The Kings of Queenscliff

An iconic Victorian hotel which only started stocking a handful of local craft beers a few years back has been awarded the Best Beer List title for 2014 in the Australian Wine List of the Year awards. The Vue Grand in Queenscliff now has an evolving list of around 90 beers on its list and, as of last year, has a dedicated beer bar – the Vue Street Bar – where it showcases a mix of tap and bottled beers alongside fine beer-friendly food.

The hotel pipped Melbourne’s The Botanical and the Precinct in Perth to the award, which is presented by Fine Wine Partners and Gourmet Traveller Wine each year. Last year’s winner was the Healesville Hotel in the Yarra Valley. The aim of the awards is “to recognise and reward the efforts of restaurants, cafes, bistros, international hotels, wine bars, pubs and clubs, whilst promoting and rewarding excellence in these venues with Australia’s wine and food enthusiastic public.”

For the team at Vue Grand, it is validation for the changes introduced over the past five years, with Australian Wine List of the Year Award judge Ken Gargett calling their beer list “a sensational collection of beers and a worthy winner" and describing it as a cleverly constructed collection of cracking, well-priced beers with an eye very much on the craft beer scene.

“It is such an honour to be recognised by the judges for what we do, and to be considered amongst undoubtedly the best restaurants, hotels, pubs and bars in Australia,” says the hotel’s food & beverage manager Caleb Fleet. He’s the creator of the list and a passionate beer advocate who is ably assisted by a team of beer loving staff, not least the home brewers in the kitchen who are always keen to add beer, hops or malt to their recipes.

“It’s such a huge win, and a huge compliment for the hotel,“ adds Caleb.

“We decided about five years ago to start to showcase some of the local Bellarine beers on our wine list [as we] pride ourselves on using the best local produce on the menu and showcasing the wonderful wines of the region, so it made sense to show off these great beers. It has now turned into somewhat of an obsession.”

That first craft beer was the Honey Wheat Ale from locals Bellarine Brewing Company but today you’ll find plenty from the region’s other breweries, including Forrest Brewery, Southern Bay, Prickly Moses and Red Duck as well as a host of other Victorian beers and many from cutting edge breweries in Europe and the US.

“We essentially buy the beers that we like and are excited by, and ultimately that we want to drink,“ says Caleb. "The staff are passionate and excited about the beers too.”

More than 370 restaurants, clubs, pubs, hotels and brasseries entered the awards this year, with winners announced in 27 categories. As well as taking out Best Beer List, the Vue Grand was also awarded a one glass rating for its wine list, one of only three listed for the Greater Geelong Region.