Steph and Mike Colman's long-held dream of owning their own brewing company has finally come to fruition with the establishment of Bulla Creek Brewing Co in Monteagle between Young and Cowra.
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For Mike Colman, the journey towards Bulla Creek Brewing Co has been fuelled by a deep love for beer and brewing, dating back to his time in London where he was enamoured by the vibrant beer culture and diverse range of ales.
Steph Colman shares, "Mike developed an interest in beer and the brewing process when we were living in London and the ales on the big pumps and the beer festivals in Germany".
Returning to Australia, Mike delved deeper into the craft, teaching himself the intricacies of brewing with his background in structural engineering lending itself well to the scientific aspects of the process.
"He taught himself everything, he's a structural engineer and having that science-driven background has helped because beer brewing is quite a scientific process," Steph said.
Their backyard in Melbourne became a hub for experimentation, where Mike honed his skills on a small brewing system.
The idea of starting a brewery began to take shape in 2016, gradually evolving from a mere dream to a tangible goal.
"We had this idea of starting a brewery at the end of 2016 but it was really just a dream at the time, and then we just started working towards it slowly from there," Steph said.
The decision to establish Bulla Creek Brewing Co not only fulfilled their entrepreneurial aspirations but also provided an opportunity to reconnect with Steph's agricultural roots.
"I really wanted to move back home and knew that when we started a family I wanted to live in the country," Steph said.
"As we weren't going to be farmers like my family had always been, I didn't think that was really possible."
However, through the brewery, they found a way to integrate agriculture into their lives while maintaining their corporate jobs in the city.
Bulla Creek Brewing Co boasts a diverse selection of beers, with 12 varieties available for tasting at any given time.
From lagers to pale ales and dark brews, Mike's passion for brewing shines through in each batch.
"It's rewarding to brew our own beer, and it's a process that Mike is really passionate about," Steph said, highlighting their aim to connect beer to its agricultural origins.
"We're trying to tell the agricultural story of beer," she adds, emphasising the importance of showcasing the raw ingredients and farming practices behind their products.
"We're trying to tell the agricultural story of beer, other industries like wine have done that really well, connecting the product to the agriculture, the beer industry probably hasn't done that as well.
"A lot of the breweries you visit are in cities and industrial states, they're in a concrete jungle and it doesn't show the agricultural roots of how beer is made," she said.
