Garage Project scoop top spot in poll of New Zealand's favourite craft beers

Friday, 1 February 2019

Garage Project Founders Jos Ruffell, Pete Gillespie, and Ian Gillespie, pictured in 2015, will have further reason to celebrate after topping the 2018 GABS Hot 100 poll.

After two years at the top Panhead's Supercharger American Pale Ale has been dethroned as New Zealand's favourite craft beer, with Garage Project topping the GABS Hottest 100 Kiwi Craft Beers 2018 poll.

The Wellington brewers wrestled the prize from their Upper Hutt rival with their Pernicious Weed eight per cent double IPA (India Pale Ale), as voted for in a major poll by New Zealand hop heads run by the team behind the GABS Beer, Cider & Food Festival and based on the Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beer poll which has been running across the ditch for the past 11 years.

GABS Hottest 100 Kiwi Craft Beers' organiser Craig Williams hailed Garage Project as one of the world's best brewers.

Poll organiser Craig Williams said securing top spot - and 25 other beers on the list - was a 'quite phenomenal' achievement for the brewers.

'I rate them as one of the world's best brewers. It's very well deserved,' he said.

Garage Project's pre-rebranded Death from Above, now DFA and the second placed New Zealand craft beer.

Panhead founder Mike Neilson with the Supercharger APA, which had ruled the Hot 100 for the last two years.

*A beer list to really GAB about

*Wellington breweries come out on top in GABS Hottest 100 public opinion poll

*Wellingtonians leading the way when it comes to changing perceptions of beer

*Garage Project brewery kills off beer with offensive label

*Garage Project crafts top spot in 2015 Deloitte Fast 50

*Interview: Panhead owner Mike Neilson

*Garage Project brewery kills off beer with offensive label**

The poll saw craft beer lovers vote for their five favourite beers of the year, and garnered an impressive showing for Garage Project, which also took second place with its DFA, formerly known as 'Death from Above.'

The beer was recently rebranded after controversy that the imagery on the beers, which included Vietnamese mint, made light of the Vietnam war after a letter writer said the 'hurtful' imagery had 'triggered things in her'.

Two-time winners Panhead saw their Supercharger come in at third place.

Williams said the poll also revealed a growing taste among Kiwi drinkers for New England IPA styles, also known as 'Hazy' IPAs, while lager and pilsner styles appeared to be losing ground.

He said there was also an increased presence for darker beers and stouts in the 2018 list.

The seven craft beers that made up the top ten are, from fourth to tenth, Lid Ripper New England IPA and Snow Mexican Imperial Stout (both Behemoth), Party & Bullshit New England IPA (Garage Project), Dump the Trump American IPA (Behemoth), Brewtiful Haze New England IPA (Deep Creek), Hapi Daze New Zealand Pale Ale (Garage Project) and Hop Zombie Imperial IPA (Epic).

Breweries from the Auckland region were represented in force, led by Behemoth Brewing Co with 16 beers (including three in the top ten), 8 Wired (8 beers) and Epic Beer and Liberty Brewing with six beers each.

Deep Creek also featured prominently, with its highest placing at eight with 'Brewtiful Haze', a New England IPA.

This was one of an impressive 36 beers made for the first time in 2018 to place in the Hottest 100, indicating the impact a popular release can have in a short time in the fast-moving craft beer industry.

Steve Jeffares, co-Founder of GABS Festival and the GABS Hottest 100 poll, said he was pleased to see the placing of several 'GABS Festival Beers' on the list.

'Every year at our festivals, we put the call out to the brewing industry to brew a unique beer to be released at the events. Many of these 'Festival Beers' go on to become a core beer for those breweries, and it's great to see eight of those beers voted into this year's Hottest 100, including Garage Project's standout 'DFA', and the 2018 GABS People's Choice winner 'Mocha Madness' from Behemoth.'

The GABS Auckland beer festival takes places at the ASB Showgrounds on Saturday June 29. Tickets go on sale Friday May 10. Visit www.gabsfestival.com for more info and the 2018 top 100 list in full.