Whether you’re a craft beer nerd or you’ve only recently found yourself dabbling in the world of great beer, a good pale ale never goes astray. A true crowd-pleaser, the go-to beer is loaded with rich flavours, hoppy goodness and more than enough booze to keep you buzzed.
Pale Ales are favourites thanks to their refreshing, balanced palette, and whilst a classic pale ale is a great entry point for those new to the beer-drinking game, the specialty pale ales can enliven and surprise even the most seasoned beer drinkers.
Best Pale Ales at a Glance
Our list of the best pale ales goes like this.
- Best pale ale beer overall: Mountain Culture Status Quo Pale Ale
- Best hazy pale ale: Black Hops G.O.A.T.
- Best if you’re a first timer: Little Creatures Pale Ale
- Best if you’re after something new: Cupitt’s Estate Mollymook Pale Ale
- Best if you want a mid-strength: Hawkes Brewing Half XPA
Now we’ve rounded up our favourites, let’s check out the complete list.
Table of contents
- Best Pale Ales at a Glance
- 1. Mountain Culture Beer Co. Status Quo Pale Ale
- 2. Your Mates Brewing Co. Larry Pale Ale
- 3. Bridge Road Beechworth PA
- 4. Young Henrys Newtowner
- 5. Hawke’s Brewing Half XPA
- 6. Pirate Life IPA
- 7. Black Hops Brewery’s G.O.A.T.
- 8. Little Creatures Pale Ale
- 9. Cupitt’s Estate Mollymook Pale Ale
- 10. Beerfarm Royal Haze
- 11. Range Disco Pale Ale
- What is a Pale Ale?
- How Man of Many Chose the Best Pale Ales
1. Mountain Culture Beer Co. Status Quo Pale Ale
Type: Pale Ale
Size: 355ml
Alcohol volume: 5.2%
State: New South Wales
Awards: Voted Australia’s #1 beer in GABS Hottest 100 in 2022, 2023
Mountain Culture’s premier pale ale the Status Quo is funnily enough anything but. It’s been named the hottest beer in Australia two years running by GABS, and is a favourite of ours here in the Man of Many office for good reason.
It’s delicious, bringing a tropical finish to what is otherwise a very hoppy beer. Pat Thiering, Mountain Culture’s brand and innovation manager, told Man of Many the brewery keeps a close eye on beer rating apps like Untapped to stay on top of changing tastes, and make sure its beers satisfy.
“For pale ales, we noticed that our drinkers really want something that is smashable but still has all of the hop profile of more heavily hopped beers. These days this style is generally fruit forward in terms of hop with minimal bitterness,” Thiering said.
If that sounds delicious, give Mountain Culture a crack.
2. Your Mates Brewing Co. Larry Pale Ale
Type: Pale Ale
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 4.5%
State: Queensland
If you’re looking for something sweet mixed in with just a bit of the bitter, but still very drinkable for when you’re after something easy to down, Larry might be what you’re after. Crafted with the kind of laid-back attitude you can imagine coming out of a brewery sitting smack in the Sunshine Coast, Your Mates’ have created something special here.
Mixing the fruitiness of passionfruit, pineapple and mango with the hoppy goodness you can expect from a pale ale, Larry delivers an impressive and imminently sessionable beer.
And, without getting too off topic, the can’s art is one of our favourites. The titular Larry looks like someone from BoJack Horseman in the best way possible, set in front of the tropical palms that ensure you understand this is a summer-styled beer – just in case the Hawaiian shirt didn’t give it away.
3. Bridge Road Beechworth PA
Type: Pale Ale
Size: 355ml
Alcohol volume: 4.8%
State: Victoria
Awards: Sydney Royal Beer and Cider Show Bronze Medal
Bridge Road’s Beechworth Pale Ale is an interesting mix. It’s an American-styled beer, brewed by an Australian who was taught by Austrians. The resulting beer is a delicious example of what can be produced right here in Australia by taking lessons and inspiration from the rest of the world.
Styled after hoppy American Pale Ales, Beechworth brings a soft citrus finish to what is a fairly malty taste profile, delivering one of our favourite drinks on the list.
While Bridge Road makes a number of other delicious drinks, Beechworth Pale Ale is by far the high standard it is known for, and for very, very good reason. If you’re after something a bit more extraordinary, head on down to Beechworth.
4. Young Henrys Newtowner
Type: Australian Pale Ale
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 4.8%
State: New South Wales
Awards: Australian Liquor Industry Awards 20220: Best Independent Craft Beer
A beer after our own hearts, Young Henrys’ Newtowner was created to represent everything the inner-west of Sydney namesake suburb, Newtown, stands for. It was initially a timed release to celebrate the 150 anniversary of Newtown’s beginning, but proved so popular the brand decided it’d just be a regular thing. That was probably the right call, since I haven’t been to a single pub in the last decade that didn’t have this thing on tap.
It’s an easy beer to drink, despite the fact it is strong in flavour, delivering a hit of passionfruit at the first sip.
Mixing Australian and New Zealand flavours with the focus of an English Ale, the Newtowner is a classic in its own right, best served loud, according to Young Henrys (fun fact: I grew up listening to Young Henrys co-founder Oscar McMahon’s rock band, the Hell City Glamours – check them out, they’re awesome).
5. Hawke’s Brewing Half XPA
Type: Mid Strength XPA
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 1.75%
State: New South Wales
Awards: Indie Awards: Gold medal in reduced alcohol category
All the flavour, half the booze. What’s not to love? If you’re not looking to get your hands on something you can drink all day and only get mildly sloshed, this is an absolute gem.
Somehow, despite being a mid-strength number, Hawke’s Half XPA doesn’t lack in any department. It delivers on the flavour profile of a full-strength beer, with notes of citrus and pineapple to boot, and makes for a particularly cruisy beer for a backyard BBQ.
Hawkes’ head brewer Brodie French told us the beer has already exceeded the brewery’s expectations, likely because of the growing trend toward moderating and monitoring your alcohol intake. Plus, for every beer you buy a portion of the proceeds go back to Landcare, which gives back to our natural environment, so you can feel good while you feel good.
6. Pirate Life IPA
Type: Indian Pale Ale
Size: 355ml
Alcohol volume: 6.8%
State: South Australia
Established in 2014, Pirate Life has gone a long way to put South Australia on the map for craft beer. It’s delivered a number of delicious brews, but for our money, Pirate Life’s ‘Baby Blue’ Indian Pale Ale is where it’s at.
What gives Pirate Life’s IPA its signature taste is actually not Australian at all: the hops used in this beer are derived from the United States and New Zealand, delivering a unique mix of fruity flavours in a neat little package. Together, the international hop varieties bring a bright, bitter flavour alongside the aromas of marmalade and curry leaf, finished by a citrus twist.
IPAs tend to be hoppier than their regular Pale Ale counterparts, and Pirate Life’s attempt here proves the rule. Thankfully, those hops are pretty spectacular.
7. Black Hops Brewery’s G.O.A.T.
Type: Hazy IPA
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 6.0%
State: Queensland
Awards: Australian International Beer Awards 2018: Gold Medal
Another fantastic beer that started its run as a limited-quantity release, the G.O.A.T. was brewed specifically to win the 2018 Australian International Beer Awards (it did). From there, Black Hops decided they were onto a good thing and kept the good times rolling, and the G.O.A.T has been a staple of the Queensland brewery’s success ever since.
What makes the G.O.A.T. special is the explosive fruit flavours: a tropical hit of mango and passionfruit, finished by the taste of bitter pineapple. Hazy IPA brewed with a heavy dose of dry hops, and the G.O.A.T. is the same, enjoying a last-minute hit of Mosaic, Amarillo and El Dorado hops.
All things taken together, the G.O.A.T. is unsurprisingly one of the best. What started out as an experiment by Black Hops has become a fan favourite, and it’s not hard to see why.
8. Little Creatures Pale Ale
Type: American Pale Ale
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 5.2%
State: Western Australia
A surprisingly divisive beer within circles of know-it-alls, Little Creatures’ Pale Ale is one of the more important beers brewed in Australia. For one, it showed just how damn good Aussie beer can be on the international stage, but it also kicked off a revolution Down Under that arguably created the craft beer scene we enjoy today.
But we don’t want to relegate its importance only to the past: Little Creatures’ Pale Ale remains one of the best beers on the market today. It shares the citrus aroma of its many imitators, but brings a healthy grapefruit punch to the dance alongside its perhaps more tastefully balanced hops.
Despite the fact the beer has been on the market since 2000, the brewing process has evolved significantly over the years. What kicked off as a beer made purely using US-sourced hops has increasingly added a bit of Australia into the mix, with the beer’s headline Cascade hops now sourced from both markets. This delivers a more complex flavour, and ensures that, no matter the season, Little Creatures’ Pale Ale is always made using fresh ingredients.
9. Cupitt’s Estate Mollymook Pale Ale
Type: Pale Ale
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 5.2%
State: New South Wales
Awards: The Indies: Bronze medal
No, this isn’t a wine list. Yes, Cupitt’s Estate also makes beer, and it’s every bit as delicious as you’d expect. Despite being the younger brother to a more mature winery, Cupitt’s brewery has been around for about a decade, and is headed up by Liam Jackson, a brewmaster with a passion.
When asked what makes a great pale ale, Jackson said the broadness of the style really helps it to deliver a wide range of flavours without giving up the hoppy, fruity flavours we expect.
“Pale ale is popular because it goes down easy, but it still has enough character to satisfy those seeking a bit of flavour,” he said.
For Cupitt’s effort, its Mollymook Pale Ale delivers a more floral nose, finished with a taste approaching toffee. Not a bad shout, especially if you’re after a more delicate flavour.
10. Beerfarm Royal Haze
Type: Hazy Indian Pale Ale
Size: 375ml
Alcohol volume: 5.8%
State: Western Australia
Awards: The Indies: Silver, Bronze, Australian International Beer Awards: Bronze
Beerfarm actually has a few pale ales up its sleeve, and they’re all good. But in our humble opinion, the Royal Haze is where it’s at. Delivering all the staples of a delicious hazy pale ale in something as smooth and easy to drink as this is an impressive feat, and one we’re keen to highlight.
While pale ale is largely characterised by its fruity flavours, the Royal Haze has a more subdued profile and a relatively mild bitterness. This makes Royal Haze a surprisingly easy drink, perfect for a sunny afternoon sesh.
It’s a laid-back beer for laid-back people, brewed while “remembering the good ol’ days of the great south west”, Beerfarm says. We love a bit of colourful storytelling, and you can almost taste that dusty evening sunset in every sip.
11. Range Disco Pale Ale
Type: Double Dry Hopped Hazy Pale Ale
Size: 330ml
Alcohol volume: 5.2%
State: Queensland
What happens when a brewery known for constant experimentation, innovation, and batch releases settles on a formula they want to keep making? Well, you sit up and listen – or, in this case, I guess you sit down and taste. Range is already well known for its love of all things hazy and pale, and their Disco brew is just about its magnum opus.
It’s double dry-hopped, which gives an extra layer of hoppy goodness, alongside notes of melon, passionfruit and orange, with only mild bitterness. It’s a concoction that comes from years of toying with different hops and techniques to explore the limits of what makes beer what it is, and it shows.
There’s a level of mastery here that few can compare to, but don’t take our word for it. Get out there and try it. Disco ain’t dead, baby, and it’s delicious.
What is a Pale Ale?
So, you’re a fan of the pale ale? Us too, and if you’re interested, we think it’s worth taking stock of what the delicious golden elixir really is. Put simply, a pale ale is an amber-coloured beer style brewed with pale malt.
“The identifying feature of a pale ale is the hop character: so using hops that are fresh and from the most recent harvest ensures the hop oils, which give pale ales its fruity, citrus, hoppy character, have not been degraded from extended storage,” Hawkes Brewing’s head brewer Brodie French told us.
“Pale ales are easy drinking, fruity and tend to be low in bitterness which makes them a popular choice in craft space.”
For Mountain Culture’s Pat Thiering, the style’s sessionability mixed with that big hop profile is key to what makes a good pale ale shine.
“A perfect modern pale ale has these elements but is still crisp and refreshing enough to have people coming back for more,” he said.
In recent times, craft beer lovers have seriously turned the screws on what you can actually do within that space, but the term pale ale has actually been around for centuries. According to Mitch Steele’s 2013 publication, IPA: Brewing Techniques, Recipes and the Evolution of India Pale Ale, the first advertisements for pale ales started appearing in the Calcutta Gazette as early as 1784, describing the beer as a “light and excellent” pale ale. Importantly, brewing practices and hop quantities have changed over the years, producing a range of tastes and strengths within the pale ale family.
How Man of Many Chose the Best Pale Ales
When it comes to picking a list of the best pale ales on the market, it goes without saying that expertise is key. While we’ve tasted every beer on this list, we’ve also turned to the wider public for their overall ratings. Our list takes into account four major perspectives to determine the overall rating. In addition to our own opinions, we take into account reviews via alcohol retailer Dan Murphys and the global beer rating community Untappd, as well as the results of the most recent GABS Hottest 100 Beers. We then collate the information together and measure the beers via overall flavour profile, reader ratings and commercial availability, meaning one-off special editions aren’t likely to top the list.
