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Carlton Dry

Carlton & United Breweries
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🌍 Australia · Pale Lager · One of 28 Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Carlton Dry was launched in 2005 and is fermented out over an extended period, so almost none of the residual sugar survives. What remains is a pale lager with very little sweetness: light grain, a faint caramel edge and a clean, nearly neutral middle. Pride of Ringwood hops keep the bitterness low at around twelve units, which leaves the dry, crisp finish as the defining trait. The body is slim and the carbonation lively.

ABV
4.5%
Bitterness
Mild12 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
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

Mildly bitter and crisp.

Trim and gentle — the beer moves through with an unforced, easy rhythm.

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

AI-generated sensory profile for Carlton Dry

Appearance

Carlton Dry presents a pale golden hue with excellent clarity and brightness. The head is modest but stable, with fine carbonation evident throughout the glass. Lacing persists delicately as the beer is consumed.

pale goldencrystal clearfine carbonationstable head

Aroma

The nose is restrained and clean, dominated by soft grain notes with a faint caramel undertone. Pride of Ringwood hops contribute a subtle herbal quality without assertive hop character. Overall impression is one of neutral simplicity.

light grainfaint caramelsubtle herbalsclean, restrained

Taste

The palate opens light and crisp, with minimal sweetness as the extended fermentation has stripped away residual sugars. A delicate malt foundation supports a whisper of caramel in the mid-palate, while bitterness remains low and well-integrated. The defining character is dryness and clean definition throughout.

dry, nearly neutrallight malt bodyminimal residual sweetnesscrisp, clean finish

Finish

The finish is dry and snappy, with the crisp quality persisting into a short, clean aftertaste. No lingering sweetness or hop bite—only a refreshing, palate-cleansing dryness.

dry, crispshort, cleanrefreshing exit
76
hopIQ score
Aroma
72
Taste
77
Appearance
78
Finish
76
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Carlton Dry

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

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

Stein
Recommended for this style

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.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Carlton Dry

About Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale 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 Pale Lager

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

Other Pale Lagers in hopIQ