Australian Beer: Australian Lager, VB and the Craft Brands to Know

Why is lager so popular in Australia?

Lager is brewed with a cool fermentation and long conditioning, which gives a clean, crisp beer that is easy to drink cold. In a warm climate, that refreshing quality has made lager the national favourite.

Big brands such as VB and Hahn Super Dry are lagers, and many craft brewers also make a lager alongside their pale ales and IPAs.

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What is VB?

VB is short for Victoria Bitter, one of Australia’s best-known beers. Despite the name, it is a lager rather than a bitter, with a firm hop bitterness and a dry, refreshing finish.

It is typically served very cold in a can, a stubby or a glass, and is a staple at barbecues and cricket matches.

What is Hahn Super Dry?

Hahn Super Dry is an Australian lager brewed to ferment out more of the sugars, giving a very dry, light-tasting beer. It helped popularise the idea of a dry, lower-carb Australian lager.

It suits drinkers who like a crisp, clean beer with little malt sweetness. Our guide to beer with the least carbs explains how dry lagers are made.

What are the best-known Australian craft beer brands?

Stone & Wood is based in Byron Bay, New South Wales, and is known for its Pacific Ale. Mountain Goat is a Melbourne brewer known for pale ales and other craft styles. Balter is a Queensland brewer from the Gold Coast, and 4 Pines is a Sydney brewer from Manly.

These brewers generally focus on pale ale, IPA, lager and seasonal beers. See more in our Australian beer collection.

What is a pale ale?

Pale ale is a top-fermented beer with a golden to amber colour, moderate bitterness and fruity hop aromas. Australian pale ales often highlight local and New Zealand hops with citrus and tropical notes.

It sits between a lager and an IPA: more flavour than a lager, but less bitter than an IPA. Read our guide to IPA beer for the hoppier end.

What do mid strength and full strength mean?

Full-strength beers are commonly around 4.5 to 5 percent ABV, and mid strength beers are commonly around 3 to 3.5 percent. Low-alcohol beers are lower still. The numbers vary by brand, so check the label.

Australian labels show standard drinks, where one standard drink is 10 grams of alcohol. A mid strength beer therefore uses fewer standard drinks than a full-strength beer of the same size.

What food goes with Australian beer?

Lagers suit barbecue, fish and chips, pizza and salty snacks. Pale ales and IPAs match burgers, spicy food and strong cheeses. Light beers are good with seafood and salads.

Serve beer cold, in a clean glass, to bring out its flavour and aroma.

How should you store and serve beer?

Store beer cold and out of sunlight, because light spoils hops and creates a skunky aroma. Serve lagers at about 3 to 5 degrees Celsius and pale ales a little warmer.

Beer is best fresh, so check the best-before date and avoid leaving it in a hot car.

How do you choose an Australian beer?

Choose a lager for refreshment, a pale ale for flavour, an IPA for hops and a low carb or mid strength beer for lighter drinking. Consider a mixed case to compare.

Compare the lager range and the current Australian beer collection. We deliver insured across Australia, and an adult (18+) must sign for every delivery.

What are the Australian beer glass names?

Beer glass names and sizes vary from state to state, with names such as middy, schooner and pot used in different places. If you are ordering at a pub in a new state, ask what the local glass names mean.

At home, the size of the glass matters less than the temperature and cleanliness. Serve beer cold in a clean glass so the foam and aroma show.

How do you buy online from Doctors of Whisky?

Doctors of Whisky is a Sydney-based online bottle shop. Browse the collection, add bottles to your cart and choose PayID, bank transfer, Bitcoin or USDT at checkout; paying with Bitcoin or USDT takes 12% off.

The minimum order is $300 AUD. Orders of $1,500 AUD or more ship free by express courier, and a flat $75 AUD fee applies below that. Delivery is insured, and an adult (18+) must sign for every parcel.

How can you drink responsibly in Australia?

The Australian guidelines to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol recommend no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day. A standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol, and the label on every bottle shows the number of standard drinks.

Pace yourself, eat before and while you drink, alternate with water, and never drive after drinking. You must be 18 or over to buy alcohol.