New beer release

Doggobrau heads around Victoria in support of RSPCA victoria

Bright Brewery is very excited to announce that our collaboration beer with RSPCA Victoria – DoggoBrau Tropical XPA – is now available at all Dan Murphy’s stores throughout Victoria.

DoggBrau, which is now in its third year, raises money to support the vital work RSPCA Victoria does in rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming animals in need.

And with DoggoBrau now available across Victoria, at nearly 100 independent retailers and in all 83 Victorian Dan Murphy’s stores, it’s easier than ever to get your paws on some and help support RSPCA’s vital work.

RSPCA Victoria Corporate Partnerships Manager Chris Doig said DoggoBrau had become a valued part of RSPCA Victoria’s annual calendar.

“We absolutely love the DoggoBrau concept and what it stands for,” Doig said. “We are excited to see the beer – and the cause – touching the hearts of beer, and animal, lovers all over Victoria.

“Bright Brewery is a valued RSPCA Victoria Business Supporter and we’re thrilled that they’re dedicated to helping animals in need.”

Bright Brewery Marketing Manager Laura Gray said DoggoBrau was a beer close to the hearts of the Bright crew.

“We all love DoggoBrau and what it stands for,” Gray said. “And it doesn’t hurt that it’s a cracking beer as well!”

DoggoBrau Tropical XPA was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2022 Australian International Beer Awards, and has long been a crowd favourite due to its fresh, tropical, easy-drinking flavour.

“Inside each characterful can is the same beer that’s been loaded with El Dorado, Kohatu, Azacca, Cryo Azacca and Cryo Mosaic hops. It means that anyone who loves modern XPAs where the malt profile is lean, the bitterness is subtle an the hops provide plenty of citrus and tropical hues – namely grapefruit, pineapple, guava and rockmelon – are just as well looked after as any four-legged friend.” – Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint

Each new iteration of DoggoBrau cans are designed by Melbourne designer Clint Weaver of Pocketbeagles Studio who helps bring DoggoBrau to life.

“The original doggo was straight out of Clint’s brain but, since then, we’ve recreated rescue doggos that are special to us in some way,” Gray explained.

“The second doggo Phoebe belonged to an RSPCA staff member and we just couldn’t resist her little bandana when we first met her.

“Then there was Bright Brewery founder Scott’s greyhound/kelpie/lurcher-X, Newton.

“And the most recent DoggoBrau doggo is my greyhound, Eddy, who passed away suddenly earlier this year. At 35kg, he was definitely a Big Doggo, so he was perfect for this homage.”

And while the beer has its roots in cute doggos, this year, the Bright team branched out in order to help RSPCA on an even bigger scale.

“We all love cute doggos but cats are one of the biggest, if not the biggest, issue for RSPCA Victoria,” Gray said. “The volume of rescue cats needing help is incredibly high, and we wanted to do something to bring awareness to that as well.”

Enter: CattoBrau Tropical XPA. Featuring Weaver’s own feline Kyari, the first ever CattoBrau Tropical XPA has been a smash hit.

“It’s the same beer inside but we branded this release with both doggo and catto design so animal lovers could choose a beer close to their heart,” Gray explained.

DoggoBrau’s popularity has also helped spawn a range of merchandise including T-shirts, bandanas, and dog biscuits.

In 2022, Bright leaned right into the DoggoBrau brand, making it their theme for Melbourne GABS in collaboration with RSPCA in order to raise awareness with the event’s 25,000 attendees.

“Someone, somewhere granted us permission to bring RSPCA rescue dogs into the Melbourne Exhibion Centre during a beer festival so every day of GABS, we had RSPCA visit with a furry friend and it was an absolute hit,” Gray said.

“Doggos and beer – the perfect combination!”

To grab some DoggoBrau Tropical XPA online from Bright Brewery, please head here.

To find your closest retail stockist, please head here.

Bright beer has gone to the dogs

Beer has gone to the dogs! And we’re here for it…

 

We are dog-gone excited to announce the next instalment of our pawsome collaboration with RSPCA Victoria- DoggoBrau Tropical XPA!

 

And this time around, things are getting even more a-meow-zing with the first-ever release of our new CattoBrau Tropical XPA!

That’s right – the same great beer is now supporting both dogs AND cats!

 

“Inside each characterful can is the same beer that’s been loaded with El Dorado, Kohatu, Azacca, Cryo Azacca and Cryo Mosaic hops. It means that anyone who loves modern XPAs where the malt profile is lean, the bitterness is subtle an the hops provide plenty of citrus and tropical hues – namely grapefruit, pineapple, guava and rockmelon – are just as well looked after as any four-legged friend.” – Will Ziebell, The Crafty Pint

 

We’re thrilled to partner with RSPCA Victoria to help raise awareness about the incredible work that they do to rescue, rehome and rehabilitate dogs and cats in need.

 

Part-proceeds from all Doggo/CattoBrau beer sales go directly to supporting RSPCA Vic to support their incredible work. It’s a barking good cause!

Bright and Carwyn Cellars collab on Australian beer first

What began, as most great ideas do, as a yarn over a beer on cold and wintry day has now come full circle.

A collaboration that has spanned three years, two continents, a global pandemic, 17,000km, four brewers, and countless hours has finally come to life in an exciting Australian first for the for the craft beer industry.

The first release from the Barrel Experiment Program – a collaboration between Victoria’s Bright Brewery and Carwyn Cellars – is Les Monstres Du Chateau #1: what we believe to be Australia’s first Chartreuse Barrel Aged Imperial Stout.

The Barrel Experiment Program, which started pre-COVID in 2020, is designed to showcase the true expression of barrel aging, with the same base beer aged in different barrels to truly highlight the different characteristics of each barrel.

“We acquired six different and distinct French barrels, sourced nearly 17,000km away from our home in Bright and filled them with our an Oatmeal Imperial Stout,” Bright’s Head Brewer Lewis Kerr said.

Release #1 was aged in Chartreuse barrels, with the distinct flavour of the infamous green liqueur infusing the flavour of aniseed and a light herbal finish.

“They called us insane when we chose this monster of a barrel, but we hope you all enjoy what we believe to be the first Chartreuese barrel-aged stout in Australian beer history,” Kerr said.

Release #2 is a Rum & Banana Brandy Barrel Aged Imperial Stout showcasing sweeter notes of candied banana, burnt caramel and hints of coconut.

“That’s part of the black magic of barrel work,” Kerr said. “These releases are all the same base beer, all aged all in barrels of French origin, but with wildly different cask expressions.”

Both beers will be launched, on tap and in cans, at the official Barrel Experiment Program First Release Launch Party at Carwyn Cellars on Saturday, October 21, from 12pm.

Join the Bright and Carwyn teams for an afternoon including:

  • Guided Tasting from Bright Brewery
  • Bright Brewery Beer Showcase
  • Chartreuse Boiler Makers
  • Giveaways and prizes

Releases #1 and #2 will be available from Carwyn Cellars and Bright Brewery exclusively following the launch.

CELEBRATE THE EVERYDAY WITH OUR NEW ANY DAY SESSION XPA

Celebrate everyday moments with Any Day XPA – the new, lower-alcohol addition to Bright’s core range lineup.

Brewed to taste like something much bigger, Any Day XPA is a session beer that packs a punch when it comes to flavour.

At just 2.9% ABV, Any Day XPA is a ‘light alcohol’ option, with each can coming in at less than one standard drink (0.8).

“It’s not every day we bring a new beer into our core range lineup. It needs to be a pretty special beer to be elevated to that status,” Bright’s marketing manager Laura Gray said.

“But we know Any Day XPA is worthy of its place, and we’re delighted that beer drinkers looking for a lighter, lower-alcohol option now have a really good one to enjoy. This is a beer that will take those everyday moments and turn them into something special.”

BBQ with friends? Perfect for an Any Day.

Watching the footy with mates? Time for an Any Day.

Dinner with the family? Make it an Any Day.

Citra and Galaxy hops combine to give Any Day a genuine tropical hop aroma and flavour, despite its light ABV.

And with a bright and fresh mountain-inspired design by local designer James Sadgrove, in keeping with the rest of Bright’s core range, Any Day XPA feels – and tastes – like a breath of fresh air.

Created by Bright’s head brewer Lewis Kerr and his brew team, Any Day is the sixth beer in Bright’s core range, which includes Victoria’s #1 indie lager, Alpine Lager, the Gold Medal-winning Bright Pale Ale, cult favourite M.I.A. IPA, the malty Hellfire Amber Ale, and the rich and robust Staircase Porter.

WIN A YEAR OF BEER!

To celebrate the release of Any Day XPA, we are giving beer-lovers the chance to win a Year of Beer!

To enter, just buy a 4-pack or case of Any Day XPA, scan the code on the can holder, and enter your details online to go in the draw! The winner will receive 12 cases of Any Day XPA to enjoy any day of the week.

Any Day XPA is available now from Bright Brewery, online, and from craft beer retailers.
Find it here: https://brightbrewery.com.au/product/any-day-xpa/

Available Mon 12 June: GABS Drinkin’ Donuts Imperial Jam Donut Golden Ale

After run away success at the 2023 Great Australian Beer Spectapular (GABS) Events In Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney, Bright Brewery is excited to announce that their highly anticipated creation, the Drinkin’ Donuts Imperial Jam Donut Golden Ale, will be available to purchase online and at indie liquor stores from Monday June 12.

At 8.0% ABV, this playful toasty imperial golden ale was infused with 400kg of sweet, sticky raspberry puree, and 250 freshly cooked hot jam donuts made by the Bright Brewery chefs.

Originally brewed exclusively for the GABS Festival in May, festival-goers were treated to the Drinkin’ Donuts Imperial Jam Donut Golden Ale at the dedicated ‘Bright Brewery Bakery’ stand. Served with a cinnamon sugar rim and garnished with a donut, this sugar and spice concoction transported drinkers to a true fusion of beer and dessert!

Fans of this indulgent ale (or donuts in general!) can also complement their beer with stylish Drinkin’ Donuts Tees, featuring the striking can artwork design.

Bright Brewery’s Mash Club members will enjoy exclusive presale access starting Friday, June 9. If you’re not already a member, click here to learn more about the Mash Club and take advantage of this exclusive opportunity.

Drinkin’ Donuts Imperial Jam Donut Golden Ale will be available in 440ml cans from the Bright Brewery online store (4 and 16 packs) and pouring fresh from the venue from Monday June 12. 

 

Lemonade Shandy Launch

It’s the summer of Shandy!

On Tuesday November 8, we launched  the release of our Lemonade Shandy with a “competitive” game of lawn bowls at the Myrtleford Bowls Club.

The club room bar was stocked with plenty of icy cold Shandys; and Lilly from our events team was on hand with tasting samples for the thirsty local local bowlers.

Bright Brewery fielded two teams so needless to say the competition was fierce… A big shout out to Lance Symons, President of the Myrtleford Bowls Club, for helping us organise the event and lending a hand with a few coaching tips – it sure wasn’t an easy task!

Bright Brewery has been a sponsor of the Myrtleford Bowls Club since 2019 and is proud to support more than 40 local people, festivals, events and community organisations.

The Lemonade Shandy is available now in the venue, online and at independent liquor stores. Get some zest in your life and shop some here.

“It was complicated, but it is delicious!”

It was a special moment last week when we launched INFINITE Stubborn Whisky Barrel Aged 2019 Stubborn Imperial Stout. A cyclical collaboration three years in the making with our friends at Backwoods Distilling Co; it represents a beer that is as complex as the process it was to make it.

So, how did we make it?

In 2019 we distilled Stubborn Imperial Stout into whisky that aged in French Oak barrels for 2 years. Once the whisky was decanted we re-filled those barrels with 2019 Stubborn Imperial Stout we had saved and aged the beer for 1 year in the whiskey casks.

Confused? Don’t be! Check out the video below with our Head Brewer Reid Stratton where he explains the process in more detail.

Given the limited nature of this rare and special beer, demand was sky high and INFINTE sold out online within one hour when it was released!  However, you can purchase INFINITE at one of these specialist bottle shops or at the Bright Brewery venue.

 

BRIGHTER TIMES AHEAD WITH LAUNCH OF NEW CORE RANGE PALE ALE

Bright Brewery is excited to announce a significant milestone in the evolution of its core range of MountainCrafted beers.

The High Country brewery is adding a new Australian-style pale ale to its roster of award-winning core range beers, which are available all year-round.

With a striking new design, which will be rolled out across Bright’s entire core range this year, Bright Pale is a 4.0% Australian-style pale ale, brewed with predominantly local hops.

Bright Pale was first launched as a venue-only product for Bright’s brew-pub in late 2021 but its fresh, subtle tropical flavour and low bitterness made it an instant success.

“We immediately realised we had something pretty special on our hands,” Bright Brewery Marketing Manager Laura Gray said.

“The beer just hit all the right notes with our customers – from its easy-drinking flavour and super sessionable ABV to its name, which is so synonymous with our brewery, we just knew this beer was going to be a bigger part of our story.”

Bright Pale will replace the long-running Blowhard Pale Ale in Bright’s core range lineup. Blowhard, a big, hoppy American-style pale, has been a staple of Bright’s core range for many years, “We all have a soft spot for Blowhard,” Gray said. “And we know there are people out there that really love it. The decision to move on was a hard one but, as we have learnt first-hand over the past 16 years, craft beer is all about innovation and the time felt right for us to try something new.

“And we know our head brewer Reid Stratton and his team have really created something truly special with Bright Pale.

“Blowhard will always remain an important part of our history – and we’ll all miss hearing people asking for it at the bar with a smile on their face!”

Bright Pale joins stablemates Hellfire Amber Ale, M.I.A. IPA, Bright Sour and the ever-popular Alpine Lager in Bright’s core range lineup.

Alpine Lager, which was voted Victoria’s favourite indie lager in the 2021 GABS Hottest 100 Poll and, most recently, the #1 beer to buy your dad this Father’s Day, is getting a fresh new look and feel to coincide with the release of Bright Pale.

The new core range artwork, created by designer James Sadgrove, is a striking, modern take on Bright’s MountainCrafted brand.

“We brew right here at the foot of the Australian Alps, and we live and breathe the mountain lifestyle.” Gray said. “We think Bright Pale really captures that spirit and we’re excited to finally see it out in the world.”

Bright Brewery has launched a Golden Lid Competition to celebrate the release of Bright Pale, open to beer lovers across Australia.

Fifty (50) cans of Bright Pale have been capped with a Golden Lid (in contrast to the normal silver lid) and those who are lucky enough to find one will go in the draw to win a swag of great prizes, including an Ultimate Bright Brewery Experience for you and four mates.

For more information on how to enter the competition, head here.

Bright Brewery’s 2019 Barrel Series launches with Spiced Holiday Ale

More than two years in the making, the first of Bright Brewery’s highly anticipated Barrel Series beers have rolled out of the brewhouse.

The 2019 Barrel Series collection launches with an aged Spiced Holiday Ale (11.05), perfect for kickstarting the festive season!

Bright Brewery’s Barrel Series program began under founder Scott Brandon and has been elevated to new heights by Head Brewer Reid Stratton, who started his career at barrel-ageing specialist Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Michigan, USA.

“Spiced Holiday Ale is inspired by a warming mug of the famous Gluhwein found across Germany and Northern Europe during the festive season,” Stratton said.

“We aged a rich, malty, and sweet strong ale in Eldorado Winery shiraz barrels to impart some subtle red wine characteristics.”

The beer was then finished with a handful of classic Christmas spices, including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, and orange zest.

“The goal is to bring a cup of holiday cheer to the table this season,” Stratton said.

With their large-scale production facility opening in 2017, Bright Brewery’s original Brewhouse in the heart of Bright has become a showcase for the brewery’s Barrel Series program

Spiced Holiday Ale will be joined by Bright Brewery’s second 2019 Barrel Series beer – Starward Whisky-aged Barleywine (13.9% ABV) before Christmas, with more releases to follow in 2020.

Bright Brewery’s Barrel Series beers will be available from Bright Brewery, online and from selected retailers.

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