The Brewers Association announces that the Great American Beer Festival® (GABF) eligibility rules have been updated. Beginning in 2011, breweries located in the unincorporated, organized U.S. Territories of Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands will be eligible to enter the GABF.

Each year, breweries throughout the U.S. enter commercially available beers to be judged by the GABF’s professional judge panel. Festival attendees can also sip the beer entered in the competition during four tasting sessions.

The Great American Beer Festival invites sensory trained beer industry professionals from around the world to evaluate entries in over 80 style categories. Judge panelists recognize up to three beers in each category with gold, silver and bronze medals. These awards are among the most coveted in the industry and heralded by the winning brewers in their national advertising.

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Based in Boulder, Colorado, USA, the Brewers Association (BA) is the not-for-profit trade and education association dedicated to small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts. Visit BrewersAssociation.org to learn more. The association’s activities include events and publishing: CraftBeer.com, World Beer Cup®; Great American Beer Festival®; Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America®; National Homebrewers Conference; National Homebrew Competition; SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience; American Craft Beer Week; Zymurgymagazine; The New Brewer magazine; and books on beer and brewing. The Brewers Association has an additional membership division of 24,000+ homebrewers: American Homebrewers Association.

Beer lovers are invited to learn more about the dynamic world of craft beer at CraftBeer.com.