The American Homebrewers Association at the Great American Beer Festival

October 10–12, 2024 | Denver, Colorado

Welcome to AHA at GABF. We’re excited!

For 2024, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) is pleased to offer AHA members the option to gather surrounded by layers of beer appreciation, education, and off-the-charts networking at the who’s who of U.S. beer gatherings. We look forward to celebrating homebrewers on a national stage and hosting the National Homebrew Competition awards at the country’s largest beer festival, first hosted by the AHA in 1982.

Pre-order your GABF Commemorative T-shirt.

Save by ordering early! Exclusive to AHA Members. Pick up on-site outside the merchandise area. Must attend GABF to pickup shirts, shirts will not be shipped.

  • Order your shirt by August 23. No refunds will be issued if canceled after August 23.
  • 100% Cotton
  • Sky Blue
  • Short sleeve
  • All gender sizing

AHA @ GABF registration required for pre-ordering items


What’s On Tap

*Information subject to change

Have you been to GABF? It gathers more beer lovers, brewers, judges, and beer/beverage media than any other event worldwide. Get ready for laughing and learning and three days of WOW-level beer experiences served up in Denver, Colorado… the Munich of the West.

6:00 – 9:00 PM

Club Night

Denver Beer Co. Canworks
4455 Jason St, Denver, CO 80211

Club Night ticket ($30) + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!)

We are so excited to offer Club Night at Denver Beer Co. (host venue). At this GEM of a party, homebrew clubs from across the U.S. showcase their best offerings, personally serving AHA members in attendance. Costumes are expected and AHA exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the Jason Street production facility, AKA Canworks, are planned. Purchase tickets below. See participating club information here.

4:00 – 5:00 PM

AHA Member Gathering

Colorado Convention Center, Room 401 and 402

Thursday Night GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!)

Advance registration required with limited capacity

Join your fellow AHA Members and AHA Committee Members for a kick-off toast and a chance to review the wild and wonderful event ahead, along with AHA 2025 plans in the making.

Registration is now closed. Please see us on-site for information.

5:30 – 9:15 PM

Homebrew Headquarters- An AHA Member Exclusive

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall

Thursday Night GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!)

Inside ‘Homebrew HQ’, the exclusive GABF area for AHA members, you will be privy to one of THE most special areas inside the festival.  

1

GABF Pro-Am Booth

Hosted since 2005, this is the premiere U.S. competition bringing together pro brewers and homebrewers who collaboratively brew and vie for a GABF medal in a best-of-show style competition. Located inside Homebrew HQ, AHA members will sip and sample 2024 entries in advance of Saturday’s GABF awards.

2

Homebrew Rockstars

Sip and learn from top beeroes as they personally serve you their homebrew and provide an overview of the brewing process, ingredients, and story behind each brew. Rockstar lineup includes (with more to come):

Brady Smith

Dan Short

Hogtown Brewers Club 

Rusty Burrel 

Duncan Bryant

HomebrewersAssociation.org

Matthew Neilson

Hogtown Brewers Club 

3

Brewing Demonstration

Smell, sip, and learn as you check out AHA’s live homebrewing demonstration (1 per session) from leaders who show you, first hand, how they brew.

4

Craft Beer and Homebrewing History Exhibit

A perfect selfie spot and tour through history, homebrewing and the U.S. craft beer movement.

5

You Be the Judge (6:30–9:00 pm)

Taste beer like a pro with a GABF or Beer Judge Certification (BJCP) Judge to test your skills, sessions are 15 minutes each. Sign up once inside Homebrew HQ.

6

Homebrew Marketplace

Shop and save with some of today’s top supply partners devoted to homebrewing products and services.

5:30 – 9:30 PM

AHA Membership Booth

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall positioned right outside Homebrew HQ.

Thursday Night GABF ticket required

Meet your AHA staff members and renew or sign up for AHA membership.

6:30 – 7:30 PM

National Homebrew Competition (NHC) Awards Ceremony

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall Karaoke Stage

Thursday Night GABF ticket required

In 1979, 34 entries competed in the first NHC held in Boulder, Colorado. Since 2023, 162,710 entries have been evaluated. The NHC is the largest homebrew competition in the world. A delayed stream of the ceremony will be available to the public within two hours of the live awards.

8:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Beer Judge Certification Program Exams

Colorado Convention Center, Room 401

Pre-registration direct with the BJCP required. No GABF ticket required. 

Sign up with the BJCP here. Questions? Send direct inquiries to the BJCP Exam Director

8:30 – 10:30 AM

BJCP Cider Exam

10:45 AM – 12:45 PM

BJCP Mead Judging Exam

1:00 – 3:00 PM

BJCP Beer Tasting Exam

1:00 – 3:00 PM

BJCP Beer Writing Exam

1:30 – 2:45 PM

Bootcamp for Club Officers

Colorado Convention Center, Room 402

Friday Night GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!) 

Advance registration required with limited capacity

Club officers come prepared to share resources and best practices to learn from and help your peers. Attendance will include AHA Committee members and club officer/representatives from AHA Sanctioned Homebrew Clubs.

3:00 – 4:00 PM

AHA at GABF Headline Session – The Future of Homebrewing

Colorado Convention Center, Four Seasons Ballroom

Friday Night GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!) 

Advance registration required with limited capacity

Join this timely session with some of homebrewing’s top players as they take on this top-of-mind topic. Check out our panel speakers and network with fellow AHA members as we dive into this very relevant topic. Audience participation will be encouraged.

Charlie Biolo

Founder of Golden Hive Mead

Sam Calagione

CEO and Co-Founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Shawna Cormier

American Homebrewers Association Committee Chair

Julia Herz

American Homebrewers Association Executive Director

Mark Hurley

The Brew Hut Homebrew Shop

5:30 – 9:15 PM

Homebrew Headquarters for AHA Members

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall

Friday Night GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!)

Inside ‘Homebrew HQ’, the exclusive GABF area for AHA members, you will be privy to one of THE most special areas inside the festival.  

1

GABF Pro-Am Booth

Hosted since 2005, this is the premiere U.S. competition bringing together pro brewers and homebrewers who collaboratively brew and vie for a GABF medal in a best-of-show style competition. Located inside Homebrew HQ, AHA members will sip and sample 2024 entries in advance of Saturday’s GABF awards.

2

Homebrew Rockstars

Sip and learn from top beeroes as they personally serve you their homebrew and provide an overview of the brewing process, ingredients, and story behind each brew. Rockstar lineup includes (with more to come):

Matthew Neilson

Hogtown Brewers Club 

Dan Short

Hogtown Brewers Club 

Julia Herz

AHA Executive Director 

Stan Hieronymus

Writer/Author 

Mark Boelman

Weiz Guys

Jim and Meagan Thompson

Oregon Brew Crew Club

3

Brewing Demonstration

Smell, sip, and learn as you check out AHA’s live homebrewing demonstration (1 per session) from leaders who show you, first hand, how they brew.

4

Craft Beer and Homebrewing History Exhibit

A perfect selfie spot and tour through history, homebrewing and the U.S. craft beer movement.

5

You Be the Judge (6:30–9:00 pm)

Taste beer like a pro with a GABF or Beer Judge Certification (BJCP) Judge to test your skills, sessions are 15 minutes each. Sign up once inside Homebrew HQ.

6

Homebrew Marketplace

Shop and save with some of today’s top supply partners devoted to homebrewing products and services.

5:30 – 9:30 PM

AHA Membership Booth

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall positioned right outside Homebrew HQ inside the Festival Hall

Friday Night GABF ticket required

Meet your AHA staff members and renew or sign up for AHA membership.

12:00 PM

Early Access to Saturday Session

Colorado Convention Center, Enter Lower Lobby B off Welton Street

Early access Saturday GABF ticket required

Early access Saturday Session tickets are available only during the member presale on July 16. Limited availability. First come, first served during the ticket sale.

12:30 – 4:15 PM

Homebrew Headquarters for AHA Members

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall

Saturday GABF ticket + proof of membership required (bring your AHA card!)

Inside ‘Homebrew HQ,’ the exclusive GABF area for AHA members, you will be privy to one of THE most special areas inside the festival.  

1

GABF Pro-Am Booth

Hosted since 2005, this is the premiere U.S. competition bringing together pro brewers and homebrewers who collaboratively brew and vie for a GABF medal in a best-of-show style competition. Located inside Homebrew HQ, AHA members be among the first to will sip and sample some 2024 entries and award winners!

2

Homebrew Rockstars

Sip and learn from top beeroes as they personally serve you their homebrew and provide an overview of the brewing process, ingredients, and story behind each brew. Rockstar lineup includes (with more to come):

Stephanie and Mike Butler

Kansas City Bier Meisters Club

Joaquin Quiroz Jr

QUAFF Homebrew Club 

Brad Darnell

QUAFF Homebrew Club 

Julie and Joe Rose

Kansas City Bier Meisters Club 

3

Brewing Demonstration

Smell, sip, and learn as you check out AHA’s live homebrewing demonstration (one per session) from leaders who will show you firsthand how they brew.

4

Craft Beer and Homebrewing History Exhibit

A perfect selfie spot and tour through history, homebrewing and the U.S. craft beer movement.

5

You Be the Judge (1:30–4:00 pm)

Taste beer like a pro with a GABF or Beer Judge Certification (BJCP) Judge to test your skills; sessions are 15 minutes each. Sign up once inside Homebrew HQ.

6

Homebrew Marketplace

Shop and save with some of today’s top supply partners devoted to homebrewing products and services.

12:30 – 4:30 PM

AHA Membership Booth

Colorado Convention Center, Festival Hall positioned right outside Homebrew HQ inside the Festival Hall

Ticket to Saturday GABF required

Meet your AHA staff members and renew or sign up for AHA membership.


Want more? Keep an eye on the GABF Event Week Calendar, and for local savings, flash your AHA membership card to save at AHA Member Deal locations in Denver and the Front Range. Also, sign up for the AHA Newsletter


FAQ

GABF tickets are available for purchase via AXS.com (check back for link). AHA members are eligible for the member presale, which provides first access to all festival and PAIRED session tickets, discounts to PAIRED, and early access to the Saturday session. Presale tickets go on sale July 16, 2024. Registration for all other AHA events opens July 16. Please check back for details and links.

Learn more and consider attending the member gathering on Thursday, October 10. 

Visit the Great American Beer Festival website to learn how to volunteer for the Pro-Am booth.

Interested in exhibiting in 2024? Learn more or email the Sales Team.

In addition to the awards announced Thursday night of GABF (ticket required), a delayed stream of the ceremony will be available to the public. Details to come.

Read the Midyear Update from Executive Director, Julia Herz to learn more about HBC.

Check out the Great American Beer Festival event website to learn about weekly happenings, ticket prices, and more.

Apply to volunteer on a subcommittee/committee. 

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