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Carlton Dry 3.5

Carlton & United Breweries
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🌍 Australia · Mid-Strength Lager · One of 10 Mid-Strength Lagers in hopIQ

Carlton Dry 3.5 appeared in 2024 as the mid-strength version of Carlton Dry and sold strongly in its first year. It follows the same long fermentation, so the sweetness is stripped back to almost nothing and the palate reads as light grain and cracker over a thin malt line. Bitterness sits at twelve units and comes across herbal rather than sharp, and the finish is dry and quick. Pale straw in colour, light in body.

ABV
3.5%
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
Taste structure· The backbone of the beer, regardless of style.
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
hopIQ take

Crisp and mildly bitter.

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 Mid-Strength Lager.
Hop character
herbal
Malt character
bready
malty
Fermentation & yeast
clean
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Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Carlton Dry 3.5

Appearance

Pale straw in colour, presenting a bright and transparent clarity. The head forms lightly and settles quickly, with minimal lacing retention on the glass. Carbonation is evident but restrained, appropriate for the mid-strength format.

pale strawbrilliant claritylight carbonation

Aroma

The nose is clean and understated, dominated by soft grain and cracker notes that emerge from the extended fermentation. A subtle herbal character appears on closer inspection, with no sharp or aggressive hop aromatics. The overall impression is one of restraint and simplicity.

soft grainherbal notescracker-like

Taste

Entry is crisp and dry, with light grain character and a thin malt line forming the structural backbone. The palate progresses cleanly without sweetness, maintaining the dryness established by the long fermentation. Bitterness registers at twelve IBU as herbal rather than sharp, finishing with a quick and clean exit.

dry grainherbal bitternesscrisp finish

Finish

The finish is dry and brief, offering no lingering sweetness or residual malt. The herbal bitterness fades quickly, leaving only a clean and refreshing aftertaste.

dryquick finish
74
hopIQ score
Aroma
72
Taste
75
Appearance
76
Finish
74
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Carlton Dry 3.5

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 Dry 3.5

About Mid-Strength Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Mid-Strength Lager?

Mid-Strength 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 Mid-Strength Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same dry, light, crisp character as Carlton Dry 3.5 will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Mid-Strength Lagers in hopIQ