Posted on 25th May 2018

Introducing Australia's Ultimate Top 50 Beer List...

In 2017 we released Australia's Ultimate Top 50 Beer list. This combined the top 50 beers from four leading websites and polls; RateBeer, Beer Advocate, Untapped and Australia’s Hottest 100 Craft Beers.

The intention was simple; use what was already available but remove the bias involved with each of the individual lists. You can read about the method used to create the list here.

The result was interesting and we believe a truer reflection of the best Australian beers.

The 2018 Ultimate Top 50 Beer List

Fast forward 12 months from the first release of this list and we have now released the 2018 list, featured below. Over 100,000 votes / ratings were used to compile this list.

Needless to say it's robust!

Some interesting insights about this year's list:

- First, second and third places went to Pirate Life IIPA, Modus Operandi Former Tenant Red IPA and Nail Brewing Clout Stout (respectively).

- There are more stouts featured in the list than any other beer style (31% vs 25% for IPA and 18% for pale ales).

- Unlike other lists, many beers with smaller distribution and production volume made the top 50 list, showing that deep pockets and large distribution are not prerequisites.

- Two large craft beer brands, James Squire and Fat Yak, do not appear in the list at all.

- There are 16 beers which feature in the list for the first time, 3 of which are New England IPAs – a new style of IPA with next to no bitterness which is growing in popularity.

- With the buyouts in late 2017 of Feral Brewing, Pirate Life and 4 Pines, the percentage of independent breweries represented in the list has reduced from 88% to 70%.

Using the results of the list we have also created an ebook which showcases each beer, provides tasting notes and detailed commentary of the results.

To view other years release of Australia's Ultimate Top 50 Beers simply click on one of the links below:

2017 Ultimate Top 50 Beers

2019 Ultimate Top 50 Beers

Australia's Ultimate Top 50 Beers (2018)

1 Pirate Life IIPA (Imperial IPA)

2 Modus Operandi Former Tenant (Red IPA)

3 Nail Clout Stout (Imperial Stout)

4 Boatrocker Ramjet (2013/2014, 2014/2015, 2015/2016)* (Imperial Stout)

5 Feral War Hog (IPA)

6 Mornington Peninsula Imperial Stout (Imperial Stout)

7 Feral Hop Hog (Pale Ale)

8 Murray's Craft Wild Thing (Imperial Stout)

9 Stone & Wood Pacific Ale (Pale Ale)

10 Feral Tusk (Imperial IPA)

11 KAIJU! Aftermath (Imperial IPA)

12 Modus Operandi Future Factory (IIPA / NEIPA)

13 Riverside '777' Imperial IPA (Imperial IPA)

14= Pirate Life IPA (IPA)

14= Pirate Life Mosaic IPA (IPA)

16= Boatrocker Banshee (Barleywine)

16= Feral Boris (Imperial Stout)

16= Little Creatures Pale Ale (Pale Ale)

19= Feral B.F.H. (Barrel Fermented Hog) (IPA)

19= KAIJU! Where Strides The Behemoth (Imperial Black IPA)

21 La Sirène La Sirène Saison (Saison)

22 La Sirène Praline (Stout)

23 Pirate Life Pale Ale (Pale Ale)

24 Mountain Goat Back To the Brewer (Double Steam Ale/NEIPA)

25= Akasha Korben D. (Imperial IPA)

25= Balter XPA (XPA)

25= Stockade The Mountie Maple Imperial Stout ( Imperial Stout)

28= Big Shed Golden Stout Time (Stout)

28= Moon Dog Jumping The Shark 2015 (Imperial Stout)

30 BentSpoke Crankshaft (IPA)

31= Coopers Best Extra Stout (Stout)

31= Young Henrys Newtowner (Pale Ale)

33 Gage Roads Single Fin (Summer Ale)

34 Knappstein Reserve Lager (Lager)

35= Balter IPA (IPA)

35= Feral Karma Citra (Black IPA)

37 Hop Nation Jedi Juice (New England IPA)

38= Boatrocker Coffee Ramjet 2016 (Imperial Stout)

38= Bridge Road Brewers B2 Bomber Mach 6.0 (Imperial Black IPA)

38= Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth Pale Ale (Pale Ale)

38= Feral Watermelon Warhead (Berliner Weisse)

38= Hargreaves Hill R.I.S. (Imperial Stout)

43= KAIJU! KRUSH! (Pale Ale)

43= Wig & Pen Russian Imperial Stout (Imperial Stout)

45= Gage Roads Little Dove (Pale Ale)

45= Holgate Brewhouse Millennium Falcon (Imperial IPA)

45= Modus Operandi Sonic Prayer (IPA)

48 Boatrocker Roger Ramjet (2017) (Imperial Stout)

49 Hawkers Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout (2016) (Imperial Stout)

50= 4 Pines Stout (Stout)

50= Two Metre Tall Original Sour Ale (Sour Ale)

*Rate Beer combined all the ratings for Boatrocker Ramjet 2013/2014/2015/2016 and so this was also done for other lists where these beers appeared. An average score was then given for each respective list (if applicable).

Note: There are 51 beers in total due to the last couple beers being tied for last spot.

Like a Mixed Pack of Australia's Best Beers?

We hope you enjoyed the list, and have one question for you.

Would you like to try some of the beers?

If you answered yes then you're in luck!

We've put together a mix 12 pack (available for a limited time) featuring 12 of Australia's Ultimate Top 50 Beers. Valued at over $104.99 we're offering it to you for $86.

That represents a saving of 20%.

Simply click here or the image below to secure your limited release mix 12 pack.