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In a liftout in today's Australian called James Halliday's Top 100 Wines, Matilda Bay Brewing founder and former technical director of Little Creatures Brewing Phil Sexton rates his top 20 beers.

He tasted 250 beers over three days, before whittling them to a shortlist of 33 based on points awarded for drinkability, balance and "personality (or character)". The list was then cut to 20 on the basis of subjectivity and debate.

His top 20, which was in no particular order, contained some surprises. Here it is, with his description of the style in brackets, along with its brewery and origin:

Barking Duck (Belgian artisanal ale; Matilda Bay Brewing; Western Australia)
Bohemian Pilzner (pilsner; Matilda Bay Brewing; Western Australia)
James Boag's Premium (lager; J Boag and Sons; Tasmania, Australia)
Carlton Pure Blonde ("light lager"; Carlton and United Beverages (Foster's); Australia)
Coopers Lager (lager; Coopers Brewery; South Australia)
Hargreaves Hill Pale (American pale ale; Hargreaves Hill Brewing; Victoria, Australia)
Hunter Lager (lager; Hunter Beer Co; New South Wales, Australia)
Hunter Pale Ale (pale ale; Hunter Beer Co; New South Wales, Australia)
Bootleg Settlers Pale Ale (American pale ale; Bootleg Brewery; Western Australia)
James Squire Golden Ale (golden ale; Malt Shovel Brewery; New South Wales, Australia)
Little Creatures Pale Ale (American pale ale; Little Creatures Brewing; Western Australia)
Mountain Goat Hightail Ale (American pale ale; Mountain Goat Brewery; Victoria, Australia)
Victoria Bitter Original Ale (strong ale; Carlton and United Beverages (Foster's); Australia)
Asahi Super Dry (pilsner; Asahi; Japan)
Hoegaarden (Belgian wit; Interbrew; Belgium)
La Chouffe (Belgian artisanal ale; Duvel; Belgium)
Leffe Blond (Belgian ale; Interbrew; Belgium)
Schofferhoefer Kristallweizen (weizenbier (Bavarian wheat beer); Binding; Germany)
Timothy Taylor Landlord (English ale; Timothy Taylor's; Yorkshire, England)
Trumer Pils (pilsner; Joseph Sigl Brauerie; Austria)

Thoughts on this controversial list?

Oliver

While I'm sure many people would disaggree with that as a top 20 (I mean, anything with a CUB product in it...), I reckon almost all of them are now on my "Must try" list. that Barking Duck looked pretty interesting to me, I think I'll get one for my end of exams.

Hey,
Seems a bit biased but that could be expected I guess.

Gotta give the man's resilient palate some credit (250 in 3 days ?) don't
think I could handle that.

I would definitely rate Little creatures pale ale higher then the boags and definitely put that light pure blond crap away.

hard choice between the mbb bohemian though think that's a nice one as well.

cheers
501

isnt cooper lager a bit boring to be on the list?

That Barking Duck is awesome, tried it at the Food and Wine Show in Melbourne. Very spicy for a brew but i think that was what i liked about it

Fancy Phil putting LCPA on there!

What a controversial list, many good beers but so many (IMO) TERRIBLE ones.

Also, the lack of CPA and CSA is mystifying.

Pale_Ale wrote:What a controversial list, many good beers but so many (IMO) TERRIBLE ones.

Also, the lack of CPA and CSA is mystifying.

Indeed. More generally, the lack of any of Cooper's bottle-conditioned ales is odd. So many to choose from ... Pale, Sparkling, Dark, Stout, Mild ...

Oliver

Thats not bad but we need to know more on how he came up with the list did he need to include so many largers or what ever, I,m sure the 2 CUB products will have the beer snobs up in arms.

OldBugman wrote:isnt cooper lager a bit boring to be on the list?

Not as boring as the Pure Blonde

Anyone else tried the Barking Duck, i only got like 6 thimbles full at the Food and Wine exhibition. Wonder what it tastes like from a real container.

Oliver wrote:


Thoughts on this controversial list?

Oliver

Hunter Pale Ale and Lager, will have to search for these two.
Barking Duck, great name, will find this too.
Pure Blonde, you have to be kidding. Had this 2 years ago and it was shite then and shite now.
Asahi is OK but I would not say it is in my top 20, a little bit lacking in body, taste and aroma......maybe top 30.

No Coopers CSA and CPA, he has to be kidding.

Karmeliet Tripel would be in my top 5 and does not rate a mention.

VB

Actually the VB Original Ale is a decent beer, a bit bland though... it certainly wouldn't get in my top 20.

Yep i cant beleive theres only one Coopers on there and been the lager?? Gees i would of thought the Sparkling, Pale hell all of them would of got a mention. And no Cascade

OK, so he didn't come up with a list that has EVERYONE'S favorite beer on it (and yes, I'm a Coopers lover myself). I challenge someone to compile one that does.

What I liked about the list was that there were a few there I had tried, but many I hadn't, or never even heard of. Given the broad scope of the list, I'd immagine that while your favorite beer may not be on it, you'd have to have pretty specific tastes not to have a beer on there that you really like.

As for VB orrigional, I aggree it's at least half decent. I'd justify it's place on the list as a reccommendation for people who like stereotypical Aussie beer (read: VB, Carton Draught, Crownies etc), maybe as a "gateway" beer to bigger and better beers.

Sathias wrote:Actually the VB Original Ale is a decent beer, a bit bland though... it certainly wouldn't get in my top 20.

Maybe I should read the FULL name not just VB.

Have not tasted the "Original", have seen it on sale, but thought twice about it and bought a German Pilsener instead.

Boonie wrote:

Sathias wrote:Actually the VB Original Ale is a decent beer, a bit bland though... it certainly wouldn't get in my top 20.

Maybe I should read the FULL name not just VB.

Have not tasted the "Original", have seen it on sale, but thought twice about it and bought a German Pilsener instead.

I would also have trouble buying this one because of its name but maybe i shouldnt be so biased...

On the other hand, frack em if the shite they normally brewed was not so bad then there wouldnt be a problem in the first place now would there

lethaldog wrote:

Boonie wrote:

Sathias wrote:Actually the VB Original Ale is a decent beer, a bit bland though... it certainly wouldn't get in my top 20.

Maybe I should read the FULL name not just VB.

Have not tasted the "Original", have seen it on sale, but thought twice about it and bought a German Pilsener instead.

I would also have trouble buying this one because of its name but maybe i shouldnt be so biased...

On the other hand, frack em if the shite they normally brewed was not so bad then there wouldnt be a problem in the first place now would there

Exactly why I thought twice

Bought a case of Konig Pilsener and Becks instead.

Both brewed o'seas and are both nice.

Becks typical German beer and the Konig was a little nicer IMO with more oomph....aroma and taste were better and stronger.

Cheers

Boonie

Coopers Stout and Sparkling not on the list? They're not my absolute favourite beers, but they should be on there.

lethaldog wrote:

Boonie wrote:

Sathias wrote:Actually the VB Original Ale is a decent beer, a bit bland though... it certainly wouldn't get in my top 20.

Maybe I should read the FULL name not just VB.

Have not tasted the "Original", have seen it on sale, but thought twice about it and bought a German Pilsener instead.

I would also have trouble buying this one because of its name but maybe i shouldnt be so biased...

On the other hand, frack em if the shite they normally brewed was not so bad then there wouldnt be a problem in the first place now would there

The VB Original is a great beer. Forget the name. It's a bit like a Squires Amber Ale but there's something more to it that I like.

Lethal - I find your choice of words (i.e. "frack") interesting. I'm embroiled in BSG land after starting last weekend. I'm so hooked it's all I watch at the moment

Frackin toasters!