Can’t-Miss 2025 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) Events

A big thank you to IndieCreative for creating this list of don’t miss events coming for GABF (Great American Beer Festival) 2025 in Denver, Colorado:

The Great American Beer Festival comes back to Denver Oct. 9-11. 
While beer lovers can sample through craft beer, cider, hard lemonade, teas, and seltzers at this year’s event, there are also a ton of events happening outside the convention center that draw industry folks and beer lovers alike. Here are a few can’t-miss GABF events happening outside the convention center. No tickets needed at these events!


Gratitude! A Customer Appreciation Party
Saturday, Oct. 4 from 12 to 9 p.m.
Location: Our Mutual Friend Brewing (2810 Larimer St. Denver, CO 80205)
This is the 12th year of Gratitude, OMF’s annual customer appreciation party. It’s a celebration of community, good friends, and the beer that brings us together. Free entry. Festivities will include special beer releases, beer and merchandise bundles, DJ-spinning music, photo booth, Pit Fiend BBQ, and raffles every hour on the hour.


Fourth Annual “State of Craft Beer” Showcase
Wednesday, Oct 8 from 6 to 10 p.m.
Location: Oskar Blues Grill & Brew (1624 Market St. Denver, CO 80202)
In celebration of Denver’s biggest beer holiday, Oskar Blues Grill & Brew on Market Street will feature a “State of Craft Beer” draft list curated in collaboration with the Colorado Brewers Guild. The list includes over 30 brewers’ favorite beers from across the Colorful State of Colorado and the venue will host a tapping party Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 6-10pm for beer enthusiasts that would like first access to the list. In- and out-of-state tourists can stop by Oskar Blues Grill & Brew, the closest beer bar to the Convention Center, throughout the week of the beer festival for a carefully curated selection of indie beers and a full lunch and dinner menu.


The craft beer bar and restaurant hosts a happy hour Monday-Friday from 3-6 pm with great deals on beers, sliders, wings, and more. Exclusively for the beer holiday week, the daily happy hour menu will feature a Chef’s Playground special on Gator Bites, highlighting the full menu’s cajun-inspired influence. 


Oskar Blues Grill & Brew’s downstairs music venue, The Black Buzzard, hosts weekly music and comedy including “King Falcon” on Thursday, Oct. 9, and “Dru Montana, James Moss, Jared Chandler – Comedy Showcase” on Friday, Oct. 10. See more details and buy tickets in advance to sip on the “State of Craft Beer” list during the shows online at oskarbluesfooderies.com/denver-happenings


Westbound & Down West Coast Wednesday
Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m.
Location: Westbound’s Downtown Denver taproom (1801 Blake St. Denver, CO 80202. Located inside Free Market)
Come kick-off GABF with Westbound and Down at their Downtown Denver taproom. Westbound’s own Chef Casey Taylor will be serving Tri-Tip Street Tacos., DJ Ginger will be spinning classic West Coast hip-hop, and the brewery will be pouring a curated selection of West Coast IPA from some of their favorite producers.


Krispy King Lager Competition and Festival
Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 2 to 8 p.m.
Location: Barrels & Bottles Brewery (1055 Orchard St. Golden, CO 80401)
The fourth annual Krispy King Competition and Festival is a friendly competition that crowns the best-tasting and crispiest lagers. Enjoy live music throughout the day and food from the Barrels & Bottles kitchen, as well as Shuck Brothers. This event is free to attend. Check out the list of participating breweries here.


“Cold Played” at Occidental
Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 4-9 p.m.
Location: Occidental (1950 W 32nd Ave, Denver, CO 80211)
Lagers and West Coast Pilsners on tap from Ratio, ISM, La Cumbre, and pFriem


Cerebral and Firestone Walker Blend Session
Wednesday, Oct. 8 from 6-8 p.m.
Location: Cerebral Aurora Arts Taproom (9990 E Colfax Ave, Aurora, CO 80010)
Barrel-aged beer blend session with Firestone Walker. Check the Cerebral website for ticketing details. 


Cerebral Beer Mile
Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 6 p.m.
Location: Cerebral Highlands (3257 Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO 80211)
This special edition of run club includes grabbing three friends to put your speed to the test. In this relay-style race, teams of four will:
Drink a pint of beer (included with entry) 
Run a quarter mile
Tag the next teammate to do the same
The first team to complete their mile takes home bragging rights + prizes! $10/team (includes one pint for each teammate – talk about cheap beer)! Tickets can be purchased here.

Cannonball Creek and Ratio Beerworks Punk Lager Fest

Thursday, Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.
Location: Cannonball Creek (393 Washington Ave, Golden, CO 80403)
Cannonball Creek Brewing and Crosby Hops Present the second annual Punk Lager Fest! Co-hosted by Ratio Beerworks and Ism Brewing, hop on the Lagerwagon and take a free ride from Ratio Beerworks in RiNo to Cannonball Creek in Golden to enjoy the Punk Lager Fest. Check the shuttle schedule here. Enjoy guest lagers from Riip, Grains of Wrath, Shred, Wayfinder, ABGB, Meanwhile, Blind Tiger, La Cumbre, Craft Coast, Ism, Ratio, Joyride, Westbound & Down, Bierstadt, Comrade, and Call to Arms.


Hostile Takeover – Fidens Brewing Co.
Thursday, Oct. 9, all day
Location: Cerebral Congress Park taproom (1477 Monroe St, Denver, CO 80206)
Taproom takeover featuring a full lineup of beers from Fidens all the way in Albany, NY. Enjoy Fidens x Cerebral merch.


A Taste of Westbound
Friday, Oct 10 from 5-8 p.m.
Location: Westbound’s Downtown Denver taproom (1801 Blake St. Denver, CO 80202. Located inside Free Market)
Chef Casey Taylor will be bringing a taste of Westbound with W&D Smash Burgers in the alley.


Cerebral Congress Park and West Highland – East vs. West Showdown
Friday, Oct 10, all day
Location: Congress Park and Highland locations
IPA Style showdown – full lineup of West Coast IPAs at West Highland, Hazy IPAs at Congress Park – featuring guest taps at both locations. The first location to kick all their kegs (or whoever kicks the most kegs) “wins” the showdown.


Ratio Beerworks Presents the 9th Annual GABF Karaoke Party
Saturday, Oct. 11 from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Location: Ratio Beerworks (2920 Larimer St. Denver, CO 80205)
This beloved industry event closes out GABF with friends, beer, and your favorite tunes. One free Ratio beer for anyone that signs. First come, first serve for sign ups.


Cerebral Field to Face
Saturday, Oct. 11, all day
Location: Cerebral Highlands (3257 Lowell Blvd, Denver, CO 80211)
Celebration of fresh hop beers, featuring fresh hop beer guest taps. In partnership with Yakima Chief Hops, there will be a fresh hop sensory table for customers to experience and hopefully some visuals/storyline for customers to see on the farms that our hops are sourced from


Cerebral Low Key Lager
Saturday, Oct. 11, all day
Location: Cerebral Congress Park taproom (1477 Monroe St, Denver, CO 80206)
All the lagers are coming out for the lager lovers out there!


GABF Hangover Party
Sunday, Oct. 12 at 12 p.m.
Location: River North Brewery (3400 Blake St. Denver, CO 80205)
Still recovering from the Great American Beer Festival?.Roll into River North for Moya’s Breakfast Tacos and plenty of cold pours to cure that hangover in style. Delicious, cheesy, and exactly what your festival weekend deserves. GABF attendees also get Happy Hour pricing.

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