Friday 1 August 2008

GBBF (2) American Beers

This year's Great British Beer Festival will see seventeen of America ’s craft breweries represented, showcasing 57 of their beers, the largest amount of American Craft Beer to be available at the GBBF in its 31-year history.

Well, let's hope so at least. A couple of years ago, we were expecting a large consignment of American beer but alas, it was impounded by British customs and excise, days before the event as illegal foodstuffs. By the time it was released, GBBF was over and some other lucky local CAMRA beer festivals were the beneficiaries of this misfortune.

The foreign beer stand at GBBF is know as "Bieres Sans Frontieres" and is managed by Andy Benson who reports "We aim to feature the best beer from around the world and American craft beer is a very important part of that, and one which has increased in size at the festival over recent years.

“American brewers are extremely innovative and produce an incredible variety of beer styles, which are of the utmost quality.

“They brew beers which others wouldn’t dare to brew, push the boundaries of brewing and have acted as an inspiration to brewers in many other countries.”

I have just found the list of beers and breweries on the BSF website - now linked above.

The American beers are of considerable interest to me this year, as I have been invited to be a judge at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver in October. This will give me a taste of what USA has to offer.

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