WHAT: October 9, 10, 11, 2008, is the 27th edition of the Great American Beer Festival (GABF). The granddaddy of all US beer festivals, the 2008 event is expected to serve more than 1,800 different beers, in 1-ounce tasting portions, from an estimated 400 U.S. breweries to the event’s 46,000-plus attendees. In 2007, the entire event sold out in advance of the opening session.

WHY: The largest collection of U.S. beer ever gathered in one place. One-stop access to the brewers and beers that make the U.S. the globe's greatest beer-making nation. Liquid proof of why beer sales far exceed the sales of wine and spirits combined in America.