Brewing with Australia’s best Restaurants

Bridge Road Brewers have reached out to some of Australia’s best restaurants to collaborate on a series of beers inspired by their own culture and cuisine. They have been asked to consider ideas like replicating or matching a beer to a signature dish, or to brew with ingredients that are relevant to the restaurant or its location.

Bridge Road Brewers pioneered collaboration between beer venues and brewers in Australia with their original Bar Series in 2012, a theme that has since exploded within craft beer.

This saw the regional Beechworth brewery receive guests from the leading craft beer venues from across the country to collaborate on some exciting new beers.

Ben Kraus said “After repeating that series in 2017 we would like to again take a lead in our industry, this time collaborating with some of Australia’s best known restaurants”.

“We first found our way into Australia’s high end restaurant scene in 2005/06, when craft beer was most commonly omitted from such establishments, with our 750ml Chevalier range, including Saison and Biere de Garde.”

“We have continued to supply an even broader range of our beers into many high end restaurants where a solid craft beer list has become the norm rather than the exception.”

“In 2018 we have progressed this idea to elevate the roll of independent beer in our world class eateries.”

“In creating these beers, essentially anything is on the table, that is with the acceptation perhaps for a beer that fits the ‘crisp, clear, refreshing, lager’ profile, that is too often associated with restaurant beer selection.”

“We are stoked to announce our first release will be with one of our all-time favourite restaurants, Movida.”

This collaboration leveraged off a relationship built not only through years of a commercial relationship but also through the Movida team working within our region to help promote Victoria’s High Country.

Movida wanted to create a beer that suited their venues including Bar Tini as well as pair with foods across its menus. They were also inspired by our region and wanted to include local produce. The result is a High Country Grissette (a Belgian farmhouse style ale) featuring brined Caper leaves from Long Lane Capers and locally grown Bergamot (citrus) from Mountain Yuzu.

Ellis Nuttall of Movida was a key driver of this program.

“We chose to be a part of this because it gave our staff the opportunity to be hands on in the making of a product that we would end up selling to the consumer, the process gives our staff a complete view and understanding of the processes and people involved in creating excellent products.”

“The insights gained are about the process, the raw ingredients through to finished products, the people that make this happen and the relationships that are built, it ties everything in and a lot of people never get to see that process.”

“Craft beers role in modern restaurants is huge it allows us a diversity of interesting and unique products that represent peoples passions and have a real sense of place,” he said.

This Grissette will be available at Movida venues from August 8th as well as from our brewery in Beechworth, and through extremely limited release to some of our tap and bottle venues.

The second beer in this series will be a collaboration to be brewed in August with the team from the Three Blue Ducks (Bronte, Roseberry, Brisbane) and The Farm at Byron Bay. Who will also travel to the region to take over the kitchen at Be Foodstore on the ski fields of Falls Creek for a ‘Ducks in Snow’ dinner.

Our third confirmed collaboration will be with Temporada and Aubergine restaurants in Canberra, who will be working with something exciting from the esteemed Clonakilla winery.

Grissett beer description:

This Grissett takes influence from the Victorian High Country and its unique produce. The team at Movida chose some of the most interesting local growers to supply alternative ingredients in this brew, Bergamot from Mountain Yuzu, and brined caper leaf from Long Lane Capers.

Bergamot is the aromatic and recognisable key ingredient in Earl Grey Tea, and is commonly used in the perfume industry. It adds a subtle aroma to the beer and a fresh citrus finish. The key input from the caper leaf is a refreshing salty twist, that pairs well together with the citrus notes provided by Bergamot.

This beer will be launched at Bar Tini, Hosier Lane, 2pm Friday August 3rd.