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Hawke's Mid-Lager

Hawke's Brewing Co.
Australia·Mid-Strength Lager
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Hawke's Mid-Lager is a 3.5 per cent mid-strength lager that was sold as Hawke's Underdog, a nod to Australia's 1983 America's Cup win, until the brewery renamed it in 2025 with the recipe unchanged. A single addition of Amarillo hops gives a gentle, sweet citrus of orange and tangerine on the nose and palate, set against light, bready pale malt. The body is crisp and lean, the carbonation lively, and the finish dry and clean with a light grainy note.

ABV
3.5%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter24 IBU
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession

AWARDS

Gold · 2024
Australian International Beer Awards
Gold · 2023
Australian International Beer Awards
Silver · 2023
The Indies
Gold · 2022
The Indies
★Gold — Australian International Beer Awards
★Gold — Australian International Beer Awards
★Silver — The Indies
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
citrusycleanorange
citrusy
clean
orange
bready
malty
Aroma
The nose leads with a gentle, sweet citrus character—orange and tangerine notes from the single Amarillo hop addition.
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Hawke's Mid-Lager

◎ Appearance

Pale golden in color with excellent clarity and bright, luminous transparency. A fine white head forms with good retention and leaves delicate lacing on the glass. The lively carbonation is evident in the steady stream of fine bubbles.

pale goldencrystalline clarityfine white headlively carbonation

◌ Aroma

The nose leads with a gentle, sweet citrus character—orange and tangerine notes from the single Amarillo hop addition. Underneath, light bready malt provides a soft, grainy foundation that balances the fruit without overwhelming it.

orange and tangerinesweet citruslight breadsoft grain

◐ Taste

Entry is crisp and clean, with the orange-forward character of Amarillo hops immediately present on the palate. Mid-palate remains lean and dry, the light pale malt providing gentle sweetness and a subtle bready quality that keeps the beer refreshing and straightforward without heaviness.

crisp entryorange-forwarddrylean body

◑ Finish

The finish is dry and clean, with a light grainy note persisting briefly in the aftertaste. Overall impression remains refreshing and quenching, with no lingering harshness or sweetness.

dry finishclean aftertasterefreshing
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
75
Serve at 4–7°C

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

Stein

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

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Hawke's Mid-Lager

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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, crisp, citrusy character as Hawke's Mid-Lager will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

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