The Society of Beer Advocates Inc. is pleased to announce the results of the annual SOBA Awards. These awards are the result of the votes of individual members of SOBA, by region. The SOBA awards represent the true “voice of the consumer”, as SOBA is a consumer-based organisation with a mission to educate, promote, and advocate for the appreciation of, and access to, a diverse range of quality beer.
2018 SOBA Awards Summary
Behemoth Named Best Brewery By Beer Fans
Chur! Behemoth Brewing has achieved the almost unthinkable and dethroned Garage Project as New Zealand’s favourite brewery, according to the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA).
Garage Project had ruled the annual awards for the four previous years – crowned New Zealand’s best brewery in 2014-15-16 and 17 – but the increasingly popular Behemoth has turned the tables on the Wellington giants after finishing runner-up last year.
Liberty Brewing’s 2018 Prohibition Porter – a 12.6 per cent Porter aged in Jack Daniels barrels – was named beer of the year, pipping last year’s winner, McLeod’s Paradise Pale Ale.
Behemoth – with their iconic Churly character, a fast-moving range of new beers and irreverent marketing, has become one of the most talked-about breweries in New Zealand.
Last year the brand got global attention thanks to the infamous Dump the Trump IPA. The beer propelled Behemoth into national consciousness midway through the year, when the company’s Facebook page was inundated with negative reviews and comments from supporters of the US President, Donald Trump. A campaign to hit back at the one-star reviews left by Trump supporters drew mainstream media attention and brought Behemoth to a wider audience.
Behemoth produced 40 different beers in 2018, including 34 new products – with an intense focus on hoppy (often hazy) IPAs, including the multiple gold medal-winning Lid Ripper. Their range of hoppy beers rate highly across the board – even if everyone has a different favourite!
Liberty Brewing’s award for their Prohibition Porter is an historic result – for the first time, the champion beer as judged by SOBA members is not hop-driven. Previous winners have been Liberty’s C!tra (2013), Panhead The Vandal (2014), Panhead Supercharger (2015, 2016) and McLeod’s Paradise Pale Ale (2017).
It’s hard to argue with the taste buds of SOBA members, however, with Prohibition Porter dominating festivals and rating sites. It won the People’s Choice award at Beervana 2018, took over as New Zealand’s highest-rated beer on the social media platform Untappd and won a gold medal at the New Zealand Beer Awards.
The beer was a real labour of love says brewer Joe Wood – with a long, complicated brew day producing a beer of such high gravity (sugar levels), it was almost undrinkably sweet prior to going into the barrels, where the tannins and vanillin from the oak tempered the sweetness over a nine-month aging process.
This vintage was then packaged into black glass bottles, designed to give an extended shelf – with Wood saying it will age handsomely for a quarter-century.
SOBA members also voted on their favourite breweries, beers, bottle shops, pubs and restaurants across a number of regions.
2018 SOBA Awards Winners
Honoured Members for Services to SOBA & Craft Beer Community
Maree Shaw, For service to SOBA
Mike Stringer, For service to beer education and home brewing
Ed Briem, For service to beer education and home brewing
Karl Summerfield, For service to beer education and home brewing
Tom Coleman, For service to SOBA and home brewing
Phil Murray, For service to SOBA and home brewing
National Award Winners
Beer of the Year
Winner: Liberty – Prohibition Porter
Runner up: McLeod’s – Paradise Pale Ale
Brewery of the Year
Winner: Behemoth Brewing Co.
Runner up: Garage Project
Regional Award Winners
2018 Regional SOBA Award Winners
Brewery of the Year
Bar of the Year
Restaurant of the Year
Off-License of the Year
Event of the Year
Homebrew Shop of the Year
Northland
Winner
McLeod's
McLeod's Pizza Barn
McLeod's Pizza Barn
Liquorland Kensington
-
-
Auckland
Winner
Liberty Brewing
The Beer Spot, Northcote
Hallertau Brewery
Liquorland Newmarket
GABS
Brewers Coop
Runner up
-
Vulture's Lane
Satya Chai Lounge, K Road
Fine Wine Delivery Co, North Shore
Auckland Beer Week
-
Waikato
Winner
Brewaucracy
Craft Hamilton
Gothenburg
Hamilton Beer & Wine Co
-
Brewshop
Runner up
-
Brewaucracy Brewery & Taproom
-
Brewaucracy Brewery & Taproom
-
-
Bay of Plenty
Winner
Funk Estate
The Barrel Room
-
Liquorland Mt. Maunganui
-
Brewshop
Runner up
-
The Rising Tide
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-
-
-
Hawkes Bay
Winner
Brave Brewing Co
Westshore Beach Inn
Westshore Beach Inn
Westshore Beach Inn
Beer Appreciation Day (B.A.D.) and Hop Con (tied)
HB Malt Station
Runner up
Brave Brewing Co
-
-
Taranaki
Winner
Mike's
Ms White
The Hour Glass
Liquorland Fitzroy
Mountain Ales Festival
Grain to Glass, Waitara
Runner up
-
The Hour Glass
-
-
-
-
Wanganui
Winner
-
Rutland Arms
Rutland Arms
Four Square Riverview and Liquorland Whanganui (tied)
-
Whanganui Homemade & Brewer's World
Runner up
-
-
-
Liquorland Wanganui
-
-
Manawatu
Winner
Brew Union
Brew Union
Brew Union
Liquorland Albert Street
-
-
Runner up
-
-
-
-
-
Wellington
Winner
Garage Project
Little Beer Quarter
Shepherd
Regional Wines & Spirits
Winter Ales Festival
The Brew House
Runner up
-
Hashigo Zake
Grill Meats Beer
Thorndon New World
Beervana
-
Nelson/Tasman
Winner
Townshend Brewing Company
The Free House
Urban Oyster Bar & Eatery
Fresh Choice Richmond
Marchfest
League of Brewers
Runner up
-
The Workshop
Hopgoods, Nelson
Fresh Choice, Nelson
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-
Canterbury
Winner
Three Boys
Moon Under Water
Pomeroy's
The Beer Library
South Island Beer Festival
Homebrew HQ
Runner up
-
The Laboratory, Lincoln
-
Punky Brewster
Great Kiwi Beer Festival
-
Otago & Southland
Winner
Emerson's
The Portsider & Eureka & Obrellos (tied)
Ombrellos
Henry's Centre City
Dunedin Winter Beer Festival
Dunedin Malt House
Runner up
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-
The Portsider
Emerson's
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-
Big thanks to all of the SOBA members who voted – we really appreciate it.
Previous SOBA Awards Results
SOBA Award Winners 2013
SOBA Award Winners 2014
SOBA Award Winners 2015
SOBA Award Winners 2016
SOBA Award Winners 2017
For more information, press only:
Gareth Guitry waikato@soba.org.nz