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The Great American Beer Festival (GABF), recognized as the premier professional beer competition and public tasting event in the United States, has officially announced the culinary roster for its 2025 PAIRED experience. Scheduled to take place on October 9 and 10 in Denver, Colorado, PAIRED serves as an intimate, high-end counterpoint to the expansive festival floor, merging the worlds of independent craft brewing and world-class gastronomy. This year’s lineup represents a significant escalation in the event’s culinary ambitions, featuring a dense concentration of James Beard Award winners, Michelin-starred restaurateurs, and television personalities. The inclusion of these high-profile figures underscores a growing trend within the hospitality industry: the elevation of craft beer to a status traditionally reserved for fine wine in the context of formal food pairings.
A Confluence of Culinary Excellence in Denver
The 2025 PAIRED event is designed to showcase the versatility of craft beer through small-plate compositions that challenge and complement various flavor profiles. Leading the local contingent is Caroline Glover, the force behind Aurora’s Annette and Travelling Mercies. Glover’s participation marks her debut at PAIRED, bringing a resume that includes a 2022 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain and a 2019 inclusion in Food & Wine’s "Best New Chefs in America." Her recent work at Travelling Mercies has already garnered national attention, earning a spot as a 2025 James Beard semifinalist for Best New Bar and a place on Esquire’s 2024 list of the Best Bars in America.
Joining Glover are Kelly Whitaker and Mara King, whose hospitality group, ID EST, has become a dominant force in the Rocky Mountain culinary landscape. With two Michelin stars awarded in 2024 and a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur, Whitaker and King have redefined sustainable and grain-forward dining through concepts like The Wolf’s Tailor and Bruto. Their presence at PAIRED highlights the event’s focus on technical precision and ingredient sourcing.
The roster further includes Matt Vawter of Rootstalk and Radicato in Breckenridge, who secured the 2024 James Beard Award for Best Chef: Mountain, and Josh Niernberg of Bin 707 in Grand Junction, a 2025 finalist for the national Outstanding Chef award. The inclusion of chefs from outside the immediate Denver metro area, such as Vawter and Niernberg, illustrates the geographical diversity and rising prestige of Colorado’s statewide food scene.
National Participation and the Integration of Media Personalities
Beyond the local luminaries, PAIRED 2025 draws significant talent from major culinary hubs across the United States. Dan Jacobs, co-owner of Milwaukee’s DanDan and a recent finalist on Bravo’s "Top Chef," brings a Midwestern perspective to the Denver-based event. Jacobs, who has also been a James Beard finalist, represents the intersection of culinary skill and media visibility that has helped propel PAIRED into the national spotlight.
From Washington, D.C., the festival welcomes the powerhouse duo of Danny Lee and Scott Drewno. As 2025 James Beard finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur, Lee and Drewno have been instrumental in elevating Korean and Chinese cuisines through their acclaimed concepts Anju and Mandu. They are joined by fellow D.C. chef Mike Friedman of The Red Hen, a restaurant frequently recognized by the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand category for its exceptional quality and value.
The presence of "Top Chef" and "Beat Bobby Flay" alumna Carrie Baird, alongside Denver pioneers like Jen Jasinski—whose restaurants Rioja, Bistro Vendome, and Ultreia have anchored the city’s dining scene for decades—ensures that the event maintains a balance between innovative newcomers and established icons. Other notable Denver contributors include Paul Reilly of Coperta and Linda Hampsten-Fox of The Bindery, both of whom have been central to the city’s transformation into a major American food destination.
Historical Context and the Evolution of PAIRED
The Great American Beer Festival was founded in 1982 by the American Homebrewers Association and has since grown into an annual pilgrimage for thousands of brewers and enthusiasts. While the main festival floor focuses on the sheer breadth of American brewing—featuring thousands of beers across nearly 100 categories—the PAIRED experience was introduced to provide a more curated, educational environment.
Managed by the Brewers Association, the non-profit trade group for small and independent craft brewers, PAIRED is curated by Executive Chef Adam Dulye. Dulye’s objective has historically been to pair specific, often rare, craft beers with dishes that highlight the technical nuances of the brew. Over the last decade, PAIRED has evolved from a small side event into a cornerstone of the GABF, reflecting the "premiumization" of the craft beer market. As consumers move toward drinking less but higher-quality beverages, the demand for experiential dining that incorporates beer has surged.
The Rise of the Zero-Proof Sector: A Strategic Shift
In a notable departure from previous years, the 2025 PAIRED event will feature its first-ever dedicated Mocktail Bar. This initiative is led by Steve Wildy of Mad Wild Wine, a respected sommelier and James Beard Award semifinalist. The introduction of a high-end non-alcoholic program reflects broader industry data indicating a shift in consumer behavior.
According to market research from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, the no-and-low alcohol category saw a volume growth of over 5% in 2023 across ten key global markets, including the U.S. By including zero-proof pairings curated with the same rigor as the beer selections, the Brewers Association is acknowledging the "sober curious" movement and the increasing sophistication of non-alcoholic spirits and ferments. Wildy’s involvement suggests that the mocktails will not be mere afterthoughts but complex beverages designed to interact with the chefs’ small plates in the same way a traditional ale or lager would.
Economic and Cultural Implications
The GABF remains a vital economic engine for the city of Denver. Historically, the festival attracts upwards of 60,000 attendees, contributing tens of millions of dollars to the local economy through hotel stays, dining, and transportation. The PAIRED segment, specifically, attracts a high-spending demographic of "culinary tourists"—individuals who travel specifically for unique food and drink experiences.
"PAIRED is where culinary innovation and brewing creativity meet," stated Ann Obenchain, Vice President of Marketing and Communications for the Brewers Association. "This year’s chefs represent the very best of Colorado and beyond, and together they’ll create one-of-a-kind pairings you can only find at the Great American Beer Festival."
This sentiment is echoed by industry analysts who view the collaboration between Michelin-starred chefs and craft brewers as a way to solidify beer’s place in the "fine dining" conversation. As the craft beer industry faces headwinds—including changing consumer preferences and increased competition from spirits and RTD (ready-to-drink) cocktails—events like PAIRED serve as a platform to demonstrate the complexity and cultural value of independent brewing.
Event Logistics and Access
The 2025 PAIRED experience will be held at the Colorado Convention Center, running concurrently with the larger festival but in a distinct, more intimate setting. Tickets for PAIRED are sold as a premium add-on or as a standalone experience, with the PAIRED + GABF ticket providing full access to the festival floor.
Attendees are granted unlimited tastings of over 25 small plates, each meticulously paired with two different craft beers. This format allows for a comparative tasting experience, where guests can observe how the same dish interacts with different styles of beer—such as a tart Berliner Weisse versus a robust Imperial Stout.
The full list of participating chefs, which exceeds 25 individuals from across the nation, is available through the official Great American Beer Festival website. As Denver prepares for the October event, the focus remains on the synergy between the kitchen and the brewhouse, aiming to provide a sensory experience that transcends the traditional beer festival model.
About the Organizers
The PAIRED event and the Great American Beer Festival are produced by the Brewers Association (BA), a 501(c)(6) not-for-profit trade association. The BA represents more than 5,000 small and independent breweries in the U.S. and is responsible for the "Independent Craft" seal found on many beer labels. Their mission involves not only the promotion of beer quality but also the protection of the legal and economic interests of independent brewers. Through CraftBeer.com, the BA provides educational resources to the public, though the organization notes that the opinions expressed on its platforms do not necessarily represent the official positions of all its members.
As the 2025 festival approaches, the Brewers Association continues to emphasize the importance of community and collaboration. By bringing together some of the most decorated chefs in the country, PAIRED 2025 stands as a testament to the enduring appeal and evolving nature of the American craft beer movement.
