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Wouldn’t it be great?

This year’s Great American Beer Festival opened today in Denver, minus a couple of important things – me and, most likely, you.

It’s not like we had much of a chance to start with. Tickets sold out online in 32 minutes when they went on sale in July, though the odds were a bit better than last year, when it took less than 20.

The Inland Northwest is respectably represented among the more than 700 breweries pouring some 3,500 beers:

– Kootenai River (from Bonners Ferry) brought its Osprey Pilsner, Rye Pale Ale and McGreagor Scottish Ale.

– Laughing Dog has its standard IPA, Anubis Imperial Coffee Porter and The Dogfather imperial stout, along with De Achste Hond peach sour (“The Eighth Dog” in Flemish, last year’s eighth anniversary beer) and Trippel Squared (nine, of course, this year’s anniversary release).

– No-Li’s entries include Spin Cycle Red, Rise & Grind coffee/oatmeal/milk stout, Winter Warmer and both the regular Wrecking Ball imperial stout, and a version aged in whiskey barrels.

– Orlison’s offerings are its Pilsner 37 and Underground Stout.

– Clarkston’s Riverport is pouring its Dirty Larry pilsner, River Rat Red, Bullseye PA, 5/5 Pepper Beer and Bedrock Bock (you might have tried the latter three at last weekend’s Inland NW Craft Beer Festival ).

So grab a bottle, can or pint of one of those, sit back, and dream of next year.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "On Tap." Read all stories from this blog