Former Prime Minister Bob Hawke launches his own beer

Will this become the next must-have? The former Australian prime minister and world-record beer drinker had his own Hawke's Lager introduced in Sydney on 6 April 2017.

Many wonder: Who’s next? Maybe former US president Mr Obama, who used to homebrew at the White House?

Behind Hawke’s Lager are two Australian ad men Nathan Lennon and David Gibson, who were working in New York and feeling homesick when they dreamed up the idea who they would most like to have a beer with. That’s when they settled on Bob Hawke, who was Prime Minister between 1983 and 1991.

During his student days in Oxford, Mr Hawke had set a beer world record of sorts when he downed two and a half imperial pints (1.4 litres) in 11 seconds as part of a college penalty. In his memoirs, Mr Hawke suggests that this single feat may have contributed to his political success more than any other, by endearing him to an electorate with a strong beer culture.

When the ad men eventually approached the Labor politician, he was willing on the condition that his percentage of profits went to one of the legacies of his leadership, the environmental charity Landcare Australia, to help support rural communities around the country.

The beer is brewed in Port Melbourne by Colonial Brewing Co, which has taken over the former Matilda Bay brewery there.

Hawke’s Lager is expected to roll out across Sydney and other Australian cities within the year. Cans are set to hit the shelves on 25 April 2017.