All graphics created by Erin Horn

We here at PorchDrinking believe beer should be fun. So two years ago we set out to add a different take on the Great American Beer Festival by inviting a mix of national and local writers to participate in our GABF Fantasy Brewery Draft. Each year we draft breweries based on how we believe they’ll finish during GABF awards ceremony and earn points based on those finishes.

During the inaugural year, PorchDrinking took home the gold, last year Brewtally Insane took first narrowly edging out Mike Snider of USA Today, who also did a wonderful write up of our draft. But this year the field is out for blood. We had a few of the previous year’s participants come and go, but we also added a new host of new talent to join our familiar friends. Here’s how the field shook out.

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• Brian Devine – The Roaming Pint / CraftBeer.com
• Kyle Clark – 9News
• Ryan Hannigan – Focus on the Beer
• Frances Lopez – The Full Pint
• Mike Snider, Tech and Beer Reporter, USA Today
• Mark Slattery , Founder, Denver Beer Guy
• Chelsea Mitchell, Founder, Drink and Spoon
• Chris Bruns, Contributor to Denver Off the Wagon
• The Ladies, Co-Founders of Bitch Beer
• Tom Rotunno, Senior Editor, CNBC
• Eric Gorski, Former Staff Writer and Beer Blogger for the Denver Post
• Jonathan Shikes, Managing Editor of Westword Magazine
• Mark and Patti Robinson, Founders of Brewtally Insane
• Tristan Chan, Founder, PorchDrinking.com

This year’s live draft took place at World of Beer LoDo. A big thanks to World of Beer LoDo who sponsored this year’s draft. Be sure to join them all next week for amazing tap takeovers from Upslope, Almanac, Avery, Coronado, Elite Brands, Left Hand and Odell.

 

The draft runs like any other fantasy sports snake-style draft would with the last pick of the first round receiving the first pick of the second round.

Our participants will score points based on how their breweries medal during the actual competition. Please note, that beers in the Great American Beer Festival are judged based on their style guidelines. So while you may be a huge fan of a crazy creative beer, it may not necessarily win due to its style category guidelines. Here’s how participants will score points.

Point breakdown:

1 point for Bronze
3 points for Silver
5 points for Gold

20 points for Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year for a Brewing Company (regardless of size)
15 points for Brewery and Brewmaster of the Year for a Brew Pub (regardless of size)

Judging will take place on Saturday morning of the Great American Beer Festival and without further ado, here are the results of the actual draft picks:

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