Ben Kraus

BRIDGE ROAD BREWERS

Interview with Ben Kraus

While gourmands will be familiar with the many wine tasting options available through Victoria's North East, not many realise a similarly enjoyable experience extends to beer.

'We're just like a wine cellar door, except with beer,' confirms brewer and owner Ben Kraus from Bridge Road Brewers, with an open invitation for people to drop in and sample their handcrafted ales in the timber-clad brewery.

Ben further entices with the revelation that beer tastings are far more generous than that of wine - 120 millilitres each, up to eight beers sampled in one sitting, although you'll find up to 12 different types of beer being brewed here at any one time. Each beer label also boasts at least one international award to its name.

Small batch - less than 100 cases per brew - hands-on brewing means every bottle of Bridge Road beer gets the attention it deserves. Others go to great lengths to put up a façade of a small facility, when, in reality, their beer is being mass-produced. The brewing process here is very transparent, with visitors walked through the stages of production if they'd like to know more.

Bridge Road's brewery, bar and pizza and pie kitchen are all situated within a 150-year-old coach house and stables, incorporating large beer garden and children's play area for al fresco drinking and dining during the warmer months. Just as wine is seen as a complement to certain meals, Ben believes beer is similarly food-friendly. In fact, he says some beer and food pairings are even better than those with wine.

Given the beers available at Bridge Road Brewers, it's difficult to identify a place to start. Ben recommends the Australian ale as a perfect entry level for those embarking on a journey into more adventurous brews. 'It's an easy stepping stone to trying something different,' he explains. 'In terms of flavour, it suits the Australian palate with nothing too over-the-top in terms in intensity and bitterness.'

We dare you to stop at just this.

Open 11am-4pm Mon; 11am-5pm Wed-Thurs; 11am-6pm Fri-Sat; 11am-9pm Sun; closed Tues (beers' holy day of rest)

Tanswells Old Coach House, Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria

Tel. 03 5728 2703

www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au