Thursday, May 21, 2020

The Show Must Go On, Sort Of

In a decision that we figured was coming but weren't prepared to face, GABF has been cancelled for 2020. The Brewers Association is planning an "immersive online experience" for October 14-16, but come on. What can compare with that Thursday evening excitement when they unleash the thousands of people on the Colorado Convention Center with the bagpipers playing and 4,000 samples awaiting you? GABF had been scheduled for Sept. 24-26 (and everybody knows that September GABF is better because the weather is better) but the Colorado Convention Center is one of the alternate care sites slated for Covid 19 overrun. The BA's plan for a tweaked version of GABF is still in planning, but will feature "Beer tastings, conversations with brewers, local brewery activations, and at-home food and beer pairing deliveries" according to the BA's press release. I'm most interested to find out just what the hell a local brewery activation is. And for the beer tastings, will I be allowed to pour more than a one ounce sample?

In more jovial news, ABQ Beer Week, the city's longest running celebration of all things beer, returns largely in spirit this week. We could call this To Go Beer, Week 8: A Continued Celebration of Drinking in Solitude, but at least we've got something going on. Beer Week this year consists mostly of special releases around town, including a few today:
Marble releases Marble Porter today, a style that is often requested but rarely made by Marble. Ask, and Beer Week giveth.
Road trip? Red River releases Desperado Mexican Lager today. Red River: come see our street.
High and Dry is listed to be releasing Bruised Knees IPA and Helles in a Handbasket but these beers have been on for a few days now.
Finally (finally?), Kilt Check is releasing Lockdown Lager today.
Events will run through June 3rd.

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