Bridge Road Brewers Beechworth Pale Ale was voted fifth in Australia​’s Hottest Craft Beers of 2018 poll, which was announced this week.

Now it in 11th year, the GABS (Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular) Hottest 100 Craft Beers judged more than 2350 beers from 260 breweries.

Beechworth Pale Ale had featured in the Hottest 100 every year since the poll’s inception; it had made the top 20 since 2013 and broke into the top 10 in 2014.

Bridge Road Brewers founder Ben Kraus said the pale ale was ranked the best Victorian beer in the competition.

He said 150,000 votes were cast for 2350 different beers during the December poll.

“It was the best the pale ale has done after scoring ninth last year,” he said.

“It’s a great result up against big brewers like Stone & Wood, Balter and Young Henrys.” 

Queensland’s Balter Brewing Company took out first place with its XPA American Pale Ale, followed by Stone & Wood’s Pacific Ale Australian Pale Ale and ACT brewer BentSpoke’s Crankshaft American IPA. NSW outfit Young Henrys completed the top 4 with Newtowner Australian Pale Ale.

Australian Brews News has described it as “the largest and most influential people’s choice poll in the land”.

Mr Kraus said it was a welcome result for the Bridge Road Brewers team.

“We’re really proud of our team at Bridge Road Brewers, as well as the support we receive from our passionate supporters, both locally and around Australia,” Mr Kraus said. 

“We really do bat above our average when you take into account the size of our family-owned business compared with other beer brands owned by some of the largest brewing companies in the world.

“A result such of this not only makes us proud, but it also gives local consumers the confidence that the beer made in their own backyard is as good and as popular as any in Australia.

“I’d really like to thank those who got behind us and voted this year.”

Beechworth Pale Ale has been produced by Bridge Road Brewers since 2005.

Bearing its hometown name, it is sold in bars, bottle shops and restaurants nationally and exported to Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand.

Bridge Road Beechy Summer Ale scored 47^th place in its first appearance in the Hottest 100.

Bridge Road Bling came in at 87^th in the poll this year, down from 39^th position last year.

GABS runs the Hottest 100 Craft Beers of the Year poll each December when thousands of beer fans all over Australia and New Zealand vote for their favourite beers of the year.

The results are counted down and celebrated across the country each Australia Day (for the Australian poll) and Waitangi Day (for the Kiwi poll).

Renowned American magazine, The Beer Connoisseur, listed GABS as one of the top 20 beer festivals in the world during 2015.