40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 71: A-B, Molotov cocktails, Mitch Steele and me (G.A.B.F., 1997 & 1998)

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<div>40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 71: A-B, Molotov cocktails, Mitch Steele and me (G.A.B.F., 1997 & 1998)</div>

Previously: 40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 70: Made-for-megabrewing stylelessness at the G.A.B.F. in 1997.

Quite apart from the attractions built into the Great American Beer Festival during the late 1990s came the opportunity to explore downtown Denver CO, which boasted many more breweries than the entire, extended region of “Kentuckiana” (or is it Indyucky?)

Such a concentration of breweries within relatively easy walking distance of each other had not beckoned to me since the Bamberg trip in 1996 — and I’m forever in favor of drinking beer and NOT driving.

40 Years in Beer (Book II), Part 65: Smoky treats, a 9-hour, 9-brewery, 9-beer Bamberg stroll in 1996

The Denver breweries were clustered around Lower Downtown (LoDo) and Coors Field, and in 1998 our hardy band of samplers quickly improvised a “drink a pint and keep moving” game plan, which included the non-brewing but magnificent beer bar called the Falling Rock Taphouse.

Pints Pub was the geographical exception, situated 1.5 miles from LoDo near the state governmental complex, so we used the free public transit connector via 16th St. for access to its lovely cask-conditioned, British-style ales.

In chronological order, commencing one day just before lunch, these establishments were sampled. Can I recall details? No, not really, apart from there being far fewer IPAs on tap than malt-forward styles, which suited me fine and still does.

  • Great Divide Brewing Co. (1994 – )
  • Breckinridge Brewery (1992 – )
  • Broadway Brewing (Flying Dog; 1994 – 2007)
  • SandLot Brewery (Coors Field; 1995 – )
  • Denver Chophouse & Brewery (1995 – )
  • Wynkoop Brewing Co. (1988 – )
  • Dixon Downtown Grill and Brewhouse (1997 – 2011)
  • Champion Brewing Co. (1991 – 2000)
  • Pints Pub (1993 – )
  • Falling Rock Taphouse (1997 – 2021)

I find it increasingly hard to delineate between the GABF in 1997 and 1998, apart from Bluegrass Brewing Co. winning a medal for Bearded Pat’s Barley Wine both years (1). The expensive, ambitious and short-lived BrewWorks at the Party Source (Covington, Kentucky) and its talented brewer Tim Rastetter captured medals for all five of its entries in 1997, and our dear friend and brewer Ron Downer of the long-shuttered Rocky River Brewing Co. in Sevierville, Tennessee medaled in 1998.

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