Balter Crushes in GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers for 2018
In an unsurprising turn of events for Australia’s flourishing craft beer industry, Gold Coast brewery Balter has taken out number one, as well as two other coveted top-ten spots, in the Great Australasian Beer Spectapular’s (GABS) annual Hottest 100 Craft Beer list for 2018.
Announced on Sunday–the same day Triple J’s iconic Hottest 100 playlist aired–, GABS’ Hottest 100 Craft Beers list saw over 31,000 local beer lovers place in excess of 155,000 votes for their very best frothies of the year that was. The results of this ballot were released in a live countdown at 45 official events around Australia.
Over 260 breweries were responsible for producing the 2,350-odd beers which received voted from the thirsty crowds, but only 100 could claim to be victorious enough to end up on the final list, which was topped by the Delicious Balter XPA–an extra pale ale from the relatively new Queensland brewery backed by pro surfer Mick Fanning.
The sun-drenched brewery, known for its proclivity for creating brews that are big on flavour without losing their refreshing, moreish edge, also enjoyed spot number six on the list, for their IIPA (double IPA), and number seven for their IPA. The double IPA was new to market this year, one of 21 new crews to feature in the Hottest 100 lists, and a fair indictment that the craft beer scene is very much about innovation and the odd shake-up.
Second place went to Stone & Wood’s stalwart Pacific Ale: an annual top-three favourite for its light and complex summery flavours and pleasant bitterness, without the smack-in-the-face boozy, hoppy hit of other craft ales. Crankshaft–an IPA from Canberra brewery BentSpoke–came in at third. BentSpoke also boasted four more Hottest 100 brews, all in the top 25, branding their name as a modern favourite for Aussie drinkers.
Proving that the market thrives on change and regeneration, Queensland is punching well above its weight this year, with 22 beers from nine breweries (up from 15 beers and five breweries in 2017). New South Wales maintained its dominant presence on the list (26 beers from 13 breweries). Interestingly, breweries from Canberra are proving their mettle at a startling rate, with
“I think it’s just become this wonderful tradition that’s grown alongside the craft beer industry, allowing beer lovers to reflect on their favourite beers of the year and give a vote to the brewers who made them”, says GABS Co-Founder Steve Jeffares.
“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. And with such a huge number of votes behind it, 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.”
See below to find out if your favourite brew made it into the top 100 for 2018.
Full List of GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers for 2018
- Balter XPA (Pale Ale) QLD
- Stone & Wood PACIFIC ALE (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- BentSpoke CRANKSHAFT (American IPA) ACT
- Young Henrys NEWTOWNER (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- Bridge Road BEECHWORTH PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) VIC
- Balter IIPA (Imperial IPA) QLD
- Balter IPA (American IPA) QLD
- KAIJU! KRUSH! TROPICAL PALE ALE (Pale Ale) VIC
- Hop Nation JEDI JUICE (New England IPA) VIC
- Gage Roads SINGLE FIN (Australian Pale Ale) WA
- BentSpoke BARLEY GRIFFIN (Australian Pale Ale) ACT
- BentSpoke CLUSTER 8 (Imperial IPA) ACT
- Your Mates LARRY (Australian Pale Ale) QLD
- Black Hops PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) QLD
- Capital COAST ALE (California Common) ACT
- BentSpoke SPROCKET American IPA ACT
- Coopers ORIGINAL PALE ALE (Australian Pale Ale) SA
- Big Shed BOOZY FRUIT (New England IPA) SA
- Balter CAPTAIN SENSIBLE (American Pale Ale) QLD
- Green Beacon WINDJAMMER (American IPA) QLD
- Capital ROCK HOPPER (American IPA) ACT
- Coopers SESSION ALE (Pale Ale) SA
- BentSpoke RED NUT (Red IPA) ACT
- Balter STRONG PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) QLD
- Furphy FURPHY REFRESHING ALE (Kölsch) VIC
- Philter XPA (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- Capital TRAIL PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) ACT
- Stone & Wood CLOUD CATCHER (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- Jetty Road PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) VIC
- Pirate Life MOSAIC (American IPA) SA
- Young Henrys NATURAL LAGER (Kellerbier) NSW
- Modus Operandi SONIC PRAYER (American IPA) NSW
- Modus Operandi FORMER TENANT (Red IPA) NSW
- Hemingway’s PITCHFORK BETTY’S (American Pale Ale) QLD
- The Welder’s Dog FARMHOUSE GINGER BEER (Ginger/Sp
- iced Beer) NSW
- Dainton BLOOD ORANGE NERIPA (New England IPA) VIC10 Toes PIPELINE (Australian Pale Ale) QLD
- Grifter PALE (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- The Welder’s Dog AUSTRALIAN WHEAT ALE (American Wheat) NSW
- 4 Pines PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) NSW
- One Mile 4:21 (Kölsch) NT
- The Welder’s Dog INDIA PALE ALE (Australian IPA) NSW
- Black Hops HORNET (American IPA) QLD
- James Squire ONE FIFTY LASHES (Australian Pale Ale) NSW
- Thirsty Crow VANILLA MILK STOUT (Sweet Stout) NSW
- Coopers SPARKLING ALE (Australian Sparkling Ale) SA
- Bridge Road BEECHY SUMMER ALE (Australian Pale Ale) VIC
- Burleigh TWISTED PALM (Australian Pale Ale) QLD
- Capital EVIL EYE (Red IPA) ACT
- Hop Nation THE DAWN (New England IPA) VIC
- One Mile RDO (Pale Ale) NT
- Akasha HOPSMITH (American IPA) NSW
- Feral HOP HOG (American Pale Ale) WA
- Fortitude PACER (American Pale Ale) QLD
- Moon Dog OLD MATE (American Pale Ale) VIC
- Green Beacon WAYFARER (Pale Ale) QLD
- Gage Roads LITTLE DOVE (American Pale Ale) WA
- Pirate Life PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) SA
- Akasha KORBEN D. (Imperial IPA) NSW
- Colonial PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) WA/VIC
- Capital SUMMIT SESSION XPA (Pale Ale) ACT* NEW
- Little Creatures PALE ALE (American Pale Ale) WA/VIC
- CoConspirators THE MATRIARCH (New England IPA) VIC
- Wayward RASPBERRY BERLINER WEISSE (SOURPUSS) (Berliner Weisse) NSW
- Balter PILSNER (Classic Pilsner) QLD
- Gage Roads ATOMIC (American Pale Ale) WA
- 10 Toes LONGBOARD (Australian Pilsner) QLD
- Moon Dog BEER CAN (Hoppy Lager) VIC
- Pirate Life IPA (American IPA) SA
- 10 Toes HAPPY DAYS (American IPA) QLD
- Burleigh BIGHEAD (Pale Lager) QLD
- Nail VPA (Pale Ale) WA
- One Mile NO LIMITS (American IPA) NT
- Green Beacon 3 BOLT (American Pale Ale) QLD
- Yak Ales WILD YAK PACIFIC ALE (Pale Ale) VIC
- Jetty Road INDIA PALE ALE (American IPA) VIC
- Brouhaha STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SOUR (Kettle Sour) QLD
- Grifter SERPENTS KISS (Fruit Beer) NSW
- Pirate Life IIPA (Imperial IPA) SA
- Blackman’s JUICY BANGER (Hoppy Lager) VIC
- 4 Pines INDIAN SUMMER ALE (American Pale Ale) NSW
- One Mile OTTO’S (Irish Amber/Red) NT
- Mornington Peninsula SQUID RISING (New England IPA) VIC
- Modus Operandi DREAM WEAVER (New England IPA) NSW
- Mornington Peninsula SQUID SUPREMACY (New England IPA) VIC
- 3 Ravens JUICY (New England IPA) VIC
- Bridge Road BLING (American IPA) VIC
- Black Hops SUPER HORNET (Imperial IPA) QLD
- Young Henrys SUMMER HOP ALE (Australian IPA) NSW
- Big Shed GOLDEN STOUT TIME (Sweet Stout) SA
- Fixation FIXATION IPA (American IPA) VIC
- Batch PASH THE MAGIC DRAGON (Kettle Sour) NSW
- Your Mates DONNIE (Porter) QLD
- Young Henrys MOTORCYCLE OIL (Porter) NSW
- Young Henrys AFENDS HEMP IPA (Specialty Beer) NSW
- Colonial SOUTH WEST SOUR (Hoppy Sour) WA/VIC
- Capital HANG LOOSE JUICE BLOOD ORANGE NEIPA (New England IPA) ACT
- Sauce TRUBBLE & SQUEAK (New England IPA) NSW
- Sauce BUBBLE & SQUEAK (New England IPA) NSW
- Feral BIGGIE JUICE (New England IPA) WA