GABF 2008---One down, three to go

Thank you Coors! Why, many of you ask, am I starting off this post with props to Coors? Because if it not for the two flat screens that they had at their tables (behind some beer games that they also constructed), I and 50 (or more?) other baseball fans (all but something like 3 were Phillies fans) would never have been able to see the Phillies play a great game of come-from-behind baseball to take the first game of the NLCS. We watched the last 3 innings at the Coors table and made breaks in between innings to venture a few tables away to get a beer sample and quickly come back. It probably worked out well from a sobriety standpoint to have this slowdown in the 5 hour session. Other quick highlights from Day 1. - must concur with Don's opinion of Upstream's Grand Cru. Though I don't recall if he told me about it or vice versa ;-) - Isabelle from Lost Abbey. Only had it once from the bottle. On tap was just as nice. I can see big things for this beer on Saturday. - more tasting notes and impressions to come when I wrap this whole thing up next week. The pocket recorder was the best purchase I made prior to GABF and has made note taking a breeze. - met James Spencer and Andy Sparks from Basic Brewing Radio. They asked me a couple of questions while doing some mobile taping, so you may see me show up on Basic Brewing Video. - my approach to this first session was very subdued, in order not to overwhelm myself with all of the possibilities. With all of the people (strangers, old friends, and new connections alike), the sideshows, and the beer, getting overwhelmed could have been very easy. But, I kept things under control and Friday morning was a piece of cake. - speaking of subdued, I was surprised to see the edginess/rowdiness of this first night crowd. It didn't follow with people's experiences of past years.