Mountain Culture Beer's pale ale wins GABS Hottest 100

Mountain Culture Beer's Status Quo Pale Ale is the new GABS Hottest 100 Champion of 2022.

The juicy New England Pale Ale took out the top spot on the podium in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer People’s Choice Poll announced over the weekend.

 DJ & Harriet McCready, owners and brewers of Mountain Culture, have quadrupled production capacity having launched three years ago. Delivering beer to people's loungerooms during COVID proved to be a perfect way to launch this brand. It gained such a loyal following of beer lovers that has seen its production capacity quadruple since launching three or so years ago, expanding from its brewpub in the Blue Mountains and opening a new brewery in Emu Plains late last year.

DJ McCready said, "We're on an absolute high! Still can't believe it - it doesn't feel real. 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 we can't thank enough for taking 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 that we’ve always admired so much."

The silver and bronze places on the podium went to two breweries - both two-time previous champions: Mick Fanning’s, Gold Coast’s Balter XPA and Canberra’s much loved Bentspoke Crankshaft IPA which has won the people's poll for the past two years.

The contest between more than 300 breweries across more than 2,100 different beers and with more than 60K votes, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who voted for Willie the Boatman's The Albo, crafted in Marrickville.

Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale, Sunshine Coast’s Your Mates Larry, Better Beer’s Zero Carb, Sydney favourite  Young Henry’s Newtowner, Coopers Original Pale Ale, Bridge Roads Beechworth Pale Ale and Black Hops G.O.A.T rounded off the most closely contested TOP 10 in the history of the poll. 

GABS says that the competition between breweries was more sophisticated than ever.

"Election campaigning this year was incredible with all breweries embracing the spirit of the Hottest 100 as a true celebration of craft beer and producing some of the most highly entertaining and brilliantly creative content.

"Political promises were ripped off, new rock songs created, and great fun had by all as they courted their fan bases. Not surprisingly, beer lovers spread their votes across their personal taste palate which resulted in a record equaling 58 breweries being represented on the Hottest 100 list," said GABS.

New South Wales took the lead from Queensland this year with 28 spots in the top 100, 26 spots for Queensland, 18 positions to Victoria, 9 to the ACT - including Bentspoke which came in second place - and 8 to South Australia.