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Holgate Draught Lager

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A helles in the German manner, brewed with Australian pale and Munich malt plus Carapils and hopped with Hallertau. It pours pale gold and opens with a light citrus hop note over honeyed malt. The palate is bready and gently sweet, balanced by herbal noble hop character, and the finish is clean and dry with a mild bitterness that lingers. The beer carried the name Norton Lager until 2022.

ABV
4.3%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
Citrus hop bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
PaceSession
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
cleannoble hopbready
clean
noble hop
bready
honey
herbal
citrusy
Aroma
The nose opens with a light citrus hop character, delicate and herbaceous rather than aggressive.
also:malty
not found:hoppy,caramel,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Holgate Draught Lager

◎ Appearance

Pours a pale gold with excellent clarity and a bright, white head that settles to a fine collar. The carbonation is visibly crisp, with steady bubbles rising through the clear body. Schaumhaftung is moderate and persistent, leaving delicate lacing on the glass.

pale goldcrystal clearfine white headwell-carbonated

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with a light citrus hop character, delicate and herbaceous rather than aggressive. Beneath sits a soft honeyed malt sweetness reminiscent of bread dough and light caramel undertones. Noble hop aromatics remain restrained and refined, inviting further exploration without dominating.

light citrushoneyed maltherbal Edelhopfenbread-dough notes

◐ Taste

Entry is clean and crisp, with a bready maltiness that develops into gentle honey sweetness across the mid-palate. Herbal noble hop character provides structure and a subtle floral balance. Bitterness builds moderately toward the finish, never harsh, with a dry quality that keeps the palate refreshed.

breadygently sweetherbal balanceclean palate

◑ Finish

The finish transitions cleanly and dry, with a mild bitterness that lingers pleasantly without astringency. A subtle malt sweetness fades gradually, leaving the palate dry and ready for the next sip.

dry finishlingering bitternessclean aftertaste
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
78
Taste
79
Appearance
80
Finish
76
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 Holgate Draught Lager

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About Helles Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Helles Lager?

Helles 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 Helles Lager

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

Compare with another beer →Explore all Helles Lager beers in hopIQ →New to Helles Lager? Read our guide →Browse Australia beers →