The GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll has been announced, with the most popular Australian craft beer of 2021 being Bentspoke’s Crankshaft American IPA – the second year running the beer has topped the poll.
The top three was rounded-out by Balter XPA, with the 2017 and 2018 winner placing second and it was joined on the podium by Your Mates from the Sunshine Coast with their Australian Pale Ale, Larry.
Bentspoke’s capital city neighbour, Capital Brewing grabbed two spots in the top 10 with its XPA taking out the best debut beer.
GABS Festival MD, Mike Bray said: “It is just fantastic that the GABS Hottest 100 makes craft beer part of a national discussion. After the year the brewing industry has had, to see venues busy, beer flowing, people celebrating and debating craft beer as we delivered the live countdown on Saturday was incredible.
“GABS is all about sharing a common love for craft beer and the fact that more people are joining the conversation each year, only bodes well for the future of the industry.”
The poll also reflected the growing ‘better for you’ trend which is sweeping the country, as Heaps Normal’s Quiet XPA became the first non-alcoholic beer to make it into the top 20. Better Beer Zero Carb from The Inspired Unemployed and Mighty Craft made it to number six on the list with Sobah Beverages, zero alcohol, Pepperberry IPA coming in at 69 and Gold Coast’s Burleigh Brewing Co, Bighead No-carb Lager placing 57.
Pale, Hazy and Hop driven Ales dominated the list but the move by craft breweries to attract mainstream beer drinkers is clearly working, judging by the number of high quality, easy drinking, gateway Lagers and low-no options proving popular.
In the battle between the states, Queensland set the bar at 30 with Black Hops claiming an amazing six of those spots. Victoria took 22, NSW 20, ACT 12, SA and WA claiming eight each.
In total 58 breweries made up the top 100 and 37 beers made debuts on the list.
The Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers for 2021 are:
- BentSpoke Brewing Co – Crankshaft IPA
- Balter Brewing – Balter XPA
- Your Mates Brewing Co – Larry
- Stone & Wood Brewing Co – Pacific Ale
- Black Hops Brewery – G.O.A.T.
- Better Beer – Better Beer Zero Carb
- Capital Brewing Co – Capital XPA
- Ballistic Beer Co – Hawaiian Haze
- Capital Brewing Co – Coast Ale
- Young Henrys – Newtowner
- Coopers Brewery – Original Pale Ale
- BentSpoke Brewing Co – Barley Griffin
- Balter Brewing- Balter Hazy
- Bridge Road Brewers – Beechworth Pale Ale
- Beerfarm – Royal Haze
- Pirate Life Brewing – South Coast Pale Ale
- Gage Roads Brewing Co – Single Fin
- KAIJU! Beer – KRUSH! Tropical Pale Ale
- Black Hops Brewery – East Coast Haze
- Heaps Normal – Quiet XPA
- Heads Of Noosa Brewing Co – Japanese Lager
- Brick Lane Brewing Co – One Love Pale Ale
- Little Creatures – Little Creatures Pale Ale
- Moon Dog Craft Brewery – Old Mate
- Philter Brewing – Philter XPA
- Mountain Goat Beer – GOAT Very Enjoyable Beer
- Feral Brewing Co – Biggie Juice
- Brookvale Union – Ginger Beer
- 4 Pines Brewing Co – 4 Pines Pacific Ale
- Big Shed Brewing Concern – Boozy Fruit
- Hawke’s Brewing- Hawke’s Patio Pale
- Bright Brewery – Alpine Lager
- Grifter Brewing Co – Pale
- Blackflag Brewing – Rage Juicy Pale
- Green Beacon Brewing Co – Wayfarer
- Stomping Ground Brewing Co – Gipps St Pale Ale
- Akasha Brewing Co – Hopsmith IPA
- Dainton Beer – Blood Orange NEIPA
- Revel Brewing Co – Strawberries & Cream Sour Ale
- Coopers Brewery – Sparkling Ale
- BentSpoke Brewing Co – Sprocket
- Capital Brewing Co – Hang Loose Juice Blood Orange NEIPA
- Coopers Brewery – Coopers XPA
- Your Mates Brewing Co – Sally
- BentSpoke Brewing Co – Cluster 8
- Black Hops Brewery – Neverland
- Balter Brewing – Eazy Hazy
- Ballistic Beer Co – Hawaiian Haze IPA
- Capital Brewing Co West Coast NEIPA – Mountain Culture Collab
- Coopers Brewery – Coopers Pacific Pale Ale
- Bodriggy Brewing Co – Speccy Juice
- Colonial Brewing Co – Colonial Pale Ale
- Grifter Brewing Co – Serpents Kiss
- Sunday Road Brewing – Cryotherapy
- Deeds Brewing – Juice Train
- 10 Toes Brewery – Pipeline Pale
- Burleigh Brewing Co – Bighead No-carb Lager
- Hop Nation Brewing Co – J-Juice
- Range Brewing Co – Lights + Music
- Black Hops Brewery – Hop Swap
- Black Hops Brewery – Black Hops Pale Ale
- Your Mates Brewing Co – Macca
- Balter Brewing – Captain Sensible
- Capital Brewing Co – Trail Pale Ale
- Hawke’s Brewing – Hawke’s Lager
- Burleigh Brewing Co – Twisted Palm
- One Drop Brewing Co – Double Vanilla Custard Pancake Imperial Nitro Thickshake IPA
- Cronulla Beer Co – Next Level XPA
- Sobah Beverages – Pepperberry IPA
- Jetty Road Brewery – Jetty Road Pale Ale
- Brouhaha Brewery – Strawberry Rhubarb Sour
- Stone & Wood Brewing Co – Cloud Catcher
- Blackman’s Brewery – Juicy Banger
- 4 Pines Brewing Co – 4 Pines Pale Ale
- Brick Lane Brewing Co – Sidewinder Hazy Pale
- Hop Nation Brewing Co – Rattenhund
- Sunday Road Brewing – Enigma Ale
- Otherside Brewing Co – Anthem IPA
- Bad Shepherd Brewing Co – Peanut Butter Porter
- Ballistic Beer Co – Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout
- Black Hops Brewery – Hornet
- Little Creatures – Pacific Ale
- Your Mates Brewing Co – Eddie
- Dainton Beer – Jungle Juice
- Bodriggy Brewing Co – Utropia Pale Ale
- Young Henrys – The Unifier
- Hawkers Beer – West Coast IPA
- Mismatch Brewing Co – Mismatch Session Ale
- Gage Roads Brewing Co – Side Track All Day XPA
- Little Bang Brewing Co – Face Inverter
- BentSpoke Brewing Co – Red Nut
- Tumut River Brewing Co – Ginja Ninja
- Eumundi Brewery – Eumundi Alcoholic Ginger Beer
- Deeds Brewing – Once More Into the Fray
- Akasha Brewing Co – Mosaic IPA
- Ballistic Beer Co – Low Ha
- Capital Brewing Co – Rock Hopper IPA
- Wayward Brewing Co – Raspberry Berliner Weisse
- Willie The Boatman – Nectar Of The Hops
- Balter Brewing – CryoHaze