The GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer people’s choice poll was revealed this weekend, and Mountain Culture Beer Co’s Status Quo Pale Ale was crowded as the Champion beer of 2022.
This was the 15th year for the poll, which saw over 60,000 people registering to vote with 311 breweries and 2140 beers attracting votes.
Status Quo Pale Ale is brewed in the NSW Blue Mountains by husband and wife team DJ and Harriett McCready, who opened the first brewpub in the area in 2019.
The pair told The Shout: “This is absolutely incredible. Our team works so hard to make the best quality product possible, and the GABS Hottest 100 result is a testament to that – and our awesome fans who took the time to vote for Status Quo.
“It is so humbling to know that one of our first ever brews created on our original brew kit in our Katoomba brewpub is now rubbing shoulders with all these other beers made by brewers and breweries and that we’ve always admired so much.
“Status Quo encapsulates so much of what we are about. We’ve put in so much work to make it the beer it is today, and it’s why we’re so proud it leads our core range.
“We’ve been so embraced by the craft beer community and it’s an industry we’re so proud to be a part of. Having the GABS countdown and the festivals are such a great opportunity for all of us in the industry to come together and celebrate our hard work, but also a great opportunity to reflect on how exciting the Australian craft beer market is right now because look how many awesome breweries are pumping out just stellar beers.”
The second and third places on the podium went to two breweries who are both two-time previous champions, Mick Fanning’s, Gold Coast’s Balter XPA and Canberra’s Bentspoke Crankshaft IPA.
Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale, Sunshine Coast’s Your Mates Larry, Better Beer’s Zero Carb, Young Henry’s Newtowner, Coopers Original Pale Ale, Bridge Roads Beechworth Pale Ale and Black Hops G.O.A.T rounded off the poll’s Top 10.
Mountain Culture recently announced it was expanding its team as it eyed triple-digit year-on-year growth, and there’s little doubt this win will help the brewery drive its expansion plans
You can find the full list of all this year’s top 100 craft beers at www.gabshottest100.com.