Two weeks have passed since the Great American Beer Festival, and I’m still thinking about the two days I spent in Denver. What’s stuck with me beyond the official sessions and social activities is the sheer scope of breweries and styles I saw showcased in the exhibit hall and the Awards Ceremony. It’s astounding to reflect on this fact: craft has evolved so far that it now encompasses 84 nationally recognized categories, from Imperial Stouts and Red Ales to Kölsch and Barleywines.

It was a kick to explore a beer community I knew nothing about and find out who our Colorado rep, Mark, admired. A fast-tracked brewery bus tour led by VisitDenver.com gave me the chance to try some Brettanomyces-fueled beers at local darling Crooked Stave, a peach-influenced Belgian Strong Ale from Utah spinoff Epic Brewing, and a rose petal-infused American ale at Heavy Metal-themed Black Sky, open less than a week before we set foot on the premises.

A lot has been said about the craft industry bubble and if it’s going to burst soon, but from where I’m sitting there’s still plenty of demand. If anything, keeping up with customers seems to be the chief struggle of Boston area brewers, who are primarily operating in shared facilities with limited resources and small teams. It’s been fascinating to watch fledgling operations like Fort Point’s Trillium take off and steadily grow their offerings, figuring out how to fit within the local ecosystem and stock their fan base.

It’s easy to focus on one brewery or a few beers, but from time to time I stop and look at the bigger picture; it helps me appreciate just how diverse our scene is. We’ve got Jack’s Abby lasering in on lagers, Backlash rocking DIPAs and Belgians, Night Shift pioneering sours, Notch specializing in session beers, Pretty Things dabbling in historical recipes, Mystic honing its Saisons, and Enlightenment Ales bringing back Bière de Garde ales. There’s plenty of room at the table for more; I say bring it on.

A while back, I covered the Kickstarter for Hopster’s, a brew-it-yourself community facility located in Newton. I was thrilled with the idea of brewers having extra space to try out special projects, and intrigued by the prospect of trying my very own. The Kickstarter was successfully funded in early August; this week I’ve been invited to check out the newly opened space and create some beer with a group of Yelpers. It’s going to be a fun first for a craft fan who’s only been on the consumer side of the equation. There’s a whole world of styles and flavors out there to explore, and I can’t wait to get started.