News Archives - Page 15 of 19 - Bright Brewery | MountainCrafted Beer

Hellfire Amber lands in Dan Murphy’s across Victoria

Bright Brewery is thrilled to announce its partnership with Dan Murphy’s, which will see their beloved Hellfire Amber Ale stocked in every Dan Murphy’s store across Victoria from today.

Hellfire Amber Ale has rolled out to all 74 Victorian Dan Murphy’s stores, including its flagship South Melbourne store, which officially reopens today. In South Melbourne, Hellfire sits alongside four other Bright Brewery beers including Alpine Lager, Blowhard Pale Ale, M.I.A. IPA and Bright Sour.

Hellfire Amber Ale is a staple of Bright’s core range line-up, and has been brewed continuously for 15 years, tweaked along the way to its current state of perfection by Head Brewer Reid Stratton.

The Dan Murphy’s partnership signifies the first state-wide ranging of a Bright Brewery beer in a large retailer and comes straight off the back off an incredibly tough year, after the Brewery was hit not just by the global pandemic but also bushfires in January 2020.

Bright Brewery National Sales Manager Evin Craney said the move was a “huge step forward” for the brewery.

“Our whole team has come together during, arguably, the hardest time imaginable to not only reinvent Bright Brewery for a larger audience but grow the brand from a small-town business to what it is now, with so much more still to come,” Craney said.

“It’s confirmation of a lot of hard work paying off, and being able to showcase Hellfire to such a wide audience after all these years is an incredibly exciting opportunity.”

Bright Brewery Marketing Manager Laura Gray said the brewery’s presence in the craft beer market had exploded in recent years.

“For the first 12 years of its life, Bright Brewery only existed within Bright for visitors to Bright,” Gray Said. “Then, three years ago, we built a multi-million dollar production facility to allow us to meet demand and started selling wholesale as well.

“Since then, we’ve built an army of partner venues and retailers around Australia – in every state and territory (except the NT) but our heart and soul remains in Victoria, so we are absolutely thrilled that beer lovers all over Victoria will now be able to easily and regularly find our beer at Dan Murphy’s.”

A rich and malty Amber Ale, Hellfire oozes with caramel sweetness and toasty highlights thanks to the complex blend of malts and fruity yeast. Its hypnotically fiery red colour inspired Bright to name it after Hellfire Gully – an exhilarating drop off the side of Victoria’s Mount Feathertop, known only to adventurous backcountry skiers.

“It’s the perfect beer for sipping around an Autumn campfire, with a rich Sunday roast, or after a day of adventuring in the mountains with friends,” Gray said.

You can find Hellfire Amber Ale at all Victorian Dan Murphy’s stores, straight from the source in Bright, and in our Web Shop.

Product recall: Pineapple Dream Milkshake Ale

Bright Brewery is devastated to announce that we have launched an immediate product recall of our Pineapple Dream Nitro Milkshake Ale cans.

The recall covers Batch PCD01 of 355ml cans with a best before date of 05/11/21 printed on the base of the can. Kegs of Pineapple Dream are not affected by this recall.

Unfortunately, we suspect that cans stored in ambient temperatures may be experiencing secondary fermentation, leading to possible bulging and/or eventual rupture of the can.

This continued fermentation may also lead to an increase in the ABV, above the stated 6.2%.

Cans which have been stored chilled, including all stock at Bright Brewery, are not affected by this issue, however in the interest of ensuring our customer’s safety and in keeping with our company value of Authenticity, we have decided to immediately recall all cans.

The affected products have been available for sale in Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. Please note that no other Bright Brewery beers are affected by this recall.

On learning of this issue today, we immediately enacted our Independent Brewers Association-approved Product Recall Plan, and have notified all relevant state and federal health authorities.

Official Bright Brewery Recall Notice

We encourage customers who have purchased cans, either from Bright Brewery or retail outlets, to safely dispose of the cans (using the information below) and to contact your place of purchase for a full refund, if you have not already consumed them.

Customers who may have already consumed the products are assured that the beer is 100% safe for consumption.

All of our wholesale customers are receiving a full credit for the products. This process is already underway.

Here at Bright Brewery, the quality of our beer and safety of our customers are our primary priorities. We have been brewing craft beer in Bright for 15 years and we are shattered to discover that, for the first time in our history, one of our products has not met the extremely high standards we aim to achieve with every beer.

In the past two years, we have consciously and continually pushed the boundaries of craft beer and experimented with new techniques and ingredients. Unfortunately, some experiments do not lead to success.

Secondary fermentation in cans can occur due to continued activity of the brewer’s yeast, or by a contaminating yeast or bacteria. Each of these factors can be exacerbated by incorporating non-traditional beer products in the brewing process.

At this stage, we are unsure which has occurred, but we are committed to ensuring the high quality of our beers and so, will be having the beer assessed by scientists at the Australian Wine Research Institute to ensure we learn everything we can from this experience and to ensure it does not happen again.

For further information, or to obtain a refund for products purchased from Bright Brewery, please email info@brightbrewery,com.au or call 03 5755 1346.

To safely dispose of cans: If a four-pack carrier is still on the cans, do not remove it. Place all cans carefully in an outside bin and cover with piece of cardboard or other suitable material. Cans that have been stored at ambient temperature are more susceptible to rupturing than cans stored under refrigeration.

To request a refund:

Did you buy your beer from Bright Brewery bar? If not already consumed, please dispose of the cans safely, and email us on info@brightbrewery.com.au and we will arrange an immediate refund for you.

Did you buy your beer from Bright Brewery website? If not already consumed, please dispose of the cans safely, and email us on info@brightbrewery.com.au and we will arrange an immediate refund for you.

Did you buy your beer from a retail outlet/bottle shop/pub/etc? If not already consumed, please dispose of the cans safely, and return to your point of purchase for a full refund.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What product is being recalled?

Pineapple Dream Nitro Milkshake Ale cans: Batch PCD01 of 355ml cans with a best before date of 05/11/21

Why is this product being re-called?

The product has been recalled as a precautionary measure to ensure that customers get the best experience of our product. We believe the beer is undergoing secondary fermentation, which can lead to bulging, potential rupture of the cans, and an ABV higher than the stated level.

Where can I find the batch number and date code?

Cans: Both the batch code and the date code can be found on the base of each can. Batch PCD01; BB 05/11/21

Cases: Both the batch code and the date code can be found on a label on the side of each case. Batch PCD01; BB 05/11/21

What happens if I have already drunk some of this beer?

We assure you that the beer was 100% safe for consumption, and the taste of the beer remains unaffected. The risks to our customers come from the potential for an higher alcohol level, and the potential for bulging and/or rupture of the cans.

What should I do if I have some of this beer at home?

Any can that shows any level of expansion should be treated very carefully.

If a four-pack carrier is still on the cans, do not remove it. Place all cans carefully in an outside bin and cover with piece of cardboard or other suitable material. Cans that have been stored at ambient temperature are more susceptible to rupturing than cans stored in refrigeration.

How do I claim my refund or replacement and where?

Did you buy your beer from Bright Brewery bar? If not already consumed, please dispose of the cans safely, and email us on info@brightbrewery.com.au and we will arrange an immediate refund for you.

Did you buy your beer from a retail outlet/bottle shop/pub/etc? If not already consumed, please dispose of the cans safely, and return to your point of purchase for a full refund.

Why isn’t my favourite beer on tap?

By Shaunagh O’Connell

2020 has been a crazy year – not just for breweries but for all of us. You’re out of lockdown, you want to visit your favourite brewery in Bright, and relax on the Hop Terrace with a pint of your favourite beer – but it’s not on tap! The horror! Breweries have had nothing to do but brew beer for six months, right? Wrong. Read on to find out what’s been happening behind the bars of your favourite breweries this year…

PRE-COVID

Prior to COVID Lockdown #1 in late March, we were brewing at about 80% of our full capacity here at Bright Brewery. With summer bushfires having wiped out our entire tourist season and visitors only just having started returning to town, we had not yet returned to full capacity.

As usual, the majority of this beer was packaged into kegs for sale through our Brewery Door and mostly Melbourne pubs, bars, and restaurants. Only a small percentage was packaged into bottles and cans.

COVID STRIKES

When COVID struck in late March, our Brewery Door was forced to close with only a couple of days’ notice – along with every single pub, bar, brewery, and restaurant around Australia. In the blink of an eye, 90% of our stockists were gone. You could not buy draft beer anywhere in Australia. Bottleshops remained open around Australia to the joy of beer-lovers (and brewers!) Australia-wide.

With our Brewery Door, which generates the majority of Bright Brewery’s revenue, closed, Bright Brewery’s management decided to prioritise keeping as many people as possible in work – approximately 30 local people, across all areas of the business, including long-term casuals, were kept employed through this period. While JobKeeper helped, and bottleshops were still buying, we needed to try and make some revenue in uncharted waters – online sales and free home delivery of beer throughout Melbourne and regional Victoria.

It was all hands on deck. Our Sales Manager began delivering beer to people’s homes five days a week; we created an Online Sales team within 48 hours; Bar Staff were painting the Brewery Door in preparation for reopening and delivering food and beer throughout Bright every afternoon and evening; our Venue Manager spent her days gardening; our Founder, Scott Brandon, paved a huge outdoor area.

Sales through bottleshops and online boomed and we quickly returned to brewing (and selling) the same volume as we had pre-COVID (80% of capacity).

But with pubs and bars still closed and with no re-opening date in sight, venues began returning kegs to us as they couldn’t sell them. And we (along with most other breweries) became concerned about the quality of the beer in those kegs should they keep sitting there. At Bright, we pride ourselves on fresh, high-quality beer that is free of preservatives.

But with packaged beer sales at an all-time high, we managed to save about two thirds of these kegs by pushing the beer into cans. Sadly, though, about a third of the kegs could not be saved and have to be disposed of (read: poured down the drain) at huge expense.

REGIONAL VIC REOPENS

In June, things began to look slightly more positive with venues, including our own, in regional Victoria reopened. But with visitation severely limited, and 80% of our normal wholesale income coming from Melbourne, this did not mean profit for the business, in fact, quite the opposite.

With no keg venues open in Melbourne, packaged beer remained the most financially viable way forward for us and most other brewers so kegs were in limited supply.

COVID STRIKES AGAIN

In August, after a couple of months of freedom, COVID’s second wave hit Victoria and we shut down again. Hospitality across Victoria was devastated. Breweries again stopped packaging kegs as there was no end date in sight for venues to reopen.

But we’d been here before – we knew what we had to do, and Online Sales and Wholesale Sales kicked up another notch.

During this time, our Sales Team struck a deal to get Bright Brewery beer distributed in every state in Australia (except the Northern Territory) and even into Singapore. This was a major coup for us, especially in the midst of a lockdown.

LOCKDOWN LIFTS

Within the past 2 months, we’ve seen Melbourne reopen and state borders begin to lift. Demand for fresh beer shot up overnight and once Melbourne’s hospitality industry reopened, we sold out of kegs immediately.

While we opened our venue to just 40 people initially, capacity has shot up to 400, the whole state is travelling and our Brewery Door is already catering for crowds we don’t normally see until the summer peak.

But this all happened very quickly, and fresh beer is in very high demand across the country.

Remember, we were already brewing at 80% of our capacity during lockdown, thanks to packaged beer sales only. And since the start of November when Melbourne reopened, our core range beer sales have increased by another 230%.

Our brewers are working overtime to try and brew and package as much beer as possible. But no matter how hard the brewers work or how many of them are working, we only have so much tank space, and yeast only works at one speed – and we are beholden to its timeframe.

Our Alpine Lager takes 4-8 weeks to brew and keg. M.I.A, our quickest brew, takes 3 weeks.

Breweries cross Australia are facing the same issues. Even mainstream brewers had to pour millions of dollars worth of draft beer down the drain and start again.

So if, when you visit us next time, your favourite brew is not on tap, this may give you a better of idea about what’s going on behind the scenes – and to reassure you that we are doing literally everything in our power to get more beer into kegs and into your glass as quickly as we can.

High Country Collab Case: a cure for what ales

Each September for the past seven years, High Country brewers have gathered at one of the region’s famous craft breweries to work side-by-side, pooling their knowledge and experience to create a special signature collaborative ale under their own Rule #47 label.

But this year, COVID-19 has meant the annual collaborative brew day won’t happen.

The good news is that this innovative bunch have instead thrown their collective efforts into producing Collab Cases featuring selections of standout beers from seven of the High Country breweries – Bright Brewery, Blizzard Brewing (Dinner Plain), Black Dog Brewery (Taminick), Bridge Road Brewers (Beechworth), King River Brewery (King Valley), Mitta Mitta Brewing Co, Billson’s Brewery (Beechworth).

Collab Cases are available online for anyone in lockdown dreaming of a High Country Brewery Trail road trip or for a loved one in need of a gift of good cheer. Or anyone anywhere in Australia keen to enjoy the best brews from Victoria’s High Country this Spring!

There are three Collab Cases to choose from each packed with a mouthwatering variety of 24 bottles or cans of fine seasonal and limited-releases, plus a couple of core faves, from each. They are:

● Dark & Stormy: 24 x Dark and decadent beers featuring a delicious selection of Porters, Stouts, Black Ales, Dark Lagers and Doppelbocks

● Light & Bright: 24 x Pale beers. A vibrant selection of Ginger Beer, Fruited Sours, Hoppy Ales, IPAs, and more.

● Mix It Up (half dark/half light): 24 x beers – half dark / half light. The perfect mix of dark and decadent beers, with light, fruity, sour, hoppy and vibrant brews to balance it all out.

High Country Brewery Trail Collab Cases are available for pre-sale until 11.59pm Sunday Oct 16, 2020. Shipping is free within Victoria and at a flat rate of $9.95 across Australia.

For more info on the Collab Cases, and to order, please click here.

Click here to find out more about the High Country Brewery Trail.

Positions vacant: Chefs & Kitchenhands

Bright Brewery is a family-owned and operated brewery, bar and restaurant, producing MountainCrafted beers in the spectacular alpine town of Bright, Victoria.

We’re a vibrant business that values the enjoyment and protection of the pristine environment that surrounds us, and the authenticity of our products and services. We embrace active and sustainable lifestyles, celebrated with great beer.

Bright Brewery is a social hub for locals and a destination for tourists. We serve great value meals for lunch and dinner (7 days a week), which helps showcase our beers when customers dine in.

Bright Brewery is seeking experienced chefs and kitchen-hands (experience not necessary for kitchen-hand positions) to join our kitchen team.

Chef Position Description

We’re looking for leaders to help us create delicious food with a craft brewery twist in a very busy environment.

We require team players who loves working with the freshest local produce and who can bring a real creative flair to our cuisine.

Job tasks and responsibilities

Reporting to and working with the Head Chef and Sous Chef, the Chefs will help lead the Kitchen Team and are accountable for delivering great and unique food for Bright Brewery’s customers.

This rewarding role includes continually improving menu quality, food sourcing, storage, preparation, cooking and waste processing.

You will be competent in all areas of cooking and cleaning, maintaining high levels of Food Hygiene Standards and HACCP controls.

Skills and experience

Qualified Chef
Must have prior experience in a high-volume hospitality environment
Experience in menu planning and demonstrated skills in high standards of menu prep and delivery
Passion and imagination for food
Interest in local produce and beer matching
Demonstrate excellent communication skills
Ability to work well within a team
Ability to identify and resolve problems efficiently
Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations relating to the hospitality industry
Proven leadership skills and lead by example
Mature attitude, honesty, loyalty and exceptional work ethic
Comply with all company policies and procedures

A knowledge of, or passion for, beer and brewing is an advantage.

In addition, Bright Brewery provides rewards and recognition programs to all staff, including quarterly and annual reward scheme to ensure great work and high performing staff never go unnoticed. We also seek to provide valuable training opportunities so all staff may further their skills and careers.

Bright Brewery is three-time Victorian Tourism Awards Gold Medal winner, Victorian Tourism Awards Hall of Fame inductee, and Australian Tourism Awards Silver Medal winner, as well as an Alpine Shire Business of the Year and Excellence In Hospitality Award winner. The successful applicant will be driven to build on these successes and high standards.

These positions offers a chance to live in a truly beautiful place with world class mountain biking, cycling, hiking, camping, paragliding, snow and river sports all at our door. We encourage broad and active lifestyles, and flexible working arrangements may be negotiated to accommodate this.

For more information, please contact Head Chef Alan Davison on the details below.

To apply:

Applications for both roles can be made confidentially by emailing covering letter and resume to kitchen@brightbrewery.com,au

For more information please contact:

Alan Davison
Head Chef, Bright Brewery
tel: 03 5755 1346

We are reopening! Come and have a beer with us!

After more than 70 days in virtual isolation due to COVID-19 restrictions, we are looking forward to reopening our beautiful venue to customers on June 1, 2020.

So come and have a beer with us!

From June 1, we will be able to welcome 40 guests – 20 inside and 20 outside – to join us for a meal and a drink. We expect this to increase to 50 inside and 50 outside from June 22, as per government directives.

Bookings

Our kitchen and bar will be open for meals and drinks all day from 12pm.

We will operate five bookable sessions every day, and visitors are required to pre-book. The sessions will run at:

12pm – 1.45pm
2pm – 3.45pm
4pm – 5.45pm
6pm – 7.45pm
8pm – 9.45pm

Click here to book

All sessions will run for 1 hour and 45 minutes, after which time, guests will vacate the venue so it can be thoroughly cleaned ahead of the next session, in accordance with government regulations.

Due to government regulations, a maximum of six people may sit at each table. You are welcome to book for a larger party but you will need to split over multiple tables.

When you make your booking, please let us know whether you’d prefer to sit inside or outside. But please also note that, while we will do our absolute best to accommodate, weather and government regulations may mean we are unable to accommodate all requests. If seating requests exceed capacity in a dining space, requests will be accommodated on a first-booked, first-seated basis.

Please also note that, due to government regulations, all customers dining with us are required to be having a meal, and must provide their name and phone number.

Booked tables will be held for 15 minutes past the booked time. If you are unable to make your booked time, please let us know in advance, so we can offer the table to someone on our waitlist. After being closed for so long, we’re keen for as many people as possible to have the chance to enjoy a Bright Brewery experience.

Walk-in customers

We are happy to accommodate walk-in customers – if we are not already at capacity within the venue. All walk-in customers will be required to vacate at the end of the session, and to provide their name, address, email, and phone number, as per government regulations. However, we encourage anyone planning to visit us to book in advance.

Take-away meals & beer

We will continue to offer takeaway meals and beer from 12pm every day. All menu items will be available to takeaway, and customers can order at the bar, or by calling 03 5755 1301.

Click here to book now – sessions are filling fast!

COVID-19 UPDATE

SUPPORT LOCAL // Our Bright Brewery Door is now closed until further notice, as we support the global effort to limit the spread of COVID-19.

This is our second extended closure this year which, a week ago seemed unfathomable, but now seems absolutely vital.

We have been here in beautiful for Bright for more than 15 years. We will survive this, and we will reopen – hopefully soon, and hopefully to a brighter, healthier new world.

But until then, we will not dwell on what we can’t do, and will instead focus on what we can do. We have so much to be grateful for, and so many exciting things happening…

𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐀𝐖𝐀𝐘 𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐑 & 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐑𝐒
With a local workforce, already deeply affected by the 2020 bushfire crisis, we are committed to providing work for our staff however we can.

We also want to continue to support our many local producers, rather than cut them off.

So 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝟓-𝟖𝐩𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 (from tonight!) for Takeaway Beer & Dinner.
Choose from the following menu options:

𝐏𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐚𝐬 (all 12-inch; add vegan cheese for $3)
Garlic $17
Margherita $20
Gourmet Garden (Vegetarian) $24
BBQ Lamb Sausage $24
Firecracker Chorizo $24

𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐬
Brewhouse Beef Burger (no chips) $20
Hop Terrace Veggie Burger (no chips) $22

𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬
Mountain Harvest fries with smoked malt salt $10

𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐫
All our packaged beer – cans, bottles, 4/6-packs, and cases – are available to take away!

𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐎𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐑
𝐈𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧
Drop in and see us and place your order. Then take a quick walk in the fresh air, by the beautiful Ovens River, while we prepare it for you.

𝐁𝐲 𝐩𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞
We will be taking phone orders from 5pm-7.30pm. You can order by calling 𝟎𝟑 𝟓𝟕𝟓𝟓 𝟏𝟑𝟎𝟏.
Please note, our phone will only be manned during this time so please call only during these hours.

𝐆𝐄𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐑
We have worked hard to create a sustainable business, which means – even during these times of crisis, and even when our venue is closed – we can brew and sell our beer for you to enjoy.

Our online Store is running as normal – all our core range Mountaincrafted beers and small-batch/limited-release Backcountry Range and Barrel Series beers are available online with a delivery option to suit you!

www.brightbrewery.com.au/shop

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐞-𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲
We are stoked to be able to offer FREE BEER DELIVERY to anyone living in Bright, Porepunkah, Buckland Valley, and Wandiligong.
When you order online and input your address, you’ll be able to select this option.
Orders made before 4pm will be delivered the same night by our friendly staff.

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩
Anyone living in Bright and surrounds, or passing through, is welcome to order online and pick up at our Brewery door from 5-8pm. No charge!

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 $𝟏𝟎𝟎
All online orders of $100 or more will be shipped for free (excluding WA & NT)!

𝐁𝐮𝐲 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩
Bottle shops have been considered an ‘essential service’ and will remain open. Which means you can still buy your favourite Bright Brewery, and other High Country Brewery Trail, beers wherever you live! Head instore and ask for us.
DM us for your closest stockist.
Even better, DM us and let us know which of your local bottleshops should be stocking our beer and we’ll get in touch with them.

We really are very grateful that we can operate in some capacity during this time. We recognise that some other businesses are not so lucky. Please Support Local as much as you can as we navigate this strange new world together.

Darker Days midwinter festival highlights

Darker Days 2020 date postponed

POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19

Winter is coming. Embrace the darkness.

Bright Brewery is thrilled to announce that DARKER DAYS 2020 will set Bright alight on Saturday, June 27, 2020.

DARKER DAYS is a festive celebration of dark beer and the Alpine winter, providing a warming, welcome respite from the mid-winter chill.

Festival-goers will gather around crackling campfires, enjoying live music and warming, wintery brews from the High Country’s best breweries, as well as local gin, whiskey, wine, and food. And with free entry, kids’ activities and face-painting, DARKER DAYS is a proudly family-friendly event.

Bright Brewery Marketing and Events Officer Laura Gray said more than 1500 festival-goers are expected to descend on Bright for the weekend, providing a welcome boost to local businesses and tourism operators after a horror start to 2020.

During the Alpine region’s bushfire crisis earlier this year, most local businesses lost a huge percentage of their revenue when Bright, and its 20,000 visitors, were evacuated in early January.

“Bright and the surrounding towns is an absolute tourist Mecca in summer, so the fires had a devastating financial impact on our community,” Ms Gray said.

“But Bright is spectacular all year round and, here at Bright Brewery, we actively encourage people to visit Bright throughout the rest of the year.

“Now in its fourth year, DARKER DAYS is a highlight of the region’s winter events calendar and, this year, it’s more important than ever to the local community that it’s a huge success.

“We had torrential rain and gale force winds last year so we’re hoping Mother Nature is a little bit kinder to us this year but, at the end of the day, it’s a midwinter festival, so we’d love people to come and join us, no matter the weather – just bring your gumboots!”

Joining Bright Brewery at DARKER DAYS will be High Country Brewery Trail bushfire-affected breweries including King River Brewing from Whitfield, and Blizzard Brewing Company from Dinner Plain, both of whom, along with Bright Brewery, had to close their doors and evacuate during the height of the bushfire crisis.

Entry to DARKER DAYS is free but volunteers will be collecting donations for the Bright CFA, which was instrumental in helping protect Bright from the fires.

And, as is tradition, Bright Brewery’s acclaimed Stubborn Russian Imperial Stout will be launched at DARKER DAYS, making festival-goers the first in the country to get their hands on this cult classic.

The full line-up of breweries, live music and other local producers will be announced over the coming weeks.

Event info here.

Beers for Bushfires

It’s been a long, tough start to 2020 with severe bushfires raging across Australia including in Victoria’s North East.

The High Country region that we call home has been under direct threat with fires still burning and growing, with many communities evacuated for a period of time.

Having closed for five days from January 3-8 due to advice from emergency services, we were able to cautiously reopen on Wednesday, Jan 8. Unfortunately, we had to close again on Jan 10 due to severe fire danger and evacuations of Bright.

We were then able to reopen on Jan 11, and extended our trading hours to near normal on Jan 12.

Bright Brewery status – as at Sunday, Jan 12

We are now open from 12pm for lunch and dinner.

We will continue to monitor conditions in accordance with emergency advice and over the coming weeks.

Visitor Status

The official advice from Vic Emergency for Bright and surrounds was downgraded from ‘Watch and Act’ to ‘Advice’ on Sunday, Jan 12, and the State of Disaster has been lifted, which means visitors are being cautiously welcomed back to town!

Many local businesses are doing their best to get their doors back open as soon as possible and Mystic MTB has reopened, but some businesses still remain closed. People with accommodation bookings should check in with their individual accommodation provider for specific advice.

It’s been a really tough week for local businesses, during what is usually the busiest time of the year for us all. So when you do return, whether it’s soon or in the future, we’d like to ask you to do the following:

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐫𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐲, 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐞𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬, 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐲.

And the Emergency Services have some requests of their own for visitors. The fires are still burning, there is still a lot of emergency management work going on, and conditions may change at any time. So any visitors who do intend to travel are asked to please take note of the following:

– If conditions worsen, visitors will again be asked to leave the region immediately.

– The air quality is still volatile due to smoke from fires and back-burning.

– There will be increased emergency vehicles and heavy machinery on the roads, and there are still road closures in place. Please take care on the roads.

– Please do not ‘rubberneck’ around fire or traffic management sites.

– Stay within township areas; do not go bush.

– Be aware that the conditions may change at any time. Stay informed of local conditions at all times and up to date with the Vic Emergency and EPA AirWatch air quality warnings.

As always, this information is a guide only and all visitors to the region should keep up to date with the Vic Emergency site/app and make their own informed decisions.

Beers for Bushfire Relief

This crisis has had and will have huge impacts on people, businesses, towns and entire regions all over Australia for a long time to come, as well as the heroic emergency services who are battling on our behalf.

Our friends at The Crafty Pint have launched the Beers for Bushfire Relief program – a collective day of fundraisers at beer venues around Australia on January 18, as well as ongoing fundraising initiatives.

Bright Brewery will be donating $10 from every keg sold in January to the Victorian CFA and the Victorian Bushfire Appeal.

We are participating in fundraising events throughout Victoria this month, including:

* ON NOW: Our pals at Slowbeer are donating profits from their Bright Brewery and Sailors Grave Brewing Karma Kegs to CFA & the Vic Bushfire Appeal.

* ON NOW: Brewicolo Brewing Co in Ocean Grove is donating profits from its Bright Brewery Karma Keg of Sweetart Raspbery Sour Ale to the bushfire relief effort.

* ON NOW: Ingrained Culture is donating 30% of profits from all brewery tours booked in Jan (but they don’t have to be taken in Jan) – so book in a tour to visit the High Country Brewers when things settle down.

High Country Brewers Tap Takeover: Otter’s Promise
1219 High St, Armadale, Vic
Jan 18, 2020 from 12-11pm
Featuring Bright Brewery, King River Brewery and Blizzard Brewing
More info
High Country Brewers Showcase: The Terminus Hotel
492 Queens Pde, Fitzroy North
Jan 25, 2020 from 12-11pm
Featuring Bright Brewery, Blizzard Brewing Company, King River Brewing, Mitta Mitta Brewing Co, Billson’s 1865 and Bridge Road Brewers
More info

We will update as more events are locked in.

You can check out all the events and information at The Crafty Pint’s Beers for Bushfire Relief website to get involved.

There are heaps more fundraisers planned for the Beers for Bushfires national day of action on January 18, so pop that date in your diary now.

How can you help?

* #supportlocal #drinklocal #buylocal as often as you can! Ask at your local bar, pub, restaurant or bottleshop for High Country beer, head to the High Country Brewery Trail website for more info, use our Beer Locator to find your closest Bright Brewery stockist, or contact us to find a stockist near you!

* When safe to do so, take a High Country road trip and come say hi to one of these fantastic breweries! Eat, drink, be merry – and take some more beers home with you!

* Support the venues that support us! Find a local fundraising event or Karma Keg near you and head in for a drink.

* Buy online: while some breweries and businesses remain closed, many are still able to service online sales and this is a great way to show your direct support. You can find our Shop here.

* If you’re a venue owner or manager interested in supporting High Country breweries by stocking our beers, please contact our Sales Manager Tom Mullane Grant (regional Vic/NSW/elsewhere) on sales@brightbrewery.com.au or 0439 316 600 or our man in Melbourne, Evin Craney at melbourne@brightbrewery.com.au or 0406 262 724.

* Vote for your favourite brewery in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Poll (closes Jan 17) – it’s an easy, non-financial way to show your support for the industry

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