavilion as an optional add-on to your ticket purchase. More details coming soon! See more info about rideshares, parking, and public transit here. 

• Book a room in our hotel block for the best rates and close proximity to the shuttle stop!

Have questions? Check out our FAQs and keep an eye on our website for more information—lots more to come!

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While the spirit of GABF remains unchanged—hundreds of breweries, thousands of beers, and a nationwide showcase of innovation—moving outside is a natural evolution for a festival rooted in exploration, connection, and a sense of place. It also reflects how festivals have changed, as attendees increasingly look for experiences that feel immersive, comfortable, and distinctly local.  

Festival booths are FREE and registration is now open to Brewers Association (BA) member breweries that have won an award in the GABF or World Beer Cup competitions in the last five years (2020-2025 for GABF, 2020-2026 for World Beer Cup). Registration will open to other BA member breweries in June. Here’s why your brewery should snag a spot in Denver this fall:   

1. Be part of the festival’s next chapter

Pouring at the new outdoor GABF is a unique moment in craft beer history and an opportunity to be included in the story as the festival evolves.  

2. Reach the most engaged craft audience in the country

GABF draws attendees eager to explore breweries outside their regular circles. By pouring, your brand can connect with engaged fans and broaden your brand beyond your local market. 

3. A more dynamic layout

Open-air tasting zones, live music, a reenvisioned PAIRED event, and an environment designed for exploration make it easier for attendees to wander, sample, and discover breweries they didn’t know about when they arrived.  

4. Stronger storytelling and brand presence

The outdoor setting creates a relaxed, social atmosphere, making it easier for attendees to engage in longer conversations at your booth. With brewery staff at the booth for all sessions, you’ll strengthen your brand story and create memorable moments. 

5. Real industry connections in one place

GABF provides valuable opportunities to network with fellow brewers, exchange ideas, and establish industry relationships. The outdoor format encourages more informal and dynamic connections throughout the event. 

Be part of GABF’s new future! Learn more about festival booth registration here. 

The post 5 Reasons Your Brewery Should Pour at the 2026 Great American Beer Festival appeared first on Great American Beer Festival.

The number of craft malt houses has grown significantly since the early 2010s. These small businesses play an important role in diversifying independent brewers’ barley malt supply chain. They produce local and unique alternatives to the long-established traditional sources of barley malt. A craft maltster as defined by the Craft Malt Guild produces fewer than 10,000 metric tons per year with over 50% of grains grown within a 500-mile radius of the malthouse.

Category Details

Beers entered in this category are required to contain at least 50% of the malt produced at a craft maltster. Brewers may choose to indicate an underlying/traditional base style for the beer. Color, clarity, aroma, flavor, and body may deviate significantly from a stated style in an effort to highlight character of craft malt(s) used.

We encourage brewers to collaborate closely with the craft maltster in the development and formulation of beer. Brewers will be asked to share information on the craft maltster so they are able to share in the accolades provided a medal-winning beer. A complete category description is available here.

This addition follows the model pioneered by the Vera Hop Category at the 2025 GABF. The 2027 GABF will feature the a category for new public hop variety Thora. These special categories highlight the unique creative and collaborative energy of independent brewers and their supply chain partners.

How To Enter

Registration for the 2026 Great American Beer Festival competition opens June 23, 2026. Become a Brewers Association member to save $240 per beer entry and compete for a spot on the October awards stage.

Please reach out to Chris Williams or Chuck Skypeck with questions or comments.

The post New GABF Category Puts Craft Malt in the Spotlight appeared first on Great American Beer Festival.

The Great American Beer Festival®(GABF®) is stepping outside! The nation’s favorite craft beer celebration will move outdoors on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11, 2026, relocating from the Colorado Convention Center to Denver’s Levitt Pavilion. 

The move signals a bold new chapter for GABF, blending its legendary beer lineup with live music, open skies, and a more immersive festival experience.  

“Great American Beer Festival has always reflected where American craft beer is headed,” said Ann Obenchain, vice president of marketing and communications of the Brewers Association. “Taking the festival outdoors lets us reimagine what’s possible, and we’re excited to bring fresh energy to the festival and provide an experience that feels uniquely Colorado.” 

Located in Denver’s Ruby Hill neighborhood, Levitt Pavilion is a nonprofit music venue offering expansive green space, panoramic city views, and a built-in amphitheater that unlocks new creative possibilities, from live music to open-air tasting zones, and an evolved PAIRED event.  

“Levitt Pavilion is proud to be the new host venue for the Great American Beer Festival, and to welcome the festival’s many brewers, partners, and attendees to Ruby Hill Park this fall,” said Meghan McNamara, executive director of Levitt Pavilion Denver. “Our founding purpose is to build community through music and shared experiences, and partnering with the Brewers Association expands that vision for both our organizations.” 

The setting may be new, but the spirit of GABF remains unmistakable: hundreds of breweries, thousands of beers, and a nationwide showcase of award-winning craft beverages, now amplified by fresh air, room to roam, and a renewed social spirit that only an outdoor festival can deliver. 

“This isn’t just a venue change for us, it’s an evolution,” Obenchain added. “We’ve listened to our attendees, and we’re creating an outdoor festival that invites people to explore, discover, and celebrate craft beer in a completely new way—one that’s all about gathering your friends, finding your spot on the lawn, and enjoying great beer and good times together.” 

After more than four decades as a cornerstone of American beer culture, GABF’s move outdoors signals a time of adaptation for craft beer, and a future that’s bold, vibrant, and open to change. Tickets will go on sale starting in June 2026. Sign up for ticket alerts and join us outdoors this fall!

EVENT DETAILS 
Dates: October 10 and 11, 2026 
Time: 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. 
Location: Levitt Pavilion, Denver 
Tickets: Starting at $60. On sale June 2026. 

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A total of 273 breweries and cideries took home 347 medals in this year’s Great American Beer Festival competition. Over seven days and three judging phases, 250 expert judges evaluated 8,315 beer and cider entries—including 68 Collaboration and 40 Pro-Am submissions—from breweries spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C. 

Read the complete press release.

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