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