Christine Hanley managed to avoid both, then topped the pot of beer with a perfect head.

That makes her officially the best beer puller in Victoria.

The publican from Eldorado’s The McEvoy Tavern recently won the title at the Australian Hoteliers Association’s annual Christmas get-together.

“I wasn’t going to go to be honest, then thought ‘well, I’ll never know will I’,” she said yesterday.

Eight contestants competed for the title at Fitzroy pub The Pumphouse Hotel in Nicholson Street.

Steady nerves and a bit of confidence were clearly required, as each was allowed only one chance to pour.

A panel of three judges then chose the best pot of Carlton Draught beer.

“I thought I’m in with a chance. I was the first one up,” she said.

“I had to then wait and see how everybody else poured.

“It’s interesting that this has been going for 10 years and a man has never won it.”

Ms Hanley, who runs the Eldorado pub with her partner, Terry Emery, got to the state title after winning at Yackandandah in February during an AHA regional meeting.

But now she has gone as far as she can, as there’s no national gong.

Her prize was a $7000 outdoor bar, though she could have instead chosen to spend the money on their existing bar.

“We do a lot of business outside here as we have a nice little beer garden,” Ms Hanley said.

“We also have a old shed that we use for overflow of people or private functions — it’ll get used there.”

Ms Hanley said while it was hard to get away from her work, she was mighty glad she had.

“I guess I had as much a chance as everybody else,” she said.

“But it was still a big surprise, it was great.

“I’m really thrilled.”

Ms Hanley said she was also happy to get so much support from others in the industry.

“The catchup is a really a good time,” she said.