Easter in Australia has a totally different vibe. While the northern hemisphere is finally getting rid of winter and cracking a cold one to welcome spring, Aussies are preparing for the colder days, the long weekend is locked in and firing up a barbie in the night to ease the breeze. It’s the perfect season to grab a cold lager beer on Saturday afternoon and a richer, malt-forward ale on Sunday night when the air feels chilly. The point is: Easter is one of the best drinking weekends of the year, and you must have the right beers to make it memorable.
Whether you're heading up to the Grampians, spending the long weekend at the farm, or just doing a low-key backyard session with the family grilling stuff, here are five beer styles worth getting into this Easter.
Whether you’re searching to buy beer online, stocking up on new special releases, or simply running to your local beer shop, these 5 beer styles will pair great with your easter treats.
1. Märzen (Oktoberfest Lager)
Märzen is German beer, and people usually think of it as an autumn beer over there, but that’s exactly why it just works for Easter in Australia. We’re heading into our own autumn now. The nights are getting cooler, and a good Märzen fits right into that in-between weather.
This lager’s got more depth than your standard beer, think toasted bread, a bit of caramel, and a crisp finish that doesn’t hang around. It’s easy to drink but still has enough body to keep things interesting. Perfect for those afternoons that start out warm and end with you pulled up by a fire. These days, plenty of Aussie craft breweries make solid versions. Just look for Märzen, Festbier, or Oktoberfest lager on the label. If you’re grilling lamb sausages or anything smoky, crack one open. You’ll be glad you did.
2. English Brown Ale
Brown ales barely get a mention in Australia, which is a shame. Easter’s the right moment to fix that. The worst of summer’s over, and suddenly, a beer with a bit more richness and warmth actually sounds good, instead of something you feel obligated to drink.
English brown ales are all about balance. They’re not heavy, not overly hoppy, just smooth with notes of toffee, dried fruit, and a subtle nuttiness. It’s the kind of beer that fits right in at a long table loaded with roast lamb, hot cross buns, and friends who want to hang around and talk. Plus, the bitterness is mellow enough that even people who “don’t like craft beer” usually go for it. Some local brewers put their own twist on the style, but if you want the real deal, keep an eye out for imports or local beers that stick to English traditions.
3. Hazy IPA
Let’s be real, hazy Indian Pale Aale have kind of taken over the craft beer scene, and for good reason. They’re just plain delicious. Easter actually suits this style perfectly, with those sunny afternoons and cooler nights. It’s prime hazy IPA weather.
What makes a hazy IPA stand out? It’s all about that soft, almost creamy feel, and a blast of tropical fruit, mango, passionfruit, peach, without the tongue-scraping bitterness that puts some people off regular IPAs. Australian breweries do an awesome job here, partly thanks to the world-class hops growing in places like Victoria’s Ovens Valley and the Derwent Valley down in Tassie.
Honestly, just pick up a four-pack from your local, and you’re set for Friday arvo. This stuff goes down easy with anything citrusy, think marinated chicken, fish, or even just a big bowl of chips while you’re waiting for the footy.
4. Saison
If you haven’t tried a saison yet, Easter’s the perfect excuse. This Belgian farmhouse classic first showed up as a thirst-quencher for workers during harvest. So yeah, it’s meant to be crisp, tasty, and seriously easy to knock back a few.
Saisons are usually a light golden colour, with a lively fizz and all sorts of interesting flavours, earthy, peppery, sometimes a bit fruity, depending on the yeast. They’re dry, they’re a little funky, and honestly, they just do their own thing. Not quite a wheat beer, not really a pale ale, just a saison.
They go with almost anything you’ll eat at Easter. Seafood for Good Friday? Pour a saison. Roast chicken on Saturday? Same answer. Leftover chocolate eggs on Sunday? Why not. Australian brewers have been nailing this style for years, so you’ll have no trouble finding a good one at your local bottle shop.
5. Stout
It’s Easter Sunday night, the air’s turned chilly, the kids are finally asleep, and you’ve eaten enough chocolate to swear it off until July. Someone says, “Hey, let’s put on a movie.” That’s the perfect time for a stout.
Stout beer, especially dry Irish ones or those rich, chocolatey, coffee-heavy styles, are quietly making a comeback in Australia. For ages, people treated them like a winter-only drink, which meant you’d see them for just a few months each year. But now, with craft beer booming and everyone getting braver about trying new flavours, stouts are popping up all the time.
Easter’s right at the start of the stout season. A classic Irish dry stout, especially if it’s brewed locally, is lean, roasty, and honestly, goes down way easier than you’d think. If you want to indulge a bit, reach for an oatmeal or milk stout. They’ve got a little sweetness that balances out the roast, but they’re not as heavy as those big imperial stouts. Some Aussie breweries even put out special Easter releases, think chocolate, vanilla, or even hot cross bun stouts. If you spot one, grab it.
Celebrate Easter with Best Brews
Australian craft beer is on fire right now. Whether you’re in Perth with its buzzing brewery scene or wandering through Melbourne’s brewery-packed neighbourhoods, you’ll find local brews that can stand up to anything from overseas. So this Easter, skip the mass-produced stuff at the supermarket. Head to a local indie brewery and try something fresh, it’s worth it.
With Beer Cartel, you can buy beer online in Australia and have your favourite styles delivered straight to your doorstep. Whether you’re searching for the rich and bold stouts from Aussie craft legends, or want to celebrate autumn with German-style Oktoberfest lagers, here you can find the best beers online from Australian breweries and beyond. Shop by beer styles and have your faves delivered right on time.
Enjoy the long weekend, take it easy on the roads, eat your body weight in hot cross buns, and drink something worth talking about. Cheers.