DENVER -- The first time Thornton resident Sarah Beth Bliss attended the Great American Beer Festival, she said it felt like “beer Christmas.”
A native of small-town Iowa, Bliss wasn’t exposed to the wonderful world of beer until after college, but once she attended her inaugural GABF in 2002, she was hooked. Every year since — or at least until 2020, when the public portion of the festival was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic — Bliss, her cousin and his wife have worn matching, custom-made bowling shirts embroidered with their names and adorned with patches from their favorite breweries.
In 2020, and again in 2021, Bliss instead hosted a fall bottle share with her roommate to keep the spirit of the event alive in her household. “Other people get excited about the holidays and look forward to them every year and count down the days and take time off work,” Bliss said. “Once I experienced GABF, that’s what it became for me.”
