The wait is nearly over as the Great American Beer Festival returns in less than a month. Returning October 6-8, the country’s largest beer event will celebrate its 40th anniversary after a two-year hiatus. And while this year’s festival footprint is noticeably smaller due to renovations to the Colorado Convention Center, upon first glance the breweries and beers that are anticipated to be poured look like a true return to glory.

The Brewers Association has released its initial projected GABF Pour List, and while we’ll be spending the next few weeks breaking down guided routes based on different styles, we thought we’d take an initial look at the absolute can’t miss beers based on what has been released thus far. Keep in mind, all beers are subject to change, and while there are several other incredible beers that also stand out or already spark our interest, these are iconic sure-bet beers that are likely to garner quite a bit of attention.

For the full pour list, check out the Great American Beer Festival website, and grab your tickets to join us for all of the fun the first week of October. Speaking of, if you haven’t done so already, be sure to also grab tickets to join us at the PorchDrinking 10th Anniversary Beer Festival featuring several breweries not pouring at GABF.

Initial Can’t Miss Beers to Try at the 2022 GABF

Allagash – Coolship Resurgam

Alstadt Brewery – All Lagers

Avery Brewing – 2018 Rumpkin – Barrel-Aged Pumpkin Ale

Boneyard Brewing – Notorious IPA3 – Triple IPA

Boneyard Brewing – Wooden Femur – English Style Barleywine seasoned in American Rye Whiskey Barrels

Samuel Adams – Utopias

Bottle Logic – Cryopreservation – BBA Pistachio Ice Cream-inspired Imperial Stout

Bottle Logic – Continuous Ignition – Bourbon Barrel-Aged Coffee Caramel Rye Imperial Stout

Bottle Logic – Flesh to Stone – Peach Brandy Barrel-Aged Barleywine

Bottle Logic – Fundamental Observation – Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Vanilla Stout

Cannonball Creek Brewing – Featherweight – Pale Ale

Cannonball Creek Brewing – Trump Hands – Session IPA

Chuckanut Brewery – All Lagers

Corporate Ladder Brewing – Purchase Order: 002

Crooked Stave – Barrel-Aged Stout

DankHouse Brewing – DDH Couch Kush’n – Double New England IPA

Dogfish Head – Bourbon Barrel Aged 120 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head – Un’Ora – Italian-style pilsner brewed with flint corn polenta, dry-hopped with Spalt & Tettnanger

Firestone Walker – Dark Ray – Blended Barrel-Aged Stout with Madagascar Vanilla beans, cocoa nibs, and coconut

Firestone Walker – Ferus Spontaneous – Blend of one, two, and three-year-old koelship-cooled, spontaneously fermented beer

Firestone Walker & Russian River – STiVO – Keller style Pilsner Collab

Fremont Brewing – Brew 6000 – Barrel-Aged Barleywine

Fremont Brewing – Rusty Nail 2022 – Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout with Licorice and Cinnamon Bark

Great Notion Brewing – Over Ripe – Hazy IPA

Kane Brewing – A Night to End All Dawns – Imperial Dark Ale aged in Bourbon barrels

Kane Brewing – Dripping Maple – French Toast-inspired Double Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

Live Oak Brewing – Grodziskie

Live Oak Brewing – Pre-War Pils

Maplewood Brewing – Double Charlatan – Double Dry-Hopped Double IPA

Midwest Coast Brewing – West Town Brown

Monday Night Brewing – imaginary grace – Lambic-style

Monday Night Brewing – Tie 11 – Blended Strong Ale aged on Amburana Wood

More Brewing – Barrel-Aged Henna: Birthday – Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with Coconut, Pecans, Vanilla, & Cocoa Nibs.

Port Brewing / The Lost Abbey – Duck Duck Gooze Anniversary Blend 2022 – Gueuze

Pure Project – Corylus – Barrel-Aged Adjunct Stout

Revolution Brewing – Coconut Deth (2022) – Barrel-Aged Stout with Coconut

Russian River Brewing – Beatification – Spontaneously fermented Wild Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing – Barrel-Aged Bigfoot Barleywine – E.H. Taylor Collaboration

The Austin Beer Garden Brewery – Rocket 1000 – Pilsner

The Austin Beer Garden Brewery – Industry – German Pilsner

Three Floyds Brewing – Crushing Mass – Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout

Three Floyds Brewing – Cheer Team – Double IPA

Wayfinder – Hell – Helles

WeldWerks Brewing – Starry Noche

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