Mystic Park might be a fantastic place to go if you like mountain biking but, to me at least, it’s burnt in my memory as a warning. There I was, going past the spot just outside Bright while on holiday in Victoria’s High Country and wondering if I could try my hand at mountain biking. That fleeting idea lasted all of three seconds until I spotted the number of ambulances out the front waiting to collect the injured.
Turns out it’s a dangerous pastime, which the crew at Bright Brewery know thanks to the number of staff that have had take time out to tend to their wounds. Fittingly, their limited-release Mystic has an air of danger to it too. Sure, it’s not quite as fear-inducing as riding a bike down a mountain but it is impressively easy to drink for a 9 percent ABV DDH Double IPA with no less than seven hop varieties. Those are El Dorado, Citra, Eureka, Mosaic (in the shape of Incognito), Strata, Azacca, Amarillo and further Amarillo in Cryo form. The beer sits somewhere between a hazy IPA and a West Coast, with a dark orange appearance and a medley of resin, pine, grapefruit rind and sweeter tropical notes of lychee and sweeter pineapple.
Somewhat safer is their new sour, Cucumber & Basil Ale. It’s a refreshing combination, with the cucumber providing a crisp and savoury sway as the basil adds a softly herbal edge. There’s also a touch of salinity at play while the gentle tart finish feels like the beer would be a fitting starting point for a cocktail.
Will Ziebell
Published December 14, 2022 2022-12-14 00:00:00
