GABF broadens the tent to appeal to non-beer drinkers

The annual Great American Beer Festival begins today in Denver, but this year's event is not all about beer.

State of play: For the first time, GABF will feature 21 distilleries alongside others pouring beer, cider, cocktails, hard seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

The intrigue: Consider it the Great American Beverage Festival.

Why it matters: The beer industry is hurting right now, as venerable brands and startups alike close shop because of declining interest among a new generation of drinkers.

• The landscape is forcing brewers to pivot by adding spirits, seltzers and even nonalcoholic drinks to their menus.

The big picture: Despite the downward turn, craft beer remains the star of the show with 450-plus breweries pouring at the festival.

• Attendance is down from the height of the craft beer era but the festival is still expected to draw 30,000 to 40,000 people and cover five football fields of space at the downtown Convention Center.
• Beverage makers from 47 states and Washington, D.C., are represented, together pouring 2,000 different options.

What they're saying: "We know that consumers are drinking multiple things and expecting various options at events that they attend, and brewers are also expanding their offerings to meet those expectations in their tap room," says Ann Obenchain at the Boulder-based Brewers Association, the festival's organizer.

Zoom in: Beyond the beverages, the festival features themed areas, such as a German biergarten and Halloween zone, as well as backyard games, food trucks and multiple stages with live music.

• It's all about creating an experience for those less interested in drinking beer, Obenchain tells us.