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Leading Heathcote producers release three new sparkling summer drinks

Words by Tehya Nicholas
Images supplied

As summer slowly grinds itself into gear and shakes away the droplets of the wettest spring on record, Victorians are beginning to stock up their esky’s with summertime bevvys. Two Heathcote businesses, Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery, have teamed up to release a line of fresh, sparkling drinks fit for the occasion.

Located in the Central Victorian region of Heathcote, renowned for it’s fertile Cambrian soil and award-winning reds, Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery are neighbouring businesses with old friends at the helm. Spencer Page owns and brews hazy beers at Cornella, while Matt van Run is a winemaker at Shiraz Republic. This season they have joined forces to release three new canned drinks: the New Tinto de Verano Shiraz & Lemon Spritzer, a Skin Contact White Pet Nat and a Grenache Rosé Pet Nat. 

Lovers of Spanish cocktails will be familiar with Tinto de Verano Shiraz, a shiraz and lemon spritzer that is lighter than its more familiar cousin Sangria. Brewed to 5% and packaged in a can, Shiraz Republic/Cornella Brewery’s brew sits perfectly alongside a seltzer, beer or fizzer for the Australian summer.

Initially made in small batches for the Shiraz Republic Cellar Door, the Tinto de Verano Shiraz & Lemon Spritzer proved such a crowd-pleaser that Page and van Run began packaging the product at their onsite brewery, initially by hand in bottles. Flash forward a few months and they’re shipping slabs across the country.

“It is the perfect drink to go with a sunny afternoon, at a BBQ, festival or anywhere really. At first, it was a challenge to sell to customers, because it’s a bit out of the ordinary, but once customers taste it, they are hooked. Anyone who has travelled to Spain would recognise Tinto as a classic summery Spanish cocktail. It’s a popular drink worldwide, albeit under the guise of several different monikers and regional names,” said Page.

The other pair of beverages, the French Pétillant Naturel’s—which translates to “naturally sparkling”—are additive, preservative and and sulphite light free wines, each with a crisp, tart flavour. The Skin Contact White features yellow muscat, fermented on skins for five days, then fermented to dry and is tart, with notes of pineapple and lemon myrtle. While the Grenache Rosé, pressed directly off the skins and fermented at a controlled temperature until racking into a tank for carbonation, has notes of peach & strawberry with a subtle, delectable funkiness. Both are canned for the ultimate convenience.

Carefully prepared and beautifully designed, these drinks will pair just as well at your backyard barbeque as with a fancy charcuterie board. All are available to purchase online, at the Shiraz Republic Cellar Door, or at select stockists.

THE DETAILS
WHAT: New release of canned alcoholic drinks
WHERE: Shiraz Republic and Cornella Brewery
WHEN: Available now
MORE INFO: Shiraz Republic

We wish to acknowledge the Taungurung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Our guide to exploring Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula

Words by Gwen O'Toole
Images Mike Emmett

From heart-pounding adventures to award-winning wineries, family adventures, natural escapes, culinary indulgences and so much more, visiting Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula is certain to satisfy any type of traveller.

Wander the laneways and tuck into delicious cafes, enjoy a locally made craft beer in the sunshine at Little Creatures or a tasting paddle at the Queenscliff Distillery. Indulge in a bit of retail therapy in Hesse Precinct Queenscliff; a historic street packed with boutique homewares shops, bookstores, clothing, gifts, eateries and more.

Alternatively explore local wineries and fine dining at the award-winning Provenance Wines where head chef Nathan McIver will make your senses explode with his take on modern Australian cuisine featuring considered, local and seasonal ingredients. Likewise, pack your appetite because La Cachette Bistrot is a fine dining experience worth travelling for. If you’ve got a sweet tooth or you’re travelling with kids, make a stop at Scandinavian Ice cream Co for a real treat.

Bring an empty esky and visit the farm gates and gourmet provedores, there’s no way that esky will come home empty.

Feeling outdoorsy? The Portarlington waterfront is an ideal day at the beach with cafes and accommodation steps away. The recreational reserve area here offers a dog-friendly area, picnic spots, playgrounds and the like. Alternatively, Buckley Falls is a scenic spot to stand in awe of the cascading water into the Barwon River.

There are walking trails here with plenty of spots to stop and take in the view. While you’ve got your comfy walking shoes on, take a stroll along the tracks at the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. Built in 1902, the lighthouse is still manned today. Walking tracks circle the lighthouse and extend down the rocky headland to the beach below.

Feeling nostalgic? The Bellarine Railway in Queenscliff has heritage train rides and special events for kids including Thomas the Tank Engine-themed days and serves as the boarding location for the gourmet Q Train dining experience as well as the popular Blues Train.

Why not stay and explore? While both Geelong and the Bellarine are close enough to make for a great day trip, there’s plenty here to keep you discovering something new and exciting every day. Book your stay at any one of the incredible range of accommodation options from boutique B&Bs to serviced apartments suiting couples, families and even your pooch at the R Hotel. It’s also only a 5-minute walk to the beach!

Families might also enjoy the range of options at BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Queenscliff Beacon, it’s perfectly positioned across the road from the beach, at the entrance to Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale on the Bellarine Peninsula. From villas to apartments and campsites, there’s an option for all types of travellers and it features all the facilities Big4 are known for including a tennis court, playground, indoor heated pool, the famous Big4 jumping pillows and more.

Getting There:

Getting to Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula is easy. Geelong is just an hour’s drive from Melbourne and you can continue to the Bellarine just another 20-30 minutes onward along the coastlines, weaving through views of Port Phillip Bay and rolling vineyards.
Alternatively, hop on a V/Line train from Melbourne’s South Cross Station and make your way straight to Geelong. Ferry services also operate between Queenscliff on the Bellarine Peninsula and Sorrento on the Mornington Peninsula, as well as Portarlington on the Bellarine Peninsula or Geelong Central and Docklands in Melbourne.

 

 

Appearing in videos:

Basils Farm
La Cachette
Geelong Cellar Door
R Hotel
Proveance Wines
The Range @ Curlewis
Ingenia Beacon Queenscliff
Portarlington Grand Hotel
The Bookshop at Queenscliff
Bellarine Distillery / The Whiskery
National Wool Museum
Little Creatures

Born and bred Torquay brothers have traded their tools to follow their distillation dreams

Words by Anthea Riskas
Images supplied

Tucked into a Torquay business park behind the Surf Coast Highway, brothers Shaun and Leigh Bridges have used their combined trade skills to convert an industrial factory into their dream bar, cellar door, gin tasting room and function space – Flowstate Brewers and Distillery.

“It’s definitely been a slog to go from a tiny little storage unit to where we are now… but it’s been well worth it”, explains Shaun, of the 4-year journey that started when Leigh asked him, “Do you want to work for someone else your whole life and do a job you’re not really that into? Or do you want to have something you can pass on to your kids?”

With a multifaceted skill set between them including, carpentry, horticulture and brewing, the pair have a unique creativity when it comes to process, manufacture and botanical knowledge, as well as some serious qualifications, with Leigh holding a Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma of Distillation.

Working hard to refine their distillation process after moving from Alchemy in Healesville to purchasing their own still, the siblings have managed to produce two Gold Medal, award-winning gins for their Craft and Oaked and Smoked varieties, at this year’s Australian Distilled Spirit Awards.

Their majestic 300-litre copper still, affectionately named Bobby, sits pride of place overlooking the new premises, and is currently being put to work for the upcoming release of a spicy, fruity Christmas Gin, with a flavour profile best served over ice or ice cream!

This kind of innovative approach to their product, also extends to their brewing, with a saison-style, wild ferment beer currently being aged in the barrels on-site and set to be tapped within the next 6-12 months.

Add to this a collaboration with local roasters Mikro and a coffee liqueur set for release in the coming weeks, their first forays into experimenting with a unique whiskey wash and Gin Masterclasses open for bookings, it’s a wonder these two have had time to prepare for the grand opening of their venue on November 25th.

But the ambition is obvious and Shaun plainly explains, “You’ve got to do it, otherwise we’ll get left on the shelf”.

The Details

What: Cellar door, bar and function venue
Where: 17/10 Cylinders Drive, Torquay, 3228
When: November 25 and beyond
More Info: Flowstate Brewers and Distillers

We wish to acknowledge the Wadawurrung people as traditional owners of this land and to pay our respects to their Elders, past and present.

Checking in with Ben Krauss of Bridge Road Brewers

Images Supplied

Since 2005, Bridge Road Brewers have established a strong reputation not only throughout Victoria’s High Country but across Australia and beyond. From their historic Beechworth location, they continue to innovate their beer offerings and have recently announced a new Melbourne venue to open in late 2022.

Founder Ben Krauss clearly is not one to rest on his laurels, even during Victoria’s carousel of lockdowns. We caught up with him for a brief chat and pressed him on how they are rising to the challenges of doing business in 2021.

We began by asking how lockdowns have affected Bridge Road’s Beechworth venue.

“It takes its toll. This latest lockdown and the stop-start nature of things, while we’re grateful for the starts, it is hard. It’s a really difficult situation that I don’t think the government fully understands what the impact is.”

“I was in Austria for the original lockdown – my wife is Austrian – and I got to see the way Europe looked at this. If the government was forcing hospitality, or any business to close, they covered all those fixed costs for businesses and made sure staff were paid separately. The government looked after the cost of doing that.”

Ben expands on what he finds a markedly different situation in Australia. “Currently, we have to spend much of our time helping our staff through the process of getting disaster payments from the government so that they’re not missing out financially. It’s not easy understanding what it means for them in their particular role and how they can access funds. All those things aren’t so straightforward”

This last lockdown is the most stressful personally. We’ve had a tough wet winter here and then lockdowns on top of that. This weekend would have been a big trading weekend for us with the mild spring weather. In fact, we had a huge one hour of trading on Saturday before everyone had to leave the venue. I’m trying not to think about those big financial impacts.

The hospitality industry is not just a significant employer it is also a vital part of the Australian culture. Ben explains – “From a mental health perspective, people relish the opportunity for a knock off catch-up on a Friday.”

“We have a group of older women who’ve been meeting weekly in our Beechworth venue to play an old-style board game. They might not have a beer; they might have a cup of tea. We’ve got the space for them and they’re happy. There’s 8 or 10 of them, they check in on the QR code and spend a few hours catching up. It’s nice to be able to provide that.”

And what is he most looking forward to when things return to ‘normal’? “I guess it’s the confidence to be able to plan for more than a week ahead. We had a good taste of what normal life looked like during last summer, trading with minimal restrictions. I’m not sure we’re going to get that again soon.”

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Bridge Road Brewers
WHERE: 50 Ford St, Beechworth
WHEN: Open 7 days 11am – LATE
MORE INFO: Bridge Road Brewers

Gippsland is officially now the land of good beer

Images Supplied

As you enter Good Land Beer’s Traralgon tap room you could be forgiven for thinking that you’ve walked into the brewery itself – you have.

The space has leaned into its industrial feel with a poured-concrete bar top, repurposed steel taps and seating all set against fermenting tanks.

The taproom opened to the public in early July and, lockdowns notwithstanding, has been going great guns since. Brewer Jimmy Krekelberg is brewing double batches this time round after selling out not long after launching. In the fermenters currently you’ll find the core-range lager and pale ale, as well as an Oktoberfest marzen and hazy IPA.

It’s been a long two-year process to get this far, making their mark in what was once a barren land for craft brewing and locals have embraced the venture with open arms.

The venue’s 10 taps are curently pouring five Good Land beers while showcasing five local stand-outs: Bandolier Brewing (Warragul), Burra Brewery (Korrumburra), Ocean Reach Brewing (Phillip Island), as well as a mead and cider from Gurneys Cider in Foster. A rotation of guest food trucks will have that side of things covered – think smoked slow-cooked meats, pizzas, burgers and other ideal beer food.

I wanted to support local makers. I’m a maker, that’s what I love. I know the passion that goes into doing it and that’s what we wanted to translate here in our taproom. I don’t think there’s anywhere within 150km from here where you could go and share a bottle of mead with a bunch of friends.

Good Land Beer began with a home-brewing kit purchased 12 years ago and many hours spent in front of YouTube. In 2015, Krekelberg moved to the Netherlands, spending time at award-winning cult brewery Brouwerij De Molen as barrel manager and brewer.

This passion for not just beer but for brewing is also evident in his commitment to producing a mid-strength beer that is light in body but large in taste. The dry-hopped Teeny Tiny at 2.8% ABV fits the bill, even winning over hardcore craft beer types.  As a father of young children, he’s only too aware of the need to kick back and enjoy a few beers without getting knocked for a six.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Good Land Beer
WHERE: 12 Standing Dr, Traralgon East
WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays 12pm – 9pm
MORE INFO: Good Land Beer

Stawell’s new micro-brewery ticks all the right boxes

Words by Amanda Kennedy
Images Supplied

It wasn’t a direct road to brewing for Shawna Dominelli. Originally from the USA, she landed her first Australian wine industry job at Seppelts  Great Western in 2010. Shawna and her husband, Michael, then took off to Western Australia for several years, eventually becoming an assistant brewer at Perth brewery, Gage Roads Brewing Co.

The pull of family and friends saw the pair return to north-western Victoria to settle in Stawell. ‘Ultimately, we ended up choosing this region because of the sense of community around here. It’s a small country town, but boy people are really proud of the region,’ Dominelli explains.

Putting down roots meant it was time to bring the brewery dream to fruition. The rustic pop-up style bar got a gentle nudge to open just in time for the Stawell Gift /Easter weekend tourism boost and is still getting its finishing touches. With laneway access, brewing and fermentation equipment taking pride of place and BYO food option, this set-up ticks all the craft brewery boxes.

Current offerings include a German-style pilsner on tap as well as a range of small-batch wines, hand-crafted cocktails and a cellar door exclusive rosé gin, which uses wine in its production. This innovative cross-pollination is part and parcel of Dominelli’s approach.

In the future, there will be some crossover between fruit, wine, beer and spirits – just crossing over into some of these beverages with the creation of both or one or three. It’ll be interesting.

Looking to capitalise on the region’s strong agricultural position, Dominelli knew that using local ingredients was key to their success, as well as a smart move for a sustainable supply chain.

‘Basically what we want to provide for our customers is just fresh locally made beer, and you can’t get any better than that. We’re looking into sourcing local grain, connecting with a couple of local barley farmers and we’ve reached out to House of Malt in Ballarat to do custom malting for us.’

Further to their focus on sustainability, all beers will be available to drink in as well as take away in growlers, cans and bottles filled to order. Heat recovery, water conservation and renewable energy programs show that the company is walking their green talk.

Whether the word play was deliberate or not, you’ve got to admit that Grampian’s ale does indeed work.

THE DETAILS
WHAT: Grampians Ale Works
WHERE: 3 Victoria Place, Stawell
WHEN: Mon – Thurs closed, Fri 4pm – 10pm, Sat 12pm – 10pm, Sun 12pm – 8pm
MORE INFO: Grampians Ale Works

A new 3 week festival is coming to East Gippsland this winter

Images Supplied

One takeaway from 2020 we’re glad to embrace is the backyard getaway. Amidst the uncertainty of international (and at times interstate) travel, there’s never been a better time to explore your own state. From charming small towns, a vibrant arts scene, local produce the envy of many, spectacular coastlines, excellent eateries and much more, there’s one place that has this all wrapped up – East Gippsland.

East Gippsland Winter Festival (June 18 to July 11) is a celebration of all things art, music, wine, craft beer and local produce. Spread over three weeks there will be a raft of activities including interactive art installations, pop-up events, live music, workshops, exclusive dinners and lavish feasts showcasing the best the region has to offer.

With bushfires, drought and Covid challenging many a local business, festival founder Adam Bloem was looking for a way to attract more people to the region. ’I wanted something that encouraged people to stay a bit longer and travel around and explore all of the little towns and villages.’

We now have over 70 events on our festival program and the majority of these have been devised and organised by local businesses, community groups and passionate locals. The response has been overwhelming and we can’t wait to welcome thousands of visitors to East Gippsland over winter where there will be lots of things to see, do, eat and drink right across the region.

From Mallacoota to Paynesville, north to Omeo and everywhere in between, friendly locals can’t wait to share their special corner of the world with you. Kick it off on Friday, June 18 with the official festival opening in Bairnsdale with live music and roving performers, as well as a bevy of food/wine options and art projections throughout the town.

Pencil in the Pinot Picnic and Masterclass on Sunday, June 20 thanks to the acclaimed Sardine Eatery + Bar and Lightfoot & Sons Winery. This not-to-be-missed event salutes Gippsland Lakes District’s exceptional pinot noir at Lightfoot and Son’s cellar door. The winemaker-guided Masterclass will take place in their barrel room with guests enjoying a Sardine Eatery picnic box filled with cheese, charcuterie and conserves.

This year’s winter solstice on Monday, June 21 just happens to coincide with World Bathing Day. Join bathers from across the globe at sunrise for a live-streamed Global Sound Bath. From the new pop-up bathing area on the future Metung Hot Springs site, drink in the beauty of the natural surrounds for a calm and balanced start to your day.

#worldbathingday

The Lakes Light Festival on Saturday, June 26 promises to be a festival highlight. Watch a mural painting as it unfolds in both a virtual sense and in reality at the former iceworks factory, and now arts hub, in Lakes Entrance.

Is it time to unleash your inner artist? Then don’t miss the lantern making workshop on Tuesday, June 29 in Swifts Creek. This idyllic town in the Tambo Valley is quickly developing a strong reputation for its arts scene and part in the Great Alpine Arts Trail. Experienced local artists will guide you through the process and shine a light on your creative side. Great fun for all ages!

One of the festival standouts has to be the Sailors Grave Deep Winter Festival on Saturday, July 3. Sailors Grave is a darling of the craft beer scene for good reason. Their complex beers (and idiosyncratic branding) tell the story of their unique region, their terroir. None more so than their recent release Dark Emu Dark Lager, a collaboration with Uncle Bruce Pascoe honouring indigenous culture and knowledge.

The Deep Winter event kicks off at 6 pm at the home of Sailors Grave brewery, a 100-year-old butter factory on the banks of the Snowy River. Music will be provided by post-punk Oz rock band Shepparton Airplane and other special guests, with food by Melbourne butchers Meatsmith. Co-founders Gab and Chris Moore can’t wait to welcome you.

By now you’re thinking it might be a great idea to plan a little exercise and thankfully the area has some of the most scenic trails in the state. Little River Gorge Walk will certainly get the blood pumping but also rewards that effort with a stunning view over one of Victoria’s deepest gorges and the mis-named Little River. Of course, a leisurely stroll around one of the area’s many lakes might be more your pace. Check out some of the options here.

So many activities – both day and night – means you’re going to need somewhere to stay. With accommodation options from traditional B&Bs, luxe glamping or maybe a waterside retreat complete with mooring for your boat, there’s no excuse not to head east this winter.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: East Gippsland Winter Festival
WHERE: Various locations around East Gippsland
WHEN: Saturday 19th June – Sunday 11th July 2021
MORE INFO:  Register for program updates at the East Gippsland Winter Festival website.

Wild Life Beer

There must be something in the water in Shepparton. In the last few years, breweries and a distillery or two seem to have emerged from nowhere, and this is a good thing. Wild Life Brewing Co is the most micro of micro-breweries. The Aussie Session Ale and the Dry Lager are familiar styles to Australian beer drinkers. They’re made in a larger craft brewing facility down the road for consistent high quality for ridiculously easy drinking. (The guys call this “Gypsy Brewing”). Craft beer is sometimes criticised for pushing the fruity and floral hoppy flavours too far, or dicing with the bitterness of over-toasted grain. None of that in these two core-range beers. They’re proof that craft beer doesn’t have to push the envelope of good taste just to get the “Craft” label. Smashable and delicious. Smaller limited released are available in cans too, online or in the cellar door.

Speaking of the bar, walking into the tiny bar/shopfront, it’s all about those stainless pots with super-small experimental special beers. The guys here, all mates who grew up in country Victoria, are walking the talk. They’re all super-passionate about their beers, and are always pushing to make something new, and the good news is we get to share in the ride by drinking the small batches brewed on-site, put to keg, and served only from the small bar/cellar-door in Maude St Shepparton. These limited releases are only available from the first Friday each month and when they’re sold out, they’re gone.

Learmonth Cider branches out

Images by Café Sidra & 321 Cider

With this year’s bumper harvest, it’s all happening for Learmonth Cider. Maybe it was something to do with Covid-19’s enforced dormancy but this year is already bearing plenty of fruit.

You’d think they’d be busy enough with this season’s cider production. Well, they’re also about to launch classes in orchard management and cider-making. Sign me up!

Kingston Black, Michelin and Yarlington Mill are only some of the genuine cider apple cultivars grown at the nearby picturesque Spring Vale Farm. These apples are then picked, juiced and processed into three different cider styles. It is these UK and European traditional varieties, as opposed to reconstituted apple concentrate used in some ciders, that gives the finished cider its complex flavour profile.

‘The fruit will now go through processing, that is juicing and cider-making, to produce our Cuvée, Traditional and Heritage products,’ explains Philip Comrie of Learmonth Foundation, the organisation that governs Learmonth Cider. ‘The other thing that’s happening is we’re also doing community cider.’

Local residents can also bring in their own homegrown apples to receive the cider treatment and raise funds for local projects along the way. This ‘community cider’ is only part of Learmonth Cider’s commitment to the region.

Words like innovation get thrown around too easily but this is one time it sticks. Plans are afoot to transform the old primary school and surrounds into a multi-use destination featuring an education, research and training centre, brewing facility, plantings of experimental varieties of apples and pears as well as an upgrade of buildings and gardens.

Pretty soon you’ll be able to visit their cider hall for a tasting, a slice of pizza and a game of pétanque. What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

THE DETAILS

WHAT: Learmonth Cider
WHERE: 322 High St, Learmonth
WHEN: Tuesday to  Saturday 8:30am – 2pm
MORE INFO: Learmonth Cider