When the chill of winter starts to fade and the days grow longer, there’s no better companion than a beer that bridges the gap — something warm enough for cool nights, yet crisp enough for sunny afternoons. Enter Nagambie Brewery’s Amber Ale — a malt-forward beauty that defies the hop-heavy trends and leans into charm, balance, and flavour.

A Taste of Subtle Sophistication

This isn’t your typical American-style Amber Ale. Nagambie’s Amber Ale is refined and full of character — the kind of beer that wins you over slowly, sip by sip. On the nose, you’ll find honeyed nougat, a hint of florals, and a biscuity sweetness that sets the tone for what’s to come.

Take your first sip, and the ripe nectarines and toasty treacle bread take centre stage, creating a rich, layered palate that’s both comforting and fresh. Light copper in colour and medium-bodied, it finishes with a cheeky, tacky note that lingers just long enough to make you want another.

The Perfect Match for Casual Feasts

Food pairing is where this Amber Ale really shines. The toasty malt character and light sweetness complement hearty, savoury favourites. Pair it with a Salami Pizza for a punchy contrast, or a Fish Burger for a coastal twist. And if you’re keeping it simple? Grab a bowl of Potato Gems — it’s an unexpectedly perfect match for that malty, biscuity base.

The Ideal Transition into Spring

There’s something about this beer that captures the spirit of the season. It’s approachable yet intriguing, offering depth without heaviness. Whether you’re enjoying a lazy afternoon by the lake, firing up the BBQ, or sharing stories around the table, Nagambie Brewery Amber Ale brings warmth and personality to every moment.

Visit Nagambie Brewery & Distillery

The best way to experience this Amber Ale is fresh from the source. Visit Nagambie Brewery & Distillery, located in the heart of Victoria’s lakes region, and explore the full range of locally crafted beers and spirits — all made with a deep respect for tradition and flavour.

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As the festive season approaches, there’s no better place to celebrate your end-of-year event or Christmas breakup than at Nagambie Brewery and Distillery. With breathtaking lakeside views, locally crafted beers, and a relaxed yet refined atmosphere, it’s the ultimate destination to wrap up the year with your colleagues, friends, or family.

Host the Perfect End-of-Year Celebration

Whether you’re planning a corporate Christmas party, a team thank-you lunch, or a private dinner with friends, Nagambie Brewery offers a range of versatile spaces to suit every occasion.

• The Whiskey Room – A cosy, intimate setting ideal for smaller groups and relaxed celebrations.

• The Bistro – A vibrant social space with a lively atmosphere and plenty of room to mingle.

• Private Dining Room – Elegant and exclusive, perfect for formal events or executive gatherings.

Each space provides its own unique character, complemented by stunning lake views and exceptional service from our team.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

Our chefs have curated a menu that celebrates seasonal local produce, perfectly paired with our signature craft beers, spirits, and cocktails. From shared platters and canapés to multi-course meals, we’ll tailor your dining experience to suit your group and budget.

And of course, no celebration is complete without a glass of something special — whether that’s our award-winning gin, a locally brewed Nagambie Lager, or a fine single malt whiskey distilled right here on site.

Let Us Take Care of the Details

Planning your Christmas party or end-of-year function doesn’t have to be stressful. Our events team makes it easy — from styling and setup to catering and beverage packages, we’ll handle it all. That means you can relax, soak up the views, and focus on what really matters: celebrating another great year.

Book Your End-of-Year Event Today

Spots for Christmas parties and festive functions at Nagambie Brewery fill up fast, especially on weekends. Whether you’re after a long lunch, sunset drinks, or an exclusive evening celebration, now’s the time to secure your booking.

Book your end-of-year event at Nagambie Brewery today and make this year’s celebration one to remember.

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Tying the knot in the Nagambie region? Don’t stop the celebrations at the “I do.” Host your wedding recovery day at the Brewery and give your guests one more reason to smile.

Kick back by the lake, relive the highlights, and enjoy great food, drinks, and company. How often do you get all your favourite people in one place? Let’s make the most of it. 

Chat with our events team today to plan your wedding recovery session — we’ll handle the rest. 

Enquire now!  

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Saturday 18th October

Get ready to raise your steins—Oktoberfest is back at Nagambie Brewery & Distillery! We’re transforming the brewery into a buzzing German beer hall, complete with a mouth-watering German-inspired feast and 1L steins of your favourite brews. 

Pull on your lederhosen, bring your mates, and settle in for a weekend filled with hearty food, flowing beer, and that unbeatable Nagambie lakeside energy. It’s the celebration you won’t want to miss — Prost! 

Book your table now via our website and lock in your spot for the biggest Bavarian bash of the year! 

Book now!  

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Saturday 18th October, we’re cranking up the good times as Angus James takes the stage for a fresh live session at Nagambie Brewery & Distillery. 

This talented acoustic artist is serving up everything from throwback anthems to today’s chart-toppers — the perfect soundtrack to your lakeside Saturday. Whether you’re here for the music, the beer, or just a bit of both, it’s the kind of night that makes the weekend worth waiting for. 

Grab your crew, book your table, and join us for good tunes, cold brews, and all-round good times!

Book now!  

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Exclusively for our Strathbogie Shire and Seymour residents, taste the Nagambie Brewery menu for less and fuel up with 20% off your food bill.

Simply present your ID when dining to receive your discount.

Nothing says we love you quite like a good feed, so grab a hearty burger, hot pizza, or beer worthy snacks and receive an epic discount just for being part of the community.

Call your mates and tell them where to meet you every Wednesday.

BOOK NOW

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From 5pm every Friday, enjoy our juicy, mouthwatering steak, served with chips, onion rings and salad for just $30.

As good food is best enjoyed with good friends, invite your mates and take in the beauty of Nagambie with waterfront views and cold beers on tap.

Grab your mates and book your table now.

BOOK NOW

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To be honest, all anyone really means by the term ‘craft beer’ is any froffie that’s created in a traditional way by a small brewery. So, if you take away the big players – Asahi and Lion, both of which are now owned by overseas interests, and Coopers, which is the biggest Australian-owned brewer left – what you have left is the craft brewers.

In Australia, craft brewers are represented by the Independent Brewers Association, who provide a voice for the more than 600 brewers doing their own thing away from the protection of big multinational organisations. According to the IBA, a new small brewery opens somewhere in the country every six days.

This is how the IBA defines an independent or craft brewer: has aggregate beer sales of less than 40 million litres a year, is not more than 20 per cent owned by a brewery that produces more than 40 million litres a year, and doesn’t hold more than a 20 per cent stake in a brewery with sales of more than 40 million litres each year.

Which is all just a fancy way of saying a craft brewery is one that produces a relatively small amount of beer each year (the Melbourne CUB factory makes about 2.7 million bottles of beer every single day) and doesn’t have backing from any of the big boys.

To put that into perspective, that’s about 140 million pots. Here, at Nagambie Brewery, we expect to make about 20,000 litres of beer in 2020 which puts us well and truly in the craft brewing category.

The benefits for the punter and average beer lover, of course, is that they have the privilege of getting to taste beers into which a genuine amount of love and passion have been poured. It’s also an opportunity to support small businesses, which in the current climate is a very big deal.

Then there’s the diversity of flavour. Every brewer has their own idea of what they like to drink, which influences what they produce. If you look at the results of the Hottest 100 Indie Craft Beers as voted by the beer-loving public for GABS (or what used to be known as the Great Australian Beer SpecTAPular), you’ll see every style of bevvie from Australian pale ales to goses listed. Brewers also create special drops just for the festival – in the past, they’ve included Belly Button Beer, created using yeast captured from the brewer’s belly button fluff, and a Wabbit Saison that used waste carrots.

You’re not going to find those sorts of niche flavours at Nagambie Brewery, but our brewer Jamie Chesher doesn’t mind experimenting. In the past he’s made seasonal beers, like an IPA  and British Brown Ale, and for summer 2020 is working on something special we can’t wait to share with you. These are only available on site, so you better hurry up and pay us a visit.

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Here’s what they are and how it all works.

Malted Grains

We’ll start here because this one has the biggest impact on the brew. The grains used to make the malt largely affect the colour, smell, taste and head of the beer. Most breweries will use barley as their main grain. Why? Because it has an excellent starch to protein ratio and provides the enzymes needed for the third stage of brewing, called mashing. You can’t just chuck barley in the tanks though. First it has to be malted, which means it’s soaked in water, germinated then roasted to dry out the grain and stop the germination process. The temperature of the roast affects the colour of the malted grain, so low temperatures create a pale malt that forms the basis of pale ales and lagers, while the highest temperatures make a dark, almost black malt that is used in porters and stouts.

Other grains – wheat, oats, rice, corn and more – can also be malted for use in the brewing process to change the end flavour and mouth feel.

Hops

This ingredient affects the bitterness and aroma of the finished product. They’re also the most expensive ingredient, so it’s excellent that you don’t always have to use a lot of them (except when you’re making a hoppy drop like an IPA).

There are hundreds of different varieties of hops, all with their own distinct characteristics, but they can all be put into one of three self-explanatory categories: bitter hops, aroma hops and double target hops. We use quite a bit of Cascade at Nagambie Brewery, which originated in Oregon in the 1960s and has a spicy citrus aroma with hints of grapefruit. But if you check out the Our Beers page you can see which hops brewer Jamie Chesher has used in our different brews.

Yeast

Did you know yeast is actually a living organism? There are 1,500 different recognised species, some of which are used for baking and others for making different types of alcohol. Cultivated brewing yeasts come in three types – bottom fermenting, top yeasts and ‘wild’ yeasts.

Bottom fermenting yeasts sink to the bottom of the tank during the process, produce a cleaner profile and are used for lagers and pilsners.

Top yeasts work at higher temperatures, produce more esters (those fruity aromas and flavours, like the bananas you get in a hefeweizen). IPAs and ales are made using top yeast.

Wild yeasts aren’t quite what they say on the label, at least in the form brewers use them. They are usually considered undesirable, but some brewers now cultivate them. The most common type is Brettanomyces or Brett, which is hard to control and, when used, is added very late in the fermentation process.

Water

You might be disappointed to discover that beer is 90 per cent good ol’ H2O. The amount of minerals, such as iron and lime, in the water can affect the taste of the beer, but you can really use any as long as it doesn’t smell of chlorine or come from a dirty pond. The softer the water, the cleaner the beer, which is why mountain spring water (it is largely mineral free) is prized by brewers. They can use the pure versions for their lagers then add whatever mineral salts they think a brew needs to increase the vibrancy of the hops, for example, in an IPA.

So that’s it. Those are the four main ingredients of beer. Of course, other flavourings – cherries, spices, citrus, coffee – can be added to create a more unique offering, but you have to start with the basics.

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