We’ve just grabbed the second edition of The critics’ choice – Australia’s best beers ($19.95, Scribal Publishing 2012). It’s a slim, advert rich book, set in an eye-wrenching sans serif typeface (compounded by a too-dark background colour in the early pages) only an advertising agency would choose.
Struggle through, though, and discover Australia’s top 100 beers as rated by a mix of retailers, journalists, bloggers, venue operators and brewers. Members of the group independently listed their favour beers tasted from any source during 2010.
They then ranked their selections, awarding 50 points to the top beer, 49 to the second and so on, then sent their ratings to a coordinator. The aggregated scores determined the beers on the top 100 list, ranked in order of their scores.
Top three on the winner’s dais were Feral Brewing Company Hop Hog India Pale Ale, Stone and Wood Pacific Pale Ale and Little Creatures Pale Ale (reviewed below).
Copyright © Chris Shanahan 2012
First published 9 May 2012 in The Canberra Times