It’s that time of year again; it’s time for my Golden Pint Awards. If you’re new to the concept; it was a beer blogging movement started in the UK – where they challenged people to critically assess their best beer moments of the year. Basically it’s a celebration of best beers had during the year by people who know the most about beer, or at least think they do!

This is the ninth consecutive year I’ve done this now and, like I say every year, it’s getting harder rather than easier! After the ridiculousness that was last year, I’ve made a concerted effort to get this post up before February! As you might’ve gathered this is 2022, not 2020! I’m going back and doing a couple of these retrospectively, thankfully I did at least make a start on them at the time, as I think they provide a really interesting industry snapshot when viewed year on year. So without further ado, let’s get into the 2019 Golden Pints;

Best Australian Draught Beer – Boatrocker Ramjet (2019) This was the first time that this category has every beer easy for me. The 2019 Ramjet was clearly the best to date. It was beautifully balanced with chocolate, roast, whiskey & umami. I assume it still is, I might need to go raid the cellar to confirm…

Best Australian Bottled Beer – La Sirene Foret Sauvage The 2017 winner is the champion once again! I’m pretty sure I’m right in saying that this is the first time a beer has ever won the same award twice on the site – notwithstanding Feral War Hog winning Bottle then Can in 15/16. This beer had evolved from two years ago, it’s got less apparent Tripel character and is now an aggressively tart, slightly funky fruit bomb – in the best way possible.

Best Australian Canned Beer – Mr Banks The Drop #1  This is in part owed to the story behind the beer. The Drop was a very shortlived series from Mr Banks that were canned same-day and delivered to various car parks around Melbourne, to those keen enough to have pre-ordered it. An 8.2% DDH DIPA loaded with Citra, Nelson Sauvin & El Dorado. It was everything you’re thinking it was. Big, dangerously smooth & just layers upon layers of sticky tropical notes. It was stunning!

Best Cask Beer – The Cheeky Pint Raspberry & Blueberry Stout Every year I consider ditching this award as the number of cask beers around town drop. This was a genuinely nice find so Best Cask Beer gets at least a further year reprieve. The Cheeky Pint was one of many brewers in Victoria I was unaware of prior to The Year of the Local but this stout really put them on the map for me. There was loads of raspberry that paired quite nicely with the chocolatey base stout, the handpump carbonation really added to the experience.

Best Overseas Draught Beer – Other Half DDH Go With the Flow I can’t remember if I’d invoked the NEIPA/Hazy IPA rule by the end of 2019, but writing this in 2022 I’m allowed to do what I want & it’s in play. This was a Hazy IPA, clocking in at 6.6% & loaded with Citra, Simcoe & Motueka. It was amazing & no I can’t really explain why it was better than others – it just was!

Best Overseas Bottled Beer – Anchorage Migrating Eyes When thinking of doing this retrospectively, the first thing I thought was whether 2019 was the Migrating Eyes year? Thankfully it was! This is still one of my all-time favourite beers. It’s a 8% Farmhouse Ale fermented in French Oak foudres, before being finished on what must’ve been a metric fuck-tonne of apricots & peaches. The resulting beer is wonderfully funky, slightly tart & tastes more like stonefruit than anything else I’ve ever drank, Fou-foune included!

Best Overseas Canned Beer – Amundsen ZYGoat Even the best part of 3 years on from drinking this I still remember this beer vividly. It was literally like drinking chocolate & salted caramel! There was so much caramel, a hint of salt & although it was joltingly sweet, it strangely wasn’t cloying. I think this is where Pastry Stouts peaked for me, they can go away again now…

Best Collaboration Beer – Tilquin X Rulles Rullquin You know when you build something up in your head and it inevitably lets you down? This is what I assumed I would do to this beer after wanting to try it for years. Thankfully it more than lived up to my lofty expectations. This is a true collaboration, it’s 7/8th Rulles Brune & 1/8th year old Tilquin lambic & it combines beautifully. It’s roasty, fruity, acetic & bloody delightful! They are still around so if this sounds like your thing seek it out!

Best Overall Beer – Anchorage Migrating Eyes Enough said. It’s spectacular! If you see it, buy it!

Best Branding – Range Brewing Genuinely hard to do this category from a few years ago, so I’m going to cop out and say Range. For a sticker can brewery, they do a good job of keeping their designs fresh & interesting despite releasing so many new beers! 

Best Bottle Label – Deep Creek Wisdom IPA I reckon this is simply stunning, but don’t let me be the only arbiter see for yourself! 

Best Australian Brewery – Fixation 2019 was Fixation’s best year to date. Fixation IPA is without doubt the best West Coast IPA in the country, The Fix was tasting as good as ever, whilst the decision to can The 86 has to be one of the best decisions a brewery made in 2019.  

Best Overseas Brewery – Other Half This was a real toss up for me between Epic (NZ) & Other Half. I’ve ended up stumping for the American brewery because 5 of the their beers I had this year were genuinely world class. Huge props to Mr West for getting the beers over in such good condition, it’s down to them that Other Half were in contention for this award.

Best New Brewery Opening 2019 –  Black Arts The Wild Ale producer was the clear standout of the new brewers this year. Their Golden Ale is world class, whilst their Red is nicely acetic and should develop nicely. They’re one to keep an eye on as they add more fruited offerings down the track.

Pub/Bar of the Year – Beer Deluxe Beer Deluxe gets forgotten when we talk about Melbourne’s best beer venues. It needs credit for the way it straddles the divide of introducing people to good beer, whilst catering for the nerds. I was really impressed with their events this year & am pleased to be able send them some love.

Beer Festival of the Year – Good Beer Week What else could it possibly be? There’s a reason it’s talked about as one of the worlds best beer festivals.

Independent Retailer of the Year – Carwyn Cellars If they don’t take out the bar award, they have to take out the bottle shop award! They have the best curated range of any bottle shop in Melbourne, it’s laid out well & is my go to whether I’m buying beer for myself, wine for a friend or spirits to share.

Online Retailer of the Year – Carwyn Cellars It’s boring, but for all the reasons above I just can’t go past Carwyn. Their website is easy to use & delivery is prompt.

Best Beer Media – A Brief History of Lager by Mark Dredge I’ve rolled website, book, podcast & magazine into one category as otherwise I think some of those categories get a little repetitive. If you love beer history this is a much read! Mark’s writing is really approachable, whilst not skimping on the details of 500 years of lager production.

There we have it guys, the best beers of 2019 wrapped up! Hopefully you’ll see 2020 later today, with 2021 to follow as soon as I’ve finished uploading the accompanying podcast! As always please feel free to let me know your thoughts on the best beers you’ve had in 2019 (or more realistically in 2021/2022 so far) at angus@beeroclockaustralia.com.

Remember it’s always Beer O’Clock somewhere in the world!