As the craft beer landscape continues to evolve and change, so too must the festivals and events associated with it. Nowhere is this more evident than this year’s iteration of the Great British Beer Festival which is moving to the NEC in Birmingham (5 to 9 August 2025) while, across the pond, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF), the largest public tasting event in America, also received a facelift.
Organised by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association for small and independent American craft brewers, the GABF takes place in Denver, Colorado, in October and regularly draws approximately 40,000 people who eagerly sample some 2,500 beverages from over 600 breweries, cideries, distillers and other beverage producers.

But last year’s GABF had a fresh and exciting new vibe with themed experiential sections designed to offer immersive experiences, specialised beverages, and engaging entertainment. The result? A refreshing burst of creativity and energy aimed at attracting a diverse crowd seeking a beverage to suit every taste. Yet beer remained the star of the show.

The GABF competition provides a good barometer of American craft beer trends. In total, 8,836 beers and 233 cider entries were judged across 102 beer categories and five new cider categories, all evaluated by 285 beer experts. In total, 326 medals were awarded to 273 breweries. The top five most entered style category winners included:
- Juicy/Hazy IPA (349 entries)
- West Coast IPA (292 entries)
- American-style IPA (217 entries)
- Dortmunder or German style Oktoberfest (210 entries)
It remains to be seen how different GBBF will look this year but CAMRA are promising us a festival that will be ‘better than ever before’!
US Craft Beer Trends – IPA Dominates
On the basis that what starts over there comes over here, it’s worth looking at the two trends within American craft beer styles that are growing the fastest right now. These are:
- IPA, in its many iterations, continues to lead the American craft brewing landscape, now accounting for 46% of the $29 billion craft beer industry, up from 30% in 2017. Hop forward beers like American IPA, juicy/hazy IPA and Imperial IPA saw the strongest market share gains.
- Lighter styles, like American lager, wheat ale, and pilsner, are also gaining traction, showing growth at both ends of the ABV spectrum.
The IPA category has grown because it has changed and taken on new dimensions, offering options that depart from its original characterisation as bitter beer. Newer substyles exhibit more juicy/hazy, less bitter profiles that invite new customers in and help grow the category. The driving force behind IPA’s continued growth is primarily due to two distinct segments: the Imperial (or Double) IPA and the juicy/hazy IPA. Overall, growth is coming from both high and low ABV styles while mid-range ABV beers face more challenges. Like GBBF, GABF is a beer lover’s paradise and has been dubbed by Thrillist as ‘the one beer festival to try before you die’. See you there (9 to 11 October 2025).
The Brewers Association publishes a wealth of resources to understand and enjoy craft beer, downloadable free of charge from https://www.brewersassociation.org/.
Lotte Peplow
Lotte is the Brewers Association’s American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe and is based in London. She is a Certified Cicerone®, BDI accredited Beer Sommelier, beer writer, author, beer communicator, international beer judge, homebrewer and beer lover.
The BA represents over 5,600 breweries in the USA and its ‘independent craft brewer’ seal is a widely adopted symbol that differentiates beers by small and independent craft brewers. The BA organises events including the World Beer Cup®, Great American Beer Festival®, Craft Brewers Conference® & BrewExpo America®, National Homebrew Competition and American Craft Beer Week®. It also publishes The New Brewer® magazine and is the leading publisher of brewing literature in the USA.