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This here is Ned Kelly country. There’s not a business name or street plaque in the town of Beechworth that won’t forget to remind you.
Beechworth is famous for being the town infamous bushranger and thief Ned Kelly went to prison, and just down the road is where where Kelly Gang’s Last Stand took place.
While many people flock to the town to visit the many attractions around Australia’s Gold Rush years, there’s an even more pressing reason to visit – the Bridge Road Brewers.
This microbrewery is a hidden gem in Beechworth, and we thought it was so good, that we put it on our Australia Bucket List – you know, the highlights of the biggest island in the world.
We visit a lot of pubs and breweries on our trip around Australia, but it’s rare we find one we love so much.
In this guide, we share our reasons to visit Bridge Road Brewery and why we loved it so much…
About Bridge Road Brewery
- Location: Old Coach House Brewers Lane, 50 Ford Street Beechworth, Victoria
- Website: http://bridgeroadbrewers.com.au/
- Opening hours: Kitchen opens lunch 7 Days a week, 12 – 3pm and Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6pm.
But first, a little story behind Bridge Road Brewers. It all started back in 2005 when a passionate beer lover turned his family shed into a brewery.
Yep, you heard that right – a shed! The founder had a deep love for brewing beer and decided to share his creations with the world.
Bridge Road Brewery quickly became a pioneer in the Australian craft beer scene, gaining a well-deserved reputation for their exceptional brews.
From their humble beginnings, they’ve grown into an iconic brewery, offering visitors a unique experience in the picturesque town of Beechworth.
As of 2023, their Bridge Road HQ in Beechworth features a pizzeria, a 340 seater taproom, and a 25HL brewhouse.
They also have another brewery in East Brunswick, in the inner north of Melbourne.
Drinks at Bridge Road Brewers
They have a wide range of styles of beer to cater to every taste. Their core range favourites include the Beechworth Pale Ale, which is an Aussie craft classic loved by many, to the Gladfield Ale. They’ve got it all on tap!
They also have a Chevalier range, which features beers made using their own Saison yeast strain, which brings out their unique hop aromas and citrus character. These beers are also a light straw colour and has a dry, acidic profile. Similar to a Classic Belgian style brew.
Beer enthusiasts will be able to smell the esters and phenolic characters.
Each beer has a lower bitterness that ensures a perfect balance and a clean finish.
They also have a curated selection of wine, gin and whisky for those who are not into beer.
So, whether you’re a beer lover or looking for a refreshing beverage, this place has something for everyone.
Plus, their taproom showcases great food to pair with your favorite brews, whether you’re looking to taste one of their iconic pizzas or tuck into some seafood.
Reasons to Visit Bridge Road Brewers
We enjoyed Bridge Road Brewery so much, I even pushed aside my gluten intolerance to have a beer. Yes, I willingly accepting a couple of days of discomfort just to have a cold Hefeweizen.
Here are some of the main reasons why we loved this brewery so much…
1. It’s Kid Friendly
You know a place is good when you can sit there all day and your kids are happy and entertained.
They LOVED the small kiddies playgrounds, which we were lucky to have a seat next to. The whole place had a relaxed family-friendly atmosphere and we immediately felt at ease.
They went down the slide, played on the swings and made lots of new friends. They were almost as disappointed as us when it came time to leave.
2. Delicious Pizza
They have gluten free bases!! My Pizza Funghi was sensational: Tomato, taleggio cheese, thyme, mushrooms and capers, topped with baby rocket and almond salad. It was one of the best pizzas I’ve had in a long while.
The rocket and almond salad on top sounds weird, but it really boosted the flavours to make it pop with fantastic pizza power.
Craig really enjoyed his Prawn Pizza: tomato, bocconcini, fresh tomato, chilli, garlic, prawns and Meredith goats feta.
And the kids, well they were kept happy with a classic cheese pizza.
Last, but not least, the sticky date pudding was to die for.
You can order other beer-friendly plates such as nachos, ribs, pie or a lighter soup or salad.
They also do takeout pizzas if you want to take one away with you.
3. Great Craft Beers
We’ll let you in our little secret. We don’t like Australian beer much, that is the commercial stuff. Yuck. That’s why we fall all over ourselves when we find a craft brewery that brews beer with depth and flavour. No watery headaches-tomorrow beer here.
Ben, the founder, creates his beer from scratch, using their own production equipment on site. The beers are brewed naturally, without pasteurization, or preservatives and of course with a lot of passion.
You can buy beer to take home with you from the Brewery, or purchase them online.
4. An Experience in An Old Historic Building
Bridge Road Brewery is located in a 150-year-old coach house. I love a bit of history with my beer, and you can really appreciate the architecture behind this 1850s Victorian Gold Rush era coach house.
The beer hall is spacious and filled with beer-making paraphernalia, decor and furniture as well as a cosy wood fire (not in summer of course).
We preferred looking at the beautiful building from the beer garden. Soaking up the high country sun.
Bridge Road Brewery is building an experience around what they do which is evident in their branded merchandise and attention to detail in the interior decoration of the venue.
5. Young, Modern Thinking Owners With a Great Success Story
I get so excited to hear stories of people growing a business from their own backyard based on passion. Only this time it was Ben’s father’s back yard shed.
Ben Kraus went to Italy to learn how to make wine, he got side-tracked in Innsbruck, Austria, and learned how to make great beer and pretzels instead.
Ben came home, experimented in the shed and 8 years later has a thriving business that sees over 400 posse members (beer membership program) around the country, and a constant stream of people walking down the brewery lane to sample his beers and pizza.
COOL story. See what you can create with passion and a step forward.
6. Social Media Savvy
This may sound like a weird criteria for making a brewery great. But, it shows me that the owners are up with current trends and tapped into what their clients really want.
It’s fresh modern thinking – I like businesses that are stepping up and ahead with our world. It’s rare to come across a business in Australia with a great website and tapped in on social media. Big props for modern, forward thinking.
And yep you guessed it, the Bridge Road Brewery is all about Ned Kelly! He’s in the logo and on the merchandise. Keeping the tradition for wanting the people to come to the high country.
There’s no way Ned would have tried to break out of this place.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it, those are the reasons why we love Bridge Road Brewers and why you will too! Their commitment to their craft and ability to produce exceptional beers will no doubt stand the test of time and be popular for generations to come.
We highly recommend you make reservations if you want to order food, as it’s a popular dining spot, especially in summer months.
Cheers to good times and incredible drinks at Bridge Road Brewers!
While in this region, do not miss exploring these things to do in Bright (one of our favorite Australian towns), and the Feathertop Winery.
