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.
