Victorian pride has been salvaged. Latest brewing industry figures show that VB has regained its crown as Australia's biggest selling beer, knocking off Queensland interloper XXXX Gold which took the No.1 position in May last year after decades of dominance by VB.

Latest Nielsen figures show that VB has a 12.2 per cent market share of the off-premise beer market against 11.9 per cent for XXXX Gold.

Drinkers have welcomed the return of full-strength VB. Credit:Joe Armao

VB overtook XXXX Gold some time between December and February as the nation's most popular beer and follows from the beer's relaunch late last year under new owner SABMiller which saw VB's alcohol content put back to 4.9 per cent from 4.6 per cent and a new advertising campaign. In the three months to Christmas VB sales by volume rose 2 per cent.

A spokeswoman for Lion, which brews XXXX Gold and XXXX, said the latest Nielsen figures were only based on one month's sales.