Complete guide
The Australian beer guide: styles, glasses, venues and drinking well
A complete map of beer in Australia: the main styles, what to order in each state (pots, schooners, middies and pints), standard drinks and the health guidelines, food pairing, serving and storing beer, low and no-alcohol options, brewery travel and venues.
Published
Beer in Australia is best understood through four questions: what style you like (from pale lager to IPA, stout and sour), what to order (glass names such as pot, schooner, middy and pint change from state to state), how much you are drinking (count standard drinks and follow the national health guidelines), and where to drink (pubs, taprooms, bottle shops and brewery regions). This guide maps all four and links to every in-depth page on Beer Guide Australia.
We are an independent editorial guide. We do not sell alcohol or publish venue scores. Please drink responsibly; if you are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, the national guidelines recommend not drinking alcohol at all.
Part 1: understand the styles
Australian brewing ranges from big national lagers to small independent breweries making every style imaginable. Start with our styles hub, then explore:
- Lager and pilsner: crisp, clean, the traditional Australian pub beer
- Ale and IPA: fruity, hoppy and often more bitter
- Wheat beer: soft, hazy, often fruity or spicy
- Stout: dark, roasty and rich
- Sour: tart and refreshing
Unfamiliar terms are explained in our beer glossary, and our tasting guide explains how to taste beer properly.
Part 2: know what to order
Australian glass names are notoriously confusing because they differ by state. A "schooner" in Sydney is a different size from a "schooner" in Adelaide. Our beer glass sizes guide explains pots, middies, schooners, pints and more, state by state.
Part 3: drink well
Responsible drinking is part of enjoying beer. Our standard drinks guide explains what a standard drink is, how to read the label and the national health guidelines from the NHMRC. If you want to cut back, our guide to low and no-alcohol beer explains the options. For coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, see gluten-free beer.
Part 4: enjoy beer with food
Beer is a versatile partner for food, from fish and chips to curry and cheese. Our beer and food pairing guide explains the principles and gives practical pairings. To get the best from beer at home, read how to store and serve beer.
Part 5: where to drink
| Option | Best for | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Pubs | Classic Australian beer culture | Venues |
| Taprooms and brewpubs | Fresh beer straight from the brewery | Bottle shop versus taproom |
| Bottle shops | Range and takeaway | Venues |
| Brewery regions | Weekends away | Brewery travel |
Our venues hub covers each state: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, SA, WA and Tasmania. For weekends away, see brewery travel, including the Yarra Valley, Hunter Valley and Margaret River. Never drink and drive; plan transport. Our article on a responsible brewery day has tips.
Part 6: make your own
If you want to brew at home, start with homebrew basics.
The guides in this series
- Australian beer glass sizes by state
- Standard drinks and beer
- Beer and food pairing
- How to store and serve beer
- Low and no-alcohol beer
- Australian beer FAQ
How we write Beer Guide Australia
Our guides are written by the Beer Guide Australia editorial team. Health information comes from the Australian Government Department of Health and the NHMRC. We do not accept payment for coverage or publish invented ratings. Read our editorial policy and about page, and contact us with corrections.
All guides in this series
- Australian beer glass sizes by state: pot, middy, schooner and pint — What to order in an Australian pub, state by state: pots, middies, handles, schooners and pints, why a schooner in Adelaide is smaller than in Sydney, how glass size relates to standard drinks, and how to order with confidence.
- Standard drinks and beer in Australia: labels, guidelines and pacing — What a standard drink is in Australia, how to find the number of standard drinks in a beer, how alcohol content and serve size change it, the NHMRC guidelines for adults, who should not drink, and practical ways to pace yourself and get home safely.
- Beer and food pairing: a practical guide for Australian tables — How to match beer with food: the three principles (complement, contrast, cut), pairings by beer style, pairings for Australian favourites such as seafood, barbecue, pies, curry, pizza and cheese, and tips for hosting a beer dinner responsibly.
- How to store and serve beer: freshness, temperature and glassware — How to keep beer fresh and serve it well: why light, heat and time are the enemies, storing cans and bottles, which beers are best fresh and which can age, serving temperature by style, choosing and cleaning glassware, and pouring a good head.
- Low and no-alcohol beer in Australia: a guide to drinking less — A guide to non-alcoholic, light and mid-strength beer in Australia: how they are made, what the labels mean, how they taste, when to choose them, the cautions for drivers, pregnancy and people avoiding alcohol entirely, and how to cut back.
- Australian beer FAQ: 20 questions about beer in Australia — Quick answers about beer in Australia: glass sizes by state, standard drinks and guidelines, styles, mid-strength and non-alcoholic beer, gluten-free options, pub etiquette and shouts, storing beer, food pairing and brewery travel.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular beer style in Australia?
Pale lager has long been the dominant style in Australia, although pale ales, IPAs, hazy styles and other craft beers have grown strongly. Our styles hub explains each style.
What is a schooner?
In most states a schooner is a 425 ml glass, but in South Australia a schooner is a smaller 285 ml glass. Glass names vary by state, so check our glass sizes guide.
How many standard drinks are in a beer?
It depends on the alcohol content and serve size. All alcohol containers in Australia must show the number of standard drinks on the label. A standard drink contains 10 g of pure alcohol.
What are the Australian alcohol guidelines?
The NHMRC guidelines say healthy adults should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day to reduce the risk of harm. The less you drink, the lower the risk.
Is Beer Guide Australia a review site?
No. We are an independent editorial guide to beer styles, glossary terms, venues and brewery travel. We do not publish venue scores or paid rankings.