Bright Brewery Saison de Varleí¨ (plus variations)

Style
Saison
ABV
Various

We make little secret here at Crafty Towers of our love for saisons and accompanying belief that they are a wonderful beer for the Aussie climate. So it's always nice to see another one appear, especially it's one that is being released in three different formats. On our last couple of visits to Bright in the Victorian High Country, we've been lucky enough to have a nosy around the back of the brewery where head brewer Jon Seltin has all manner of experimental programs underway. He has involved a little of one of them in these latest releases, although the main beer ' the Saison de Varleí¨ ' remains a pretty traditional take on the Wallonian farmhouse style. It's brewed with Belgian pilsner malt and Australian wheat malt, pours a cloudy golden colour and is, we're told "complex and effervescent". The fruity and spicy character of the beer comes from a unique yeast originally smuggled out of the Brasserie De Blaugies.

As for the variations, one sees the same wort (the hoppy, sweet, sugary water that becomes beer with the addition of yeast) fermented with the classic Saison DuPont yeast and will be available at the brewery bar only. Then there is a handful of "very special kegs" which will be a blend of the Varleí¨ Saison and a three-year-old barrel-aged lambic, to make a rare, one off provision ale. Says Jon: "Finished the harvest? Then lay down your scythe, wipe the sweat from your brow and and revitalise yourself with one of our new Saisons. Only available for farm hands."

Published March 31, 2014

Name
Bright Brewery
Address

121 Great Alpine Road
Bright
VIC 3741

Phone
(03) 5755 1301
Open Hours

Daily: 11am to evening

Regular events

Sundays: Live music in the beer garden

Tours

Last Friday of every month (excl PH)
Every Friday of Vic school holidays from 3pm
$35 for guided brewery tour and tasting paddle

Pickled OnMarket
Black Bad Boy Bao 2024 B

More from Bright Brewery

Bright Brewery Fred's Apricot NEIPA, North East Victorian IPA & Chocopalooza
Various
6.30%, 6.5% & 5.5%
Bright Brewery Pūteketeke & Yuzu Sweetart Sour
NZ Pilsner & Yuzu Sour
5.0% & 4.3%
Bright Brewery Irrationally Hazy, Big Jolly Boi & Lemonade Radler
Oat Cream Pale, West Coast IPA & Lemonade Radler
5.4%, 6.6% & 4.0%
Bright Brewery Peach And Vanilla Sour
Frutied Sour
4.0%
Bright Brewery Doggobrau & Cattobrau
Tropical XPA
4.5%
Bright Bright Brewery Pumpkin Spiced Latte Brown Ale
Spiced Brown Ale
5.5%
Bright Brewery x Carwyn Cellars Le Monstres du Chateau
Barrel-Aged Imperial Stouts
Both 11.0%
Bright Brewing Any Day XPA
Midstrength XPA
2.9%
Bright Brewery Dad Bod Lychee IPA
Lychee IPA
6.3%
Bright Brewery MechaRoo (With Coedo) & Cherry Pie Stout
Sour Hazy IPA & Cherry Stout
Both 6.0%
Bright Brewery & Friends Frostfire
Australian Strong Ale
8.0%
Bright Brewery Affogato Stout & Stubborn 2023
Affogato Stout & Imperial Stout
5.5% & 16.0%
Bright Brewery Cold & Wet & King Konge IPAs
Fresh Hop Cold IPA & Kveik IPA
6.5% & 6.0%
Bright Brewery Mystic & Cucumber & Basil Ale
DDH DIPA & Sour
9.0% & 4.0%
Bright Brewery Lemonade Shandy & Big Jolly Boi
Shandy & Christmas Ale
3.5% & 7.0%
Bright Brewery (& Pocketbeagles) The Spicy Beagle & Halloween Ale
Mango, Lime & Chilli Sour & Pumpkin Ale
4.5% & 6.0%
Bright Brewery Vienna Lager & Lemon Myrtle & Wattleseed Imperial Pastry Sour
Vienna Lager & Imperial Pastry Sour
5.0% & 7.7%
Bright Brewery Bright Pale Ale
Pale Ale
4.0%
Bright Brewery Pina Colada IPA
Hazy IPA
7.0%
Bright Brewery Strawberry Dream
Milkshake Ale
5.8%