In 2008, Smithsonian Magazine surprised its readers with the following declaration: “The best beers in the world today are being made in the US.” That may have been a shock to those who believed Europe was still the home of quality beer. But the folks behind The Great International Beer Festival (GIBF) have known the truth about American craft brewing for years.
“The first time I encountered good beer was when I was a student living in London in 1974,” said Gregg Glaser. Mr. Glaser – an expert in beer, spirits, wine and food – runs the festival’s beer competition.
“Those beers weren’t even available in the US. There were not very many breweries that we now call craft or artisanal brewers. Since the ’90s, that number has steadily been increasing each year to the point that it’s become astronomical.”
Now in its 23rd year, the Providence-born Great International Beer Festival has grown on pace with the explosion of the craft beer industry. This year’s festival is on Saturday, November 5, at the Rhode Island Convention Center. Known as the ‘Mecca for Beer Lovers all over New England,’ the festival offers two shows – an afternoon session from 1pm to 4:30pm, and an evening session from 6:30pm to 10pm. The beer show offerings are the same for each session, including unlimited sampling of over 250 brews.
Every state in the country now boasts a craft-brewing scene. Some are small, home-based endeavors created for nothing more than the love of brewing. There are brewers who don’t even distribute their product, offering tastings instead for those lucky enough to hoist a glass.
“People are doing really great things at home as home brewers. They’re starting out from a place of better quality than maybe some of the brewers back in the ’90s. A lot of the new ones are quite good, small. They keep distribution within the immediate area. Some are only tasting rooms,” Mr. Glaser said.
The GIBF will transform the Rhode Island Convention Center into the state’s largest tasting room at this year’s event. The festival boasts brews from all over the country – both shows will include unlimited tasting of more than 250 brews – but it will sound and taste like Rhode Island. Local vendors such as Warren’s Hope and Main, the state’s first culinary business incubator, and Pizza Pie-er will provide food pairings. Both the afternoon and evening sessions will also feature live performances by local band Steve Smith and the Nakeds.
“It’s always been in Providence. We have brewers from pretty much all around the northeast and elsewhere in the country,” said Maury Ryan, Great International Beer Festival President.
Mr. Ryan said craft brewing’s local history can be traced through Trinity Brewhouse to Newport Storm Brewery to the Narragansett Beer resurrection and into Pawtucket’s establishment as the front line of craft brewing in the area.
“Narragansett is going to be making their beer there in Pawtucket in one of the old building’s they’re refurbishing. Pawtucket is priding itself as being a center for the craft beer industry in Rhode Island.”
While unlimited brew sampling is the main attraction, the GIBF encourages beer and cider nerds to interact with the presenting brewers to better understand the art of making beer. The festival’s educational component includes talks and tasting with brewers at each session.
And while organizers want you to have fun, there are strict rules in place to keep the fun safe. No one under the age of 21 (including infants) is allowed. Organizers reserve the right to permanently remove drunks or jerks. No backpacks or dogs are allowed (save for service dogs). Finally, all beer or cider must be sampled from a plastic cup (that means beer nerds are forbidden to sneak in their favorite glass).
Those are easy rules to follow for a few hours of beer, cider, food and music. For more information, visit beerfestamerica.com
