GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2018 list has been released.
Now in its eleventh year, the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll shines a powerful spotlight on the trends, brands and breweries shaping the booming craft beer industry. Described by Australian Brews News as “the largest and most influential people’s choice poll in the land,” the 2018 edition saw a record 31,000 beer lovers place more than 155,000 votes for their favourite craft beers of the year, then celebrate the live countdown on Sunday 27 January, many at the 45 official events held around the country.
GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers of 2018
(please see KEY below)
1 Balter XPA (Pale Ale) QLD * ↔
2 Stone & Wood PACIFIC ALE (Australian Pale Ale) NSW * ↔
3 BentSpoke CRANKSHAFT (American IPA) ACT * ↔
4 Young Henrys NEWTOWNER (Australian Pale Ale) NSW * ↔
5 Bridge Road BEECHWORTH PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) VIC * ↑4
6 Balter IIPA (Imperial IPA) QLD * NEW ☆
7 Balter IPA (American IPA) QLD * ↔
8 KAIJU! KRUSH! TROPICAL PALE ALE (Pale Ale) VIC * ↑2
9 Hop Nation JEDI JUICE (New England IPA) VIC * GABS ↓1
10 Gage Roads SINGLE FIN (Australian Pale Ale) WA * ↓5
11 BentSpoke BARLEY GRIFFIN (Australian Pale Ale) ACT * ↑16
12 BentSpoke CLUSTER 8 (Imperial IPA) ACT * NEW ☆
13 Your Mates LARRY (Australian Pale Ale) QLD * ☆
14 Black Hops PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) QLD * ↑6
15 Capital COAST ALE (California Common) ACT * ↑10
16 BentSpoke SPROCKET American IPA ACT * ↑8
17 Coopers ORIGINAL PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) SA *
18 Big Shed BOOZY FRUIT (New England IPA) SA * NEW GABS ☆
19 Balter CAPTAIN SENSIBLE (American Pale Ale) QLD * NEW ☆
20 Green Beacon WINDJAMMER (American IPA) QLD * ↑16
21 Capital ROCK HOPPER (American IPA) ACT * NEW ☆
22 Coopers SESSION ALE (Pale Ale) SA * ☆
23 BentSpoke RED NUT (Red IPA) ACT * NEW ☆
24 Balter STRONG PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) QLD * NEW ☆
25 Furphy FURPHY REFRESHING ALE (Kölsch) VIC ↑13
26 Philter XPA (Australian Pale Ale) NSW * ↑7
27 Capital TRAIL PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) ACT * ↑1
28 Stone & Wood CLOUD CATCHER (Australian Pale Ale) NSW * ↑18
29 Jetty Road PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) VIC * ☆
30 Pirate Life MOSAIC (American IPA) SA ↓24
31 Young Henrys NATURAL LAGER (Kellerbier) NSW * ↑30
32 Modus Operandi SONIC PRAYER (American IPA) NSW * ↓11
33 Modus Operandi FORMER TENANT (Red IPA) NSW * ↓21
34 Hemingway’s PITCHFORK BETTY’S (American Pale Ale) QLD * ☆
35 The Welder’s Dog FARMHOUSE GINGER BEER (Ginger/Spiced Beer) NSW * ☆
36 Dainton BLOOD ORANGE NERIPA (New England IPA) VIC * ↑49
37 10 Toes PIPELINE (Australian Pale Ale) QLD * ☆
38 Grifter PALE (Australian Pale Ale) NSW *
39 The Welder’s Dog AUSTRALIAN WHEAT ALE (American Wheat) NSW * NEW ☆
40 4 Pines PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) NSW ↓24
41 One Mile 4:21 (Kölsch) NT * ☆
42 The Welder’s Dog INDIA PALE ALE (Australian IPA) NSW * NEW ☆
43 Black Hops HORNET (American IPA) QLD * ↑12
44 James Squire ONE FIFTY LASHES (Australian Pale Ale) NSW ↓22
45 Thirsty Crow VANILLA MILK STOUT (Sweet Stout) NSW * ↓11
46 Coopers SPARKLING ALE (Australian Sparkling Ale) SA * ↑51
47 Bridge Road BEECHY SUMMER ALE (Australian Pale Ale) VIC * ☆
48 Burleigh TWISTED PALM (Australian Pale Ale) QLD * ↓1
49 Capital EVIL EYE (Red IPA) ACT * ↑19
50 Hop Nation THE DAWN (New England IPA) VIC * NEW ☆
51 One Mile RDO (Pale Ale) NT * ☆
52 Akasha HOPSMITH (American IPA) NSW * ↑2
53 Feral HOP HOG (American Pale Ale) WA ↓39
54 Fortitude PACER (American Pale Ale) QLD * ☆
55 Moon Dog OLD MATE (American Pale Ale) VIC * ↑16
56 Green Beacon WAYFARER (Pale Ale) QLD * ↓3
57 Gage Roads LITTLE DOVE (American Pale Ale) WA * ↓46
58 Pirate Life PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) SA ↓35
59 Akasha KORBEN D. (Imperial IPA) NSW * ↓15
60 Colonial PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) WA/VIC * ↓1
61 Capital SUMMIT SESSION XPA (Pale Ale) ACT * NEW ☆
62 Little Creatures PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) WA/VIC ↓36
63 CoConspirators THE MATRIARCH (New England IPA) VIC * ↓23
64 Wayward RASPBERRY BERLINER WEISSE (SOURPUSS) (Berliner Weisse) NSW *
65 Balter PILSNER (Classic Pilsner) QLD * ↓22
66 Gage Roads ATOMIC (American Pale Ale) WA * ↓31
67 10 Toes LONGBOARD (Australian Pilsner) QLD * ☆
68 Moon Dog BEER CAN (Hoppy Lager) VIC * ☆
69 Pirate Life IPA (American IPA) SA ↓54
70 10 Toes HAPPY DAYS (American IPA) QLD * NEW ☆
71 Burleigh BIGHEAD (Pale Lager) QLD * ↑18
72 Nail VPA (Pale Ale) WA * ↓41
73 One Mile NO LIMITS (American IPA) NT * ☆
74 Green Beacon 3 BOLT (American Pale Ale) QLD * ↓18
75 Yak Ales WILD YAK PACIFIC ALE (Pale Ale) VIC ↓46
76 Jetty Road INDIA PALE ALE (American IPA) VIC * NEW ☆
77 Brouhaha STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SOUR (Kettle Sour) QLD * ☆
78 Grifter SERPENTS KISS (Fruit Beer) NSW * ☆
79 Pirate Life IIPA (Imperial IPA) SA ↓66
80 Blackman’s JUICY BANGER (Hoppy Lager) VIC * ↑2
81 4 Pines INDIAN SUMMER ALE (American Pale Ale) NSW ↓40
82 One Mile OTTO’S (Irish Amber/Red) NT * ☆
83 Mornington Peninsula SQUID RISING (New England IPA) VIC * NEW ☆
84 Modus Operandi DREAM WEAVER (New England IPA) NSW * NEW ☆
85 Mornington Peninsula SQUID SUPREMACY (New England IPA) VIC * NEW ☆
86 3 Ravens JUICY (New England IPA) VIC * ↓69
87 Bridge Road BLING (American IPA) VIC * ↓39
88 Black Hops SUPER HORNET (Imperial IPA) QLD * ☆
89 Young Henrys SUMMER HOP ALE (Australian IPA) NSW * ↓32
90 Big Shed GOLDEN STOUT TIME (Sweet Stout) SA* GABS ↓45
91 Fixation FIXATION IPA (American IPA) VIC * ↓61
92 Batch PASH THE MAGIC DRAGON (Kettle Sour) NSW * ☆
93 Your Mates DONNIE (Porter) QLD * ☆
94 Young Henrys MOTORCYCLE OIL (Porter) NSW * ☆
95 Young Henrys AFENDS HEMP IPA (Specialty Beer) NSW * NEW ☆
96 Colonial SOUTH WEST SOUR (Hoppy Sour) WA/VIC * NEW ☆
97 Capital HANG LOOSE JUICE BLOOD ORANGE NEIPA (New England IPA) ACT * NEW ☆
98 Sauce TRUBBLE & SQUEAK (New England IPA) NSW * NEW GABS ☆
99 Sauce BUBBLE & SQUEAK (New England IPA) NSW * NEW ☆
100 Feral BIGGIE JUICE (New England IPA) WA ↓17
KEY
↔ Maintained position from 2017
↑X Up X places from 2017
↓X Down X places from 2017
☆ First Hottest 100 appearance
* Brewed by an independent brewery (as defined by the Independent Brewers Association)
NEW Brewed for the first time in 2018
GABS A ‘Festival Beer’ brewed especially for GABS Beer, Cider & Food Fest
Photo Credit: The Crafty Pint
