A lager than life competition has seen Australians crown a Queensland craft beer their favourite bevvy.

Craft beer connoisseurs from across the country voted in the GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers for 2018 and picked Gold Coast brewery Batler’s ‘XPA’ claimed the number one spot.

It’s the second time Balter’s ‘XPA’ won the top spot and the brewery is part-owned by part owned by surfing stars Mick Fanning, Joel Parkinson, Josh Kerr and Bede Durbridge.

Another two Balter beers made it into the top ten list this year and Queensland breweries dominated the top 100 list.

‘This year’s list is again very revealing about what people are drinking and enjoying, whether that’s a more mainstream Pale Ale or a Strawberry Rhubarb Sour from their favourite Sunshine Coast local,’ GABS co-founder Steve Jeffares said.

 

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‘With breweries opening in all corners of the country, pushing the boundaries of style, technique and creativity, there’s really never been a better time to be a craft beer drinker,’ he said.

The runner up was iconic Byron Bay brew ‘Pacific Ale’ by the Stone & Wood brewery which is celebrating it’s tenth anniversary while third place went to ‘Crankshaft’ beer by Canberra brewery BentSpoke.

Where voters were from appeared to have an impact on the results with craft beer drinkers supporting breweries from their immediate region.

More than 155,000 beer lovers cast their votes to pick the nation’s top brew.

THE TOP TEN

1. ‘XPA’ American Pale Ale (Balter, QLD)

2. ‘Pacific Ale’ Australian Pale Ale (Stone & Wood, NSW)

3. ‘Crankshaft’ American IPA (BentSpoke, ACT)

4. ‘Newtowner’ Australian Pale Ale (Young Henrys, NSW)

5. ‘Beechworth Pale Ale’ Australian Pale Ale (Bridge Road, VIC)

6.’IIPA’ Imperial IPA (Balter, QLD)

7.’IPA’ American IPA (Balter, QLD)

8.’Krush! Tropical Pale Ale’ Pale Ale (Kaiju! VIC)

9. ‘Jedi Juice’ New England IPA (Hop Nation, VIC)

10. ‘Single Fin’ Australian Pale Ale (Gage Roads, WA)