Colorado beer lovers rejoice. The Great American Beer Festival returns to Denver in October after a two-year, draught-less drought.

An expected 40,000 beer enthusiasts will once again flood the Colorado Convention Center from Oct. 6-8 to taste 1-ounce samples of some 1,500 beers by more than 500 brewers.

Tickets to the general public — over 21 years old, of course — go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the festival’s website, greatamericanbeerfestival.com.  Pre-sale tickets for American Homebrewers Association and the Boulder-based Brewers Association members launch Tuesday (you had to join by June 28 to get access to the pre-sale).

“We are excited to return in-person to Denver this October after a two-year, pandemic-induced hiatus,” said Ann Obenchain, marketing and communications director at the Brewers Association, via email. “This marks the 40th anniversary of the Great American Beer Festival, so beer lovers can expect some fun celebrations sprinkled into the events people have loved about GABF for the past 40 years. We expect demand to be high.”

The festival is an economic boon for downtown Denver, as brewery representatives from across the country make the trek.

“Beer is synonymous with the Denver brand and our city has maintained a longstanding relationship with the Brewers Association and GABF that spans nearly four decades,” said Richard Scharf, president and CEO, of Visit Denver, in a news release. “We are optimistic that Denver will welcome the country’s largest beer celebration back in its truest form … which will fill thousands of hotel rooms with brewing professionals from across the industry.”

The Brewer’s Association still held the competition portion of the festival in the past two years, but without the in-person gala at the Convention Center. The trade organization represents small and independent American craft brewers.

Features of the 2022 GABF include “educational and interactive seminars on beer appreciation,” entertainment including games and live music, and the commemorative tasting glass.

The popular food-pairing event PAIRED will also return this year, where 25 chefs’ dishes will be paired with 25 brews that won’t be available in the general session. For the first time, PAIRED ticket holders won’t be required to also buy the $95 general session tickets.

The first festival in 1982 had only 24 breweries presenting samples of 47 beers, according to the association.

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