As we’ve all come to know, the Great American Beer Festival has far greater implications for Colorado beer fans that extend beyond the four-day festival itself. One of those external benefits is the growing practice of out-of-state breweries utilizing the week to make a special limited drop of beers either as a means to test the market, or just to make a splash to help grow their brands. In previous years, breweries such as Fremont, Perennial and Burial have all used GABF week as a launch pad toward regular, or in some cases semi-regular distribution to Colorado. In other scenarios such the short-lived Bell’s Brewing’s drop a few years back, these brief market flirtations can help stoke the hype for breweries that may eye a future full-time distribution play, which in Bell’s case finally came to fruition this year.

Regardless, the 2018 Great American Beer Festival will once again yield a healthy bounty of beer treats that aren’t typically widely available as well as plenty of special releases from local breweries thoughtfully timed to celebrate the week.

We’ve begun compiling our guide to these special releases and will continue to update this list as more information presents itself. Happy hunting!

The following brands will be distributed by Elite Brands

Shorts Brewing Co. – Bellaire, MI

• Huma Lupa Licious IPA (Cans)
• Soft Parade (Cans)
• Soft Parade Shandy (Cans)

Modern Times Beer – San Diego, CA

• Fruitlands Gose (Cans & Draft)
• Orderville IPA (Cans & Draft)
• Space Ways IPA (Cans & Draft)
• Ice Pilsner (Cans)
• Black House Stout (Cans & Draft)
• Blazing World Amber (Cans)
• Fortunate Islands Pale Ale (Cans & Draft)
• Lutari Sour (Bottles & Draft)
• Lomaland Saison (Cans)

Revolution Brewing – Chicago, IL

• Anti-Hero IPA (Draft)
• Tropic-Hero IPA (Draft)
• Café Deth Imperial Stout (Draft)
• Loganberry Wheat Ale (Draft)
• League of Heroes IPA Variety Pack (Cans)

Sun King Brewing – Indianapolis, IN

• Sunlight Crème Ale (Draft)
• Grapefruit Jungle (Draft)
• Velvet Fog (Draft)
• Afternoon Delight Bourb on Barrel-Aged Doppelbock (Draft)
• Lonesome Dove Bourbon Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel (Draft)
• Sympathy for the Devil Bourbon Barrel-Aged Belgian Black Ale (Draft)
• Cherry Busey Oud Bruin Sour (Draft)

The following brands will be distributed by High Plains Distribution (formerly TRVE Distribution)

• Alvarado – Draft & Retail
• Commonwealth – Draft & Retail
• Great Notion – Draft
• Trophy – Draft & Retail
• Brewery Bhavana – Draft & Retail
• Civil Society – Draft
• J. Wakefield – Draft
• Three Taverns -Draft & Retail
• Finback – Draft & Retail
• Trillium – Draft
• Central State – Draft & Retail
• Rowley Farmhouse – Draft
• Arizona Wilderness – Draft
• Other Half – Events Only
• The Veil – Events Only

The following brands will be distributed by Crooked Stave Artisans

Event Specific

• Sante Adarius Rustic Ales
• Cellarmaker
• Filedworks
• Alchemist
• Bearded Iris
• 2nd Shift
• Union Craft
• Wiseacre
• Forbidden Root
• Marz Community Brewing
• Kane Brewing
• Pollyanna
• Maplewood
• Mikerphone
• Smylie Brothers
• Resident Culture
• Temperance
• Corridor
• Hopewell
• Illuminated
• Begyle
• Side Poject
• Pinthouse Pizza
• Tafts
• Little Fish
• 7venth Sun

Limited On-Premise Draft

• Aslin
• Interboro
• Singlecut
• Narrow Gauge
• The Answer
• Half Acre
• Moksa
• Moonraker
• Skull Mechanix

Full Distribution

• Springdale
• Jacks Abby
• Beachwood
• Creature Comforts
• Seven Stills of San Francisco
• D9
• Oozlefinch
• NOLA
• Revision
• The Rare Barrel
• Captain Lawrence
• Singlecut
• Jester King
• Old Nation
• The Collective
• Libertine
• Jackie Os
• Warped Wing
• Rhinegeist
• Madtree
• Une Anee/Hubbards Cave

The following brands will be distributed by Colorado Craft Distributors

• Roadhouse Brewery – Now available in Denver for full distribution
• Noble Rey Brewing
  • Sex in a Canoe (American Light Lager)
  • Tactical Combat Firefighter (American IPA)
  • European Vacation (Farmhouse Saison)
  • Off The Leash (Texas Red ale)

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