Buffalo Brewery- About




	The Buffalo Brewery first began in 1902 by Messrs Bryant and Sheil Brothers. The Buffalo Brewery was the fourth of the breweries built by this firm. The brewery was positioned on this site due to the crystal clear water that the spring produces. At the time the brewery was particually popular as it was close to the booming metropolis of Wangaratta and provided freshly brewed beer which was different to that of the beer provided by other hotels in the area which relied on supplies from Melbourne. The beer from Melbourne was shaken by long train journeys and exposed to long periods of summer heat before being delivered to its destination. The brewery then lay dormant for almost 50 years before continuing operation around 15 years ago.


	Our label displays an impression of Lily Arabella Cherry rumoured to be the mistress of Steve Hart a member of the Kelly gang, who once drank at the hotel. Steve Hart was a close friend of both Ned and Dan Kelly and was rumored to have dropped the axe he was using to chop firewood, jump on his horse and joined the Kelly gang once he got word of their activities. However this is not the first time that Lily's face had been used to promote beer, back in the early 1900's the Bryant & Sheil Bros. used her figure on their beer bottles.



			Our brewery was the first to brew the now famous Victoria Bitter, VB was first brewed by the Bryant & Sheil Bros. which were the original owners of the Buffalo Brewery. However VB was first manufactured and marketed as VB, when the Buffalo Brewery ceased operations and one of the partners joined the newly formed Carlton & United Breweries. The original label hangs in our lounge and a copy is also diplayed here.