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Carling Black Label

South African Breweries
South Africa·Lager
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South Africa's best-selling premium lager — Carling Black Label is fuller-bodied and slightly stronger than Castle at 5.5%. Rich grain sweetness with a clean, crisp finish. South Africa's Carling Black Label has no connection to the UK Carling brand — it's a distinct, locally revered beer with massive market share in Southern Africa.

ABV
5.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
golden6
PaceA Few
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltycleanmineral
malty
clean
mineral
honey
bready
Aroma
A straightforward and inviting nose dominated by light grain and subtle malt sweetness.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Carling Black Label

◎ Appearance

Pale golden hue with excellent clarity and bright, inviting color. A clean, white head forms readily and maintains moderate retention, indicative of proper carbonation and fresh brewing standards. The overall presentation is clean and visually appealing.

pale goldencrystal clearwhite headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

A straightforward and inviting nose dominated by light grain and subtle malt sweetness. Minimal hop character allows the clean malt foundation to shine, with faint cereal notes and a crisp, fresh quality typical of well-executed lagers. No notable adjunct or yeast-driven aromas complicate the profile.

light grainmalt sweetnesscrispclean cereal

◐ Taste

The palate opens smooth and refreshing with understated malty sweetness providing pleasant body and character. Mid-palate displays subtle hop bitterness (14 IBU) that balances the grain without asserting dominance, leading to a clean, dry finish. The fuller body (for the style) distinguishes this from lighter lagers while maintaining approachability.

maltysmoothbalancedcrisp finish

◑ Finish

A notably dry finish with clean, lingering maltiness that fades gracefully without any astringency. The aftertaste is refreshing and inviting, encouraging the next sip without fatigue.

drycleancrisp
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
74
Taste
76
Appearance
80
Finish
79
Serve at 4–7°C

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Carling Black Label

More from South African Breweries

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About Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, clean, sweet character as Carling Black Label will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Lager beers in hopIQ →Browse South Africa beers →