2025 GABF Competition Volunteer Schedule

Phase I September 24-27, Louisville, CO
Phase II October 6-9, Denver, CO (Hyatt Regency @ Colorado Convention Center)
Great American Beer Festival® (GABF®) October 9-11, Denver CO (Colorado Convention Center)
GABF Awards Ceremony October 11

Competition sessions 1-4 will be held at the Brewers Association warehouse located at 587 S. Taylor Ave. Louisville, CO

2025 GABF Style Guidelines here   

Tuesday, September 23 

9:00am-12:30pm: Special set up with designated set up team 

Wednesday, September 24

Daily theme: “Team Players” – Rep your favorite sports teams, brewery (judges only on the brewery gear) or homebrew clubs, competition teams (like old GABF/WBC Judge shirts). Show your team spirit!

7:00am Volunteers arrive. Find name badge and assignment on whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends, grab breakfast on the ramp.
Note: If you are Back of House (BOH) or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Eric Svensen for BOH)
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judge shuttle arrives, welcomed by Admin team. Judges will check in and have breakfast.
8:30-8:45am Judges in their seats. Mini orientation.
9:00am-12:00pm Judging session 1
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch 
Italian meatballs, ricotta tortellini, red sauce, garlic bread, mixed greens, Italian vinaigrette
1:00-4:45pm Judging Session 2
Volunteers will clean up and may leave after checking out with Kris L. (no raffle day 1)

Thursday, September 25

Daily theme: “Spirit of the West”- Darn Tootin’! Cowboy gear, paisley, boots. Make your west side your best side!

7:15am Volunteers arrive. Find assignment on whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends, grab breakfast on the ramp.
Note: If you are Back of House (BOH) or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Eric Svensen for BOH)
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judge shuttle arrives, welcomed by Admin team. Judges will check in and have breakfast.
8:30am Judges in their seats ready to go.
8:45am-12:00pm Judging session 3
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch 
Pierogis, smoked sausage, ginger slaw, fried shallots, sour cream, and parsley
1:00-4:45pm Judging Session 4
Volunteers will clean up and we will host a raffle before departing for the day.

Friday, September 26

Daily theme: Back in school and its picture day! Wear your new competition shirt for our group photo and bring a class photo from your past school days.

7:15am Volunteers arrive. Find your assignment on whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends, grab breakfast on the ramp.
Note: If you are Back of House (BOH) or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Eric Svensen for BOH)
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judge shuttle arrives, welcomed by Admin team. Judges will check in and have breakfast.
8:30am Judges in their seats ready to go.
8:45am-12:00pm Judging session 5
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch 
Grilled chicken shawarma, peppers and onions, pita, hummus, mixed greens, cucumber, and olives
1:00-4:45pm Judging Session 6
Volunteers will clean up. No raffle.
4:00-5:30pm Parking lot social – BIG surprise happening!

Saturday, September 27 

Daily theme: “Tropical Zoo Day” – Hawaiian shirts, tropical attire, animal gear (full body animal outfits not recommended…but not prohibited). 

7:15am Volunteers arrive. Find work assignment on whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends, grab breakfast on the ramp
Note: If you are Back of House (BOH) or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Brian Pramov for BOH)
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judge shuttle arrives, welcomed by Admin team. Judges will check in and have breakfast.
8:30am Judges in their seats ready to go.
8:45am-12:00pm Judging session 7
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch 
Korean BBQ chicken, rice, roasted broccoli, Korean BBQ sauce
1:00-4:45pm Judging Session 8
5:00-6:00pm Volunteers help clean up and participate in raffle (double raffle day 4).
Case distribution

Phase II of judging will take place at the Hyatt Regency across the street from the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado located at 650 15th street. We will have both judging and staging in the Centennial Ballrooms on the second level of the Hyatt. All meals will be served in the Centennial lobby area.

Monday, October 6

1:00-3:00pm Special setup with designated setup team
6:00-9:00pm Table Captains Judge Orientation & Reception Odell Brewing Sloan’s Lake Brewhouse 1625 Perry St., Denver, CO 80204 (Note: Table Captains must arrive on their own. There is no shuttle to this event)

Tuesday, October 7

Daily theme: “Spirit of the West”- Darn Tootin’! Cowboy gear, paisley, boots. Make your west side your best side!

6:00-7:00am Breakfast buffet at Centennial Lobby (2nd level of the Hyatt)
7:00am Volunteers arrive and check in before entering the Centennial Ballroom. Find name badge and assignment on the whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends.
Note: if you are (Back of House) BOH or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Gregg Teets for BOH)
7:15am Table Captain meet and greet
7:15-8:30am Judges enjoy breakfast buffet
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals head to your workstations
8:00am First judges arrive and check in. Welcomed by Admin team
8:30-8:45am Judges in their seats ready to go. Mini orientation.
9:00am-12:00pm Judging session 9
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch
Buffet details forthcoming
1:00-4:45pm Judging session 10
Volunteers clean up and can leave after checking in (no raffle day 1)

Wednesday, October 8

Daily theme: “Tropical Zoo Day” – Hawaiian shirts, tropical attire, animal gear (full body animal outfits not recommended…but not prohibited). 

6:00-7:00am Breakfast buffet at Centennial Lobby (2nd level of the Hyatt)
7:15am Volunteers arrive and check in before entering the Centennial Ballroom. Find work assignment on the whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends.
Note: if you are (Back of House) BOH or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Gregg Teets for BOH)
7:15-8:30am Judges enjoy breakfast buffet
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judges arrive and check in. Welcomed by Admin team
8:30am Judges in their seats ready to go.
8:45am-12:00pm Judging session 11
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch – Lobby
Buffet details forthcoming
1:00-4:45pm Judging session 12
Volunteers clean up and raffle

Thursday, October 9

Daily theme: Back in school and its picture day! Wear your new competition shirt for our group photo and bring a class photo from your past school days.

6:00-7:00am Breakfast buffet at Centennial Lobby (2nd level of the Hyatt)
7:15am Volunteers arrive and check in before entering the Centennial Ballroom. Find work assignment on the whiteboard, get settled in, find work location, quick catch up with friends.
Note: if you are (Back of House) BOH or Admin, please refer to your start times with your Team Leaders (LillyAnne Bise for Admin and Gregg Teets for BOH)
7:15-8:30am Judges enjoy breakfast buffet
7:30am Stretch and Flex
7:35-7:50am Volunteer Meeting: Welcome, tips of the day, safety moments, announcements, all the good stuff you need to know
7:50am Get ready for Judge arrivals and head to your workstations
8:00am First judges arrive and check in. Welcomed by Admin team
8:30am Judges in their seats ready to go.
8:45am-12:00pm Judging session 13
11:30am-1:00pm Judge and competition staff lunch – Lobby
Buffet details forthcoming
1:00-4:45pm Judging session 14
Volunteers clean up and pack up
5:00pm Volunteer raffle and case distribution
5:30pm Volunteers depart with cases and enjoy the festival

What to Wear

Feel free to wear any of these items: 

  • Always wear closed toe, comfy, clean shoes
  • Fun socks 
  • Pants (Nice jeans are acceptable) 
  • Shorts (not too short)
  • Nice leggings
  • Skorts, skirts, dresses are all cool
  • Unscented products (like deodorant). Neutral rules! 

Please Do NOT Wear

  • Flip flops or other open toe shoes
  • Short shorts
  • Jeans or other clothing with holes 
  • Clothing that does not allow for movement
  • Anything that may be offensive to others, distasteful, or distracting 
  • Anything your grandma would not approve of if you stopped by for Sunday dinner 
  • No beer gear shirts, or beer branded hats or pants
  • No strong perfumes, colognes, lotions, or potions (scent is a thing and it can be VERY distracting in our environment) 
  • No smoking (please wait until the competition is done)
  • Please beware of body odors (neutral deodorant and laundry products are recommended) 
  • Anything scented. Please ensure you wash your hair, your clothes, and your body with non-scented products

What to Bring

  • A water bottle to fill up and stay hydrated
  • A bag to put your raffle prizes in so no one can see them
  • A personal cart to take your cases to your room or other location for pick up (we can lend our carts for quick loading and unloading at the warehouse) 
  • Something to cover your cases with when you depart with them at the Hyatt (no need at the warehouse)
  • We will have snacks, but you can bring your own too!
  • Extra personal coffee for Phase II. We will have some in our staging room, but only enough for one order per person per day. If you like to have two or three cups of coffee, perhaps bring some with you from breakfast or your home base. 

Contests and Themes

  • Socks are cool! Bring your sock game on each day for prizes!
  • Being kind is cool! More details on location!
  • Get in the groove and join us with our daily theme contests, outlined in the Phase I and II schedules above.
  • Bring a school picture for our school picture day board – you could win a prize!
  • Be healthy. Stretch in the morning and afternoon. Prizes awarded for those that excel!

G.O.A.T. Award

Who will win the G.O.A.T. award at this event?  

Currently the Volunteer/Staff team are holding on to the G.O.A.T. award. Will the judges be able to steal it away? Participating in contests and themes will help your team secure the G.O.A.T!