The countdown has started towards the release of the new book, The Critics’ Choice: Australia’s best beers, with the revelation that Coopers Best Extra Stout is number 12 in the top 100.

Lists are notorious things. In the wake of the controversy surrounding the results of Local Taphouses’ Hottest 100 in January, many punditssuggested it would be interesting to see how the critics’ list compared and today’s the announcement already shows a departure. Coopers Best Extra didn’t even rate a mention in the Local Taphouses’ poll. By contrast, it featured in a similar position (#13) in the RateBeer top 50. It will be fascinating to watch as the Top 12 is revealed and is sure to inspire even more debate.

Contributing critic Ian Watson describes Coopers Best Extra Stout as ‘a true Australian classic and a beer that should be considered amongst the very models of the Foreign/Export/ExtraStout types.’

As beer is such a subjective topic, The Critics’ Choice: Australia’s Best Beers is sure to cause many a bar stool debate and more than a little interstate rivalry but life would be pretty dull if we all agreed on everything, wouldn’t it?

The Critics’ Choice: Australia’s Best Beers
RRP $14.95
Available from bookstores & newsagents from April 1, 2011

www.beerloversguide.com.au

We’re giving readers a chance to win one of four copies of The Critics Choice: Australia’s Best Beers. Just tell us in the comments below which beer you think should be the choice for Australia’s best beer. Winners will be chosen at random from the comments.