Ben Kraus left Australia in 2000 for Italy with designs on furthering his burgeoning wine making career. He returned in 2004 with an Austrian partner, Maria, & years of brewing experience under his belt. Together the duo spent the best part of the next year building a brewery in Ben’s dad’s garage. They opened the original iteration, of what would become one of the most influential brewery’s in the country, in 2005.
Having learnt his trade at Tirolerbier, it was no surprise that a number of Bridge Road’s early releases had a traditional (& Germanic) bent to them. The beers were a hit with the locals & it became almost immediately apparent that the shed wasn’t going to be big enough for long! Barely a year later and they had a significantly bigger brewery, 25hL & a whole heap of additional fermentation tanks, in the old Cobb & Co Coach House on the main street of Ben’s hometown; Beechworth.
Brewery Type
Physical
Region
High Country
Tasting Room
50 Ford Street, Beechworth
For those who don’t know; Beechworth is a historic gold mining town in the Victorian High Country about 300km NE of Melbourne. From the main street you walk through a small archway, down a laneway which leads to the Bridge Road beer garden. It’s a venue that the whole family would feel comfortable in, complete with playground for the little ones whilst the older family members can enjoy a beer or three.
A pretty significant proportion of the tables are outside, although there are variety of roofs & sails to keep you cool & dry. Inside I’m always struck by the height of the ceiling. They’ve done a great job of evoking the German/Austrian vibe in Northern Victoria, with a lot of wood & exposed brick. Importantly there’s a rustic wood lined bar with 20 taps of Bridge Road’s finest along with an array of local wines and spirits.
On the food front; Bridge Road, like seemingly half the Victorian brewing industry, serve pizzas. The pizzas at Bridge Road are in a class above most though, I think about the Funghi more than I care to admit! The brewery is also home to the best pretzels I’ve had in Australia – all Maria’s handywork for what it’s worth! I challenge you to find a better beer & snack pairing in Australia than Beechworth Pale & one of Maria’s Pretzels!
In July 2021 it was announced that Bridge Road would open a Melbourne outlet, bringing the high country brewer to the city. The brewpub will be part of the East Brunswick Village development and is expected to open by the end of 2022. Bridge Road have been keen to stress that this will be a significant brewery & not just a hospitality venue, with a 10hL kit to be installed onsite. The venue is expected to be able to hold 350 people, slightly more than their HQ tap room in Beechworth. We’ll be sure to get out there and check it out as soon as we’re able to!
There aren’t many seasonal releases that I keep an eye out for year after year; this is one! Dark Harvest was originally a collaboration with Mikkeller way back in 2012 when Black IPA’s were still cool. I’d argue that they’re definitely still cool, but understand I’m in the minority. This is one of the best, it’s got all the roasty malt flavours you’d expect for the style but the fresh hop character, Bridge Road making the most of their surroundings, is where it really shines! Keep your eyes peeled in April, whether you’re a Black IPA lover or someone who needs to be converted.
Remember it’s always Beer O’Clock somewhere in the world!
