Valhalla Brewing

With hundreds of brewing companies of all shapes and sizes blanketing most of Australia these days, you might think you’ve heard every possible genesis story – and each of their subtle variations. You could easily think the same with Valhalla too, given it was brought into existence by a homebrewer with a couple of decades’ worth of recipes under his belt.

Yet, we’d wager you haven’t come across one quite like this.

They’ve existed far longer than most operations without a brewery of their own, run a bar rather different in nature to most brewery venues, their brand is inspired by Norse mythology, their flagship beer is a no-holds-barred black IPA, they’ve won major trophies, have crowdfunded successfully not once but twice, once brewed a beer with Wollongong rockers Tumbleweed, and operate a side gig that’s helped dozens of indie brewers get their beers into more parts of the country. And that’s without mentioning the launch of a brewery and venue in one of their adopted hometown’s most iconic locations in 2023…

It’s a lot to take in, so let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

Valhalla’s first beers – the aforementioned black IPA Obsidian followed closely by another IPA – debuted in May 2016, complete with striking geometric label designs and the eye-catching, Viking-esque logo (founders Scott Hunt and Ange Tydd previously owned a design and branding studio in Perth). Their arrival came a full 25 years after Scott had started homebrewing, and the chosen styles marked Valhalla down as a brewing company looking to do things a little differently.

After a couple of years steadily building awareness while they continued to run a real estate business, they took over a site in Union Street in Geelong. It was turned into the ten-tap home of Valhalla, with their beers pouring alongside by some of the indie brewers Scott distributes via Lotus Beer Co in a venue with a unique aesthetic inspired by his tastes in both mythology and music.

Flick through the vinyl albums spinning on the bar – the only way you hear music in the bar, by the way; no playlists here – and you’ll quickly understand why the collaboration with Tumbleweed could have come about, even if it started out as a conversation about swapping some band merch for Valhalla beer. You’ll find rock in myriad forms, while iconic photos featuring the likes of Kurt Cobain and Janis Joplin hang from walls decorated, in places, with skull-patterned wallpaper.

If it sounds like some laneway dive, it’s not, instead marrying that world with the sleekness of a modern city bar.

While Scott and Ange had secured a venue for the brand by 2018, the search for a brewery was to take rather longer, with the intervening time spent building a local following while their lineup expanded to include session-friendly beers and fruited sours. That said, when they scooped major trophies, it was thanks to the beer that started it all.

At the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards – the largest of their kind in the world – Scott was called to the stage not once but twice. First, Obsidian took out the trophy for Best Stout or Porter, before he returned towards the end of the evening to pick up the Champion Gypsy Brewer Award.

It’s likely he’ll look back at 2022 as a more significant one for Valhalla, however, as that was the year they found what they’d been looking for: a site in which they could build a brewery and venue. And what a site they landed; by the middle of 2023, you’ll be able to visit them at North Geelong’s Federal Woollen Mills precinct.

They’re building a 200-capacity venue in which you’ll be able to drink beers brewed right there on a 15-hectolitre brewery. The CBD bar will live on, but this will become Valhalla’s spiritual home – and give them the chance to put out more beers.

The brewpub is taking shape thanks to the assistance of 307 Valhalla fans. More than half a decade on from using crowdfunding to raise $5,000 to pay for their first commercial brew, some kegs and a bit of merch, they raised more than 80 times that in late 2022.

As if building a brewery while running a bar and a distribution company wasn’t enough, Scott also acquired online craft beer club Hops To Home early in 2023, adding another string to his beery bow. Then again, the Vikings didn’t make it into Valhalla without earning their place first.

James Smith

Name
Valhalla Brewing
Address

12-14 Union Street
Geelong
VIC 3220

Phone
0412 997 329
Open Hours

Tues to Thurs: 2pm to 10pm
Fri & Sat: 2pm to 1am

This is a directory listing. To find out more, head here

Valhalla Brewing Regulars

Valhalla Brewing Freyja Moon Tropical IPA

The story here goes that the beer was created as a celebration of life's passions, hence the inclusion of passionfruit in the mix. As for the experience of tucking into the Tropical IPA, it's like a souped-up version of Valhalla's Golden Ale, at least when it comes to the softness with which the bitterness arrives amid a pillowy, drinkability-enhancing mouthfeel. Pouring a deep golden that leans towards copper, with the hint of caramel sweetness you might expect with such an appearance, the passionfruit… Read more
Style
Tropical IPA
ABV
6.3%
Bitterness
47 IBU

Valhalla Brewing Golden Ale

When I first encountered Valhalla's Golden Ale it reminded me of Boneyard Brewing's beer of the same name. The latter was something of an early classic of the style – lean, pithy, very dry and all about the grapefruit aromas and flavours. The Valhalla Golden Ale you'll find now, however, has moved with the times and been refashioned for more contemporary tastes, becoming a more approachable easy-drinker along the way. It's now fluffier, for one, and pale as with sweet, light cracker malts and… Read more
Style
Golden Ale
ABV
4.4%
Bitterness
28 IBU

Valhalla Brewing American Pale Ale

Another of the beers that contributed to Valhalla's Champion Gypsy Brewer trophy at the Australian International Beer Awards, courtesy of scooping a gold medal, the American Pale Ale is the sort of beer that has you asking why more brewers don't still make such beers in the image of those that paved the way for the rise of the US craft beer industry. Old school Chinook hops provide the grounding – a pine forest floor after a spot of rain if you want to get wanky about it – with Idaho 7 and Amarillo… Read more
Style
American Pale Ale
ABV
5.2%
Bitterness
33 IBU

Valhalla Brewing Lime Bucket Lime Tart Sour

The artist formerly known as Lime Bucket, but now tagged Lime Tart Sour on its cans certainly knew which word not to drop from its title. This provides as juicy a lime character as you’ll find in a beer. So often it seems you find the fruit charged with creating something far sharper: think of the margarita sours that appear every now and then, for example. Here, in combination with lemon juice, lactose, lactobacillus, citrusy Sorachi Ace and Riwaka hops, plus a dash of vanilla, you end up with… Read more
Style
Fruited Sour
ABV
4.0%
Bitterness
10 IBU

Valhalla Brewing Union Street Draught

Brewer's notes: We reckon Union St is the best street in Geelong so we named a beer after it. Good, honest, local beer that can truly lay claim to being a Geelong local. A kolsch style ale with subtle hints of lemon rind and sage.… Read more
Style
Kolsch
ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
21 IBU

Valhalla Brewing Specials

Valhalla Brewing Ace Of Spades

Published April 17, 2023
Considering the lifestyle and brand of rock Lemmy and Motörhead pursued – and the fact their crossover with the mainstream was fairly limited, if spectacular – it's impressive just how much his legend has infused culture across the planet. In the local beer world, we've had Lemmy-inspired whisky sours, while on a recent trip to the UK I was able to tuck into a Lemmy burger topped with sautéed jalapeño slices and a Jack Daniels mustard. His legacy lives on here in Ace Of Spades, a limited release… Read more
Style
Black Pilsner
ABV
5.2%

Valhalla Brewing Obsidian Black IPA

Valhalla's debut beer may be of a nature that means it only appears as a seasonal now, yet Obsidian will always play a central role in the brewing company's story; not only was it Scott Hunt's first commercial release but it secured Valhalla's first major trophy at the 2021 Australian International Beer Awards too. It's a hoppy black ale – or a black IPA if you prefer – that's as no-holds-barred as you'd want such a beer from a Viking-inspired brewery to be. The specialty malts responsible for… Read more
Style
Black IPA
ABV
6.8%
Bitterness
65 IBU