Nick and Helen Galik run Hepburn Brewing Springs Co., the only venue of its kind in the shire. The couple have lived in the region for four decades, launching the brewery in the middle of a pandemic.
The national champion brewers are one of roughly 170 independent breweries in Victoria, and in prime position to utilise a new commitment from the state government promising $3 million to the sector.
While conditions for independent brewers remain tough, the Hepburn Brewing duo persevere and continue to create as many original beers as they can.
Pampering to pints: Nick and Helen bought the land Hepburn Brewing Springs stands on 40 years ago, after relocating from Echuca to raise their family.
Before it was a brewery, they ran a day spa for eight years in the venue, and then made the decision to pivot to alcohol in 2017. Brewing began as a hobby, before it bloomed into a commercial pursuit.
Nick said he had actually stopped drinking beer until the craft movement happened and the ingenuity behind it pulled him back in.
“The flavours were just out of this world,” Nick said. “The beauty of it is that creativity.”
Nick said he originally attempted to brew with water from the local mineral springs, as there was a supply on the family property, but it was "disastrous".
“The salinity was too high, it just kept failing. There’s a few strains of German yeast that could handle it, or reverse osmosis could work, but then you’re cutting out too much.”
The couple initially began brewing beer to serve to guests that stayed at their neighbouring accommodation business, before they decided to go public with the company in 2020.
The awards: In 2020, the couple entered their very first Pilsner in the “Indies” - national awards through the Independent Brewery Association (IBA). They said it was intended as a sense-check, to see how their beer ranked.
“We knew we won gold in something, but that was all.” Helen said.
To their shock, the couple were announced as the Champion Lager of Australia.
“I just started kissing Nick and forgot we were on camera,” Helen said.
It takes two: Nick and Helen are the nuts and bolts of the entire operation at Hepburn Springs, and their brewery is the only one in the entirety of the Shire. They run the venue themselves, and brew with only one occasional extra helper.
Nick told the Brolga he enjoys experimenting - combining coffee with Russian imperial stout, or even a choc-vanilla porter. Other parts of the range include Hefeweizen, Slainte, as well as a collaboration with a local winery to make Italian Grape Ale from pinot noir vines.
For the Swiss-Italian festival throughout the shire on October 24, they have put together a Doppelbock - a beer infused with chocolate, honey and nougat.
At the top: In September, the state government pledged to create a $3 million regional brewery fund.
The IBA chair, Evin Craney, called the proposal “genuinely significant for independent brewing in Victoria”. Helen said with a laugh, “well, it won’t be very much once they split it all up”.
Nick said an important help for independent breweries is the importance of campaigns driving consumers to spend locally, and he hopes politicians know that.
Most beer labels sold in Australia - from Tooheys to Great Northern to Coronas - are owned between four major companies: Kirin, Asahi, Endeavour Group and Coles.
What next? Hepburn Springs Brewing Co. are open Friday to Monday, just outside of the centre of Hepburn Springs on Forest avenue.
