With voting for this year’s GABS Hottest 100 craft beers underway, one local brewery hopes to be crowned Australian craft beer champion with its wildcard brew.
The once-niche industry has exploded in popularity over recent years and brewers Your Mates are one step closer to achieving their dream of being number one in Australia’s biggest craft beer contest.
Craft beer enthusiasts can now vote for their five favourite-tasting beers of 2022 in the 15th edition of the annual GABS Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers people’s choice poll.
Last year, nearly a quarter of a million votes were cast by close to 50,000 consumers as a record 58 breweries made it onto the Hottest 100 list.
Canberra’s Bentspoke Crankshaft IPA took out the number one spot for the second year running. Gold Coast’s Balter XPA, which is co-owned by pro surfers Mick Fanning and Joel Pakinson, came in second and podium debutants Your Mates from the Sunshine Coast came in third.
This year the Warana brewery has six beers nominated, including the popular Larry, as well as Tilly, Macca, Donnie and Sally, plus a wildcard beer with a quirky twist.
Rob Naylor from Your Mates said surprisingly someone had nominated one of its limited-release beers – the Seawater Gose.
“It’s a special beer using some local Mudjimba seawater,” Mr Naylor said.
“It doesn’t come across as tasting salty or anything … it’s very easy to drink.
“It’s the first year our ginger beer, Tilly, has been nominated, which has been really exciting. We’d love to get her in the top 10 in her first year.”
For the fifth year in a row Your Mates has gradually worked up the GABS ranks, coming thirteenth, fifth and fourth with Larry until they got third last year.
Speaking on behalf of the team, Mr Naylor said they were rapt by last year’s success in the comp but their dream was to get Larry to number one.
“We’re hoping to achieve our lifetime goal and be first this year with the support of our frothy followers,” Mr Naylor said.
“Your Mates founders Matt and Christen began brewing out of their garage, so to get to that point where we are mixing with the big boys is amazing and a testament to the support of our local community and our quality products.
“It would be a massive thing for cementing the Sunny Coast as the Craft Brewing Capital if a local brew got number one.”
Beer enthusiasts can select from more than 1000 beers nominated for the GABS poll by hundreds of Aussie breweries. All voters also go into a random draw to win a share of $5000 in prizes.
With the competition growing in popularity each year, Mr Naylor said getting involved in GABS was a chance to show your favourite brewery some appreciation and give them some recognition.
“Voting means a lot to all the breweries,” he said.
“It will help them grow and give them more motivation to brew some more interesting things.
“It’s a drinker poll. There’s no bias, it’s what people think and it gives us a feeling of where we sit in the market place.
“It lets punters express their love for their brews and they can give actual feedback.”
The Your Mates GABS Hottest 100 countdown party will be held at the newly opened Noosa BowlsPub on Saturday, January 28. For more info head to Your Mates.
Punters can tune in and listen to the Hottest 100 live podcast and GABS will also release the Hottest 100 Indie Beers (independent-owned breweries), Hottest 100 New Beers (brewed in 2022) and Hottest Next Beers (101-200) lists.
SUBSCRIBE here now for our FREE news feed, direct to your inbox daily!
