Ten years ago, if you had to guess what beers the pub you were about to walk (or stumble) into had on tap, you’d be able to rattle them off faster than Warnie replying to a match on Tinder. It was a time when there were only a few main players in the game, and if you were drinking stout it must have been St Patrick’s Day.

How times have changed! Craft beers have soared in popularity and now rule the taps at our favourite watering holes. With over 150 Australian microbreweries in operation, everyone’s ‘local’ has something different on offer, helping us look cool and cultured with new IPAs, porters and hefeweizens. Breweries like Little Creatures, White Rabbit and Matilda Bay have led the way for a few years now, but there’s a new breed of craft beers doing the rounds.

Luckily for you, we’ve done some long hours of ‘research’ and put together a list of 15 craft beers that you might not have heard of, and where you can find them in Canberra.

In order of how Mexican they sound:

1. Taco by Two Birds (5.2%)
From Australia’s first female-owned brewery comes this hoppy wheat ale with flavours of corn, coriander, lime and salt. A lot tastier than Old El Paso.
Where to get it: The George Harcourt Inn

2. Big Nut by Bentspoke (7.5%)
This dark ale has flavours of roasted coffee, caramel and nuts. Watch out for that 7.5% alcohol volume – it’ll creep up on you!
Where to get it: Bentspoke

3. Feral Smoked Porter (4.7%)
If you like bacon and chocolate (and really, who doesn’t?), you’ll love this smoky, slightly bitter porter.
Where to get it: The George Harcourt Inn

4. Akasha Hopsmith IPA (7.2%)
This full-flavoured IPA has a hint of citrus and pine, with more hops than a rabbit on a pogo stick.
Where to get it: The Old Canberra Inn, The Durham

5. Holgate Brewhouse Temptress (6.0%)
According to the brewer, this chocolate porter is best served with meat pies and chocolate desserts. We’ll leave it up to you as to which one you go with!
Where to get it: Grease Monkey

6. Tortured Gum Zingiber (4.0%)
Brewed just down the road in Hume, this refreshing ginger beer will be your new best friend on a warm, sunny afternoon. Enjoy with a wedge of lime.
Where to get it: Grease Monkey

7. Malt Assault by Shenanigans Brewing Co (5.3%)
Just released in time for this year’s winter, this German-style ale goes light on the hops, opting for big malt flavours instead.
Where to get it: The Old Canberra Inn

8. Pikes Pilsner (4.5%)
From a family-owned brewery that dates back to 1886, this aromatic pilsner has a clean, crisp finish with a hint of citrus.
Where to get it: Hopscotch

9. King’s Pale Ale by Zierholz (5.4% ABV)
This brand new pale ale has been specially crafted for King O’Malley’s. With five types of malt and three types of hops, the flavour’s fit for a king!
Where to get it: King O’Malley’s

10. Motley Brew by Cavalier Brewing (5.9%)
As its name suggests, this limited-run IPA is a collaboration between 15 different breweries, including Cavalier, Young Henrys, Mountain Goat and Prickly Moses. Expect big flavour and bitterness from the hops. Where to get it: The Pot Belly

11. Vanilla Milk Stout by Thirsty Crow (5.2%)
Legend has it that this award-winning stout was originally brewed as a joke – to camouflage the crickets that were jumping into everyone’s beers during Wagga’s great cricket plague of 2011. So instead of asking the crickets to keep the noise down next time, thank them for this beer!
Where to get it: The Pot Belly

12. Mount Tennent Pale Ale by Pact (5.2%)
You’ll want to take note of Canberra’s newest beer company – Pact – as co-founder Kevin Hingston is the reigning ACT and national champion brewer. Their Mount Tennent Pale Ale is a strong first offering, with plenty of hoppy flavours and aroma.
Where to get it: A. Baker, The Durham, Transit Bar

13. Berry Cubana by Nomad (6.0%)
This dark brown ale is a collaboration between Nomad (from Sydney’s northern beaches) and Cigar City (from Florida). It’s full of caramel and toffee flavours, with an injection of local berries for a bit of zing.
Where to get it: The Durham

14. Hopscotch Winter Ale by Monteith’s (6.0%)
Our friends across the Tasman have produced a smooth, rich ale that’s dark and chocolaty.
Where to get it: Hopscotch

15. Reset Robot by Brewcult (3.5%)
Designed with festivals and long summer days in mind, this golden ale is a light, easy to drink option that’s perfect for when you want to take a break from the big beers.
Where to get it: The Pot Belly