Lagers to Pale Ales: Try These Classic Australian Beers This Australia Day

20 January , 2021 4:00 pm

For many of us Aussies, whether it’s a family celebration, a party with friends, or even just watching your favourite game of footy… a lot of the time, our drink of choice is a good beer. There’s nothing more stimulating than cracking into an ice-cold beer on any special day. Or even just a good day! Beer goes down well amongst your typical Australian crowd. It is also one of the cheapest and most refreshing type of alcoholic drink out there.

Today, the range of beers on offer is so vast that there are thousands of breweries around the globe, with their specifics like colours and flavours. Amongst some of the best beers in the world is no doubt some great Australian beer brands, so here’s a list of the best Aussie beers you should try.

Classic Australian Beers vs Craft Beers

In Australia in particular, craft beer culture is growing, but let’s not forget these classic beers. Many Aussie beer brands are listed as the best-selling beers all over the world, and are among the most favoured ones by many beer drinkers and enthusiasts. Beer is an essential beverage around Australia, which with its glitz and froth uplifts the life of any celebration. There are many popular, refreshing beers you can purchase from your local shop, pub or brewery. Let’s check out some of the 10 best classic beers here, perfect for any Australia Day get together!

Classic Aussie Owned Beers to Try

Hahn Super Dry

Credits: The Hahn Brewing Company

Hahn Super Dry is Australian owned and is prepared by blending the best of the present-day equipment with the most delicate components that comes as a perfect flavoured, crisp and refreshing low-carb beer. Super Dry is a preservative-free beer that has been a crowd favourite for many and is the original beer of the company. They have a variety of beers within the SuperDry family, including the mid strength version, SuperDry 3.5%, Super Dry GF (which is their Super Dry gluten free beer version) and Hahn Premium Light.

Brewery: The Hahn Brewing Company
Style: Low Carb Lager
ABV: 4.6%
Origin: Camperdown, New South Wales

Tooheys New

Credits: Tooheys Brewery

Tooheys Brewery started in the 1860’s in a cordial factory within Darling Harbour in Sydney. Tooheys New was first made in 1931 and has been a fan favourite ever since. With a smooth and silky malt profile, it is a refreshing choice for your Summer in Australia. This company is also responsible for the Tooheys Old Dark Ale and Tooheys Extra Dry.

Brewery: Tooheys
Style: Lager
ABV: 4.6%
Origin: Lidcombe, NSW

Balter XPA

Credits: Balter Brewing Company

Balter is a newer brand in Australia in comparison to the others on this list but their beers are well loved around the country. Balter’s XPA beer is brewed in the Sunshine State and is a perfect beer packed with a bit of extra punch. It’s a new player that has become a classic for its heavy top notes contributing a compelling palate influenced by flavours of tropical fruits and floral aromas. Balter is also known for their range of beers including the Balter Eazy Hazy, Balter Captain Sensible, Balter IPA and many more.

Brewery: Balter Brewing Company
Style: XPA
ABV: 5%
Location: Currumbin, QLD

Carlton Draught

Credits: Carlton Draught

Carlton Draught is a true blue Aussie beer. It is a thin beer with a unique amber tinge hoppy style, that can most excellently be described as representing the ideal of a classic, full-flavoured beer. This brand delivers a genuine beer with extensive taste appeal which is a sample of a typical beer sold in Australia. Opening their doors in 1864, it is a crowd favourite at the pub and your favourite AFL game – in fact, it is the Official Beer of the AFL.

Brewery: Carlton & United Breweries
Style: Lager
ABV: 4.6%
Location: Carlton, Victoria

XXXX Gold

Credits: XXXX

Beginning in 1878, two brothers had a dream of creating the finest ales to accompany the warm weather in Queensland. XXXX Gold is a mid-strength drink that came into fruition with the QLD Maroons in 1991. It has been a popular choice of beer that has a balanced, smooth flavour and body which is the signature Gold taste. Beer XXXX is also the home to other popular beers such as XXXX Dry and XXXX Bitter.

Brewery: XXXX
Style: Mid-strength Lager
ABV: 3.5%
Origin: Brisbane, QLD

Pirate Life South Coast Pale Ale

Credits: Pirate Life Brewing

Pirate Life was born when two Perth brewers crossed over to the suburb of Hindmarsh in South Australia in 2014. The South Coast Pale Ale was born in 2020 and pays homage to the brewers travel journey across the Nullarbor from Western Australia to South Australia. Coming in a bright yellow with a fluffy foam head, you can smell citrus and peach with this drink and then taste a variety of tropical fruits with a sweet malt and bitterness. It’s a lighter bodied beer that is crisp and easy to drink.

Brewery: Pirate Life Brewing
Style: Pale Ale
ABV: 4.4%
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

Victoria Bitter (VB)

Credits: Victoria Bitter

Beginning in Melbourne in 1851, Victoria Bitter (VB) is a full strength lager rather than a bitter like the name suggests. Since it’s birth, VB has made only slight changes to the recipe of this beer. It is known for it’s gentle fruitiness flavour and aroma combined with a sweet malt and clean hops to balance those taste buds. VB is a well known subsidiary of Asahi which is the best brewery in Australia. This Melbourne-owned beer has an iconic shaped bottle otherwise known as stubby. This type of bottle was chosen as it fits and sits nicely in your hand and the short neck bottle means that the beer is kept fresher for longer – making it a perfect session beer. It’s perhaps one of the best Australian beers we’re known for!

Brewery: Carlton & United Breweries (a subsidiary of Asahi)
Style: Full-strength Lager
ABV: 4.9%
Location: Melbourne, Victoria

Great Northern Super Crisp

Credits: Great Northern Brewing Co.

One of Australia’s most iconic beer brands, Great Northern Brewing Co. is based in Queensland. In fact, this great beer brand is so popular amongst beer lovers that it actually came out on the top spot for the best-selling beer in Australia in 2022 – making it Australia’s most popular beer. The Great Northern Super Crisp beer is a beverage that is brewed with Australia pale malt, lager, a light hop and malt extract. This light golden beer comes with a fruity character taste with a slight bitterness. It is a great choice for outdoor activities with a clean and crisp taste.

Brewery: Great Northern Brewing Co.
Style: Lager
ABV: 3.5%
Location: Yatala, QLD

James Boag’s Premium Lager

Credits: James Boag Brewery

Established in 1881 in Tasmania, James Boag is based in Launceston. Combined with the purest Tasmanian water and natural ingredients, the James Boag’s Premium was born. It is a full bodied beer that is a bright pale straw colour that is accompanied by a crisp and dry finish. This premium beer is loved across not only Australia but internationally.

Brewery: James Boag
Style: Premium Lager
ABV: 4.6%
Location: Launceston, Tasmania

Coopers Original Pale Ale

Credits: Coopers

The first batch of ale produced by Thomas Cooper (the founder of Coopers) was completed in 1862 and was intended to help his sick wife but it resulted a drink so delicious that friends and neighbours came to appreciate the beverage for more than just it’s ‘healing’ properties. The Coopers Original Pale Ale comes in a deep golden colour and has fruity and floral characters throughout. This popular pale ale is an all-malt beer is well balanced with a crisp bitterness. This company is home to many other favourite beers on the market including the sparkling ale and the best extra stout.

Brewery: Coopers
Style: Pale Ale
ABV: 4.5%
Location: Adelaide, South Australia

So that’s 10 beers off our list of our favourite classic beers from Australia to try (including the best beer in Australia – but we won’t start that argument). The blissful time this brilliant beverage welcomes is what makes it exhilarating, increased by the absolute taste of this chilled miracle. Who agrees? Sure, because of the craft beer movement Australia does not have a shortage of great microbreweries, but we think these ten Australian beers are worth including on your beer bucket list. Whether you prefer tap beers, bottles or cans, there are a number of beers you can purchase down at your local pub or bottle-o. You can even buy beers online, find beer specials on our dedicated beers page, and pop down to your Local Liquor store to enjoy.