Stomping Ground in Collingwood took the top spot in the second annual Beer & Brewer Top 50 Brewpubs in September.

Co-owners Steve Jeffares, Justin Joiner and Guy Greenstone – also behind The Local Taphouse in St Kilda, and the Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular – tell Broadsheet they’re “absolutely stoked”.

“We didn’t expect it… We’re very surprised given we’ve just turned a year old,” says Jeffares.

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He puts their success down to Stomping Ground’s family-friendly nature, array of beers, and top staff.

“Beer halls and beer gardens in Europe are really family-friendly and a huge part of the social fabric. Australia doesn't have much of that, so we’re pleased that we can bring a bit of that to Melbourne,” Jeffares says.

“We’re proud of the quality of beer, we brewed 65 beers in our first year, and the range and diversity produced are encouraging people to come back.”

Stomping Ground’s craft beer menu is divided by “easier drinking”, “moderately challenging” and “more challenging”.

Stomping Ground narrowly beat Adelaide’s The Wheatsheaf Hotel and Sydney’s Wayward Brewing Co., which placed second and third, respectively.

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