Billson’s Brewery canned fresh batches of pale ale and lager on Christmas Eve.

Billson’s Brewery owner Nathan Cowan said beer had not been made under the Billson’s label in 104 years.

“The entire team went above and beyond to get the beer canned late on Christmas Eve,” he said.

“Everyone went hammer and tong to get it ready by Boxing Day; within 12 hours we’d sold out of the pale ale and the following day we sold out of the lager.

“People just wanted to get their hands on the first Billson’s beer in more than a century.”

Mr Cowan said their hand-crafted brews had resonated with residents and tourists alike.

He said the next batches of beer would be on their shelves tomorrow.

“The hops comes from Myrtleford and the water from our own alpine spring,” Mr Cowan said.

George Billson founded the brewery above a natural spring on Last Street during 1865.

Mr Cowan said they planned to add alcoholic ginger beer, dry apple cider, golden ale and a porter to their core range within two weeks.

He said by late this month they would offer Billson’s heritage beers such as Mild Family Table Ale, a mid-strength brew; Australian Ale; Prize Ale; and Extra Malted Stout.

“We have the original cordial-stained brewer’s diary, which has beer recipes that call for a handful of this and a forearm length of that,” he said.

“We’ve worked with local historian Jacqui Durrant, trawled through Trove and gone to museums as part of our research.”

Mr Cowan said a herbal beer XECKS, which was sold during the Temperance movement, would be resurrected within three weeks.

“We also have spirits coming online in February; an Australian dry gin and Beechworth-inspired gin with honey and eucalyptus.” 

Within 12 months Mr Cowan and partner Felicity Cottrill have vastly grown the cordial business and added sparkling, still and flavoured soda water.

The brewery’s new cafe opened on Boxing Day with a whisky den set to open mid-month.