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Carlton Draught

Carlton & United Breweries (CUB)
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🌍 Australia · Australian Lager · One of 2 Australian Lagers in hopIQ

Australia's most consumed draught beer — clean, golden and refreshing. Light malt sweetness, gentle bitterness and high carbonation. The default beer in Melbourne pubs for over 150 years.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
pale gold4
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Style expression
textbookdistinctive
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp mouthfeel.

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Wider bands mean we're less certain about the exact position.
Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Australian Lager.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean
yeasty
Distinctive notes
mineral
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Carlton Draught

Appearance

Carlton Draught presents a bright, pale golden hue that epitomizes the classic Australian lager aesthetic. Crystal clear with excellent clarity, this beer develops a modest white head that dissipates relatively quickly, consistent with its high carbonation profile. The effervescent nature creates a lively visual presentation in the glass.

pale goldencrystal clearhigh carbonationwhite head

Aroma

The nose is delicate and understated, featuring subtle grainy and bready malt notes with a light sweetness. Hop character is restrained, contributing only gentle floral undertones rather than assertive aromatics. Clean fermentation character dominates, with minimal yeast or adjunct influence.

grainybreadlight maltclean fermentation

Taste

Entry is crisp and refreshing with light malt sweetness that transitions smoothly across the palate. The mid-palate reveals subtle breadiness and smooth malt character without complexity, while gentle hop bitterness (18 IBU) provides minimal resistance. The beer maintains its clean, drinkable character throughout without developing significant depth.

crisplight maltygentle bitternesssmooth

Finish

Carlton Draught concludes with a clean, dry finish that eschews any lingering sweetness or aftertaste. The brevity of the finish complements its refreshing nature, making it ideal for sessionable, continuous drinking.

cleandryshort finish
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
74
Taste
77
Appearance
82
Finish
80
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Carlton Draught

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 4–7°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein
Recommended for this style

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

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Carlton Draught

About Australian Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Australian Lager?

Australian Lager is a distinctive beer style with its own characteristic flavour, aroma and colour. Discover what makes it unique and find similar beers on hopIQ.

Finding a similar Australian Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same clean, refreshing, crisp character as Carlton Draught will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Australian Lagers in hopIQ

WHERE TO BUY

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