It can be a terrible thing for a town to lose its one and only pub.
Such a loss can leave locals without a central place to socialise as well as taking away the opportunity for people from across generations to gather to share stories, beers and steaming hot bowls of chippies. This is particularly true when your home is a small, picturesque corner of the High Country to which tourists frequently flock en route to enjoying the slopes of Falls Creek.
That was the future the residents of Mount Beauty faced in the middle of the 2010s when the West Peak Hotel shut its doors and new owners looked to redevelop it into an aged care facility. Sure, towns need such things too, but at the expense of a community hub?
Fortunately for those who appreciate the simple pleasures of a few hours at the local boozer, those plans never came to fruition. Instead, in 2017, the local watering hole’s future was saved by the Bellman family as siblings Steve and Mick, plus cousin Matt, bought the pub. Along with their partners, Bec, Steph and Lucy, they soon reopened the venue to the delight of locals and High Country tourists alike.
If this story ended there then it would be a pretty good one: developers defeated, beers pouring, and people smiling over those bowls of hot chippies.
But the Bellmans weren’t content with merely running a local hotel – they had plans to make it far craftier. So, in 2022, they installed a 1,000-litre brewhouse along one side of the pub and Mountain Monk Brewers was born, the name paying homage to the long European tradition of monks making beer, often in locations as scenic as the Kiewa Valley.
Leading the charge on the brewing front are Anthony Brewergray, who promises us that this was his name at birth and not something he changed when he left a career in teaching to follow his passion for making beer, alongside Mick and Steph. And true to the brewery’s name (and Steph's German upbringing), they're no strangers to brewing classic European styles, even if the tap list at Mountain Monk tends to be broad: expect plenty of hoppy styles on show alongside a steady stream of fruited sours and whatever else takes their fancy.
As for the food, they favour local produce; the menu features quality pub fare that sees them championing their backyard whenever they can.
The independent brewery remains very much a family affair, with the Bellmans running the venue and brewhouse alongside Anthony. Their ties to the local region run deep too: their grandparents helped create the area’s hydro-electric project and are all featured on a wall-sized photo overlooking the front bar.
The space over which they gaze features large booths and a pool table, while outside there’s a truly wonderful, expansive beer garden that helps create a warm, family-friendly atmosphere – even if you’re a tourist calling in during the height of winter.
It’s a great place to stop for a beer and, while the brewpub is arguably the finest place to enjoy them, their beers can also be found in independent bars and bottleshops throughout the High Country – as well as a few venues around Melbourne.
Wherever you come across them, there's little doubt the arrival of Mountain Monk Brewers has been a fine outcome for locals and travellers: what looked like a loss for the town has turned into one heck of a gain.
Will Ziebell
