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Taste of Australia imbued in Fimmel and Campbell’s newly released Travla beer
What’s in a beer? The Riverine Herald sat down with Echuca’s Travis Fimmel and Xavier Campbell to find out as the pair launched their new beverage Travla.
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They discussed what they hope will be “Australia’s beer,” while also touching on the unfolding flood crisis in their home town.
Vikings and Raised by Wolves star Fimmel has joined former Essendon CEO and long-time friend Campbell in the new venture, alongside co-founders Jeremy Hunt and Masterchef judge Andy Allen.
Launching at Three Blue Ducks in Tullamarine on Saturday, October 22, Fimmel hopes that Travla will symbolise a distinctly Australian desire to travel the land he loves.
“I’ve spent a lot of time overseas and at home, and everyone gets pretty regionalised with their beer,” Fimmel said.
“We just want to make a beer that’s recognised as being Australian, because every Australian is so proud of being from here.
“You don’t experience Australia until you head into the country you know, and we want to bring tourists back.
“Then when you’re overseas there’s no Australian beer that you see all the time. People have got beers that represent their country.
“We would love to be one of the beers that represent Australia. It’s a diverse lifestyle with diverse people, diverse landscapes.”
But Fimmel, who grew up on a dairy farm in Lockington, admitted his mind was also at the Victorian border, where just days before the Travla launch he was shovelling sand alongside the Echuca Moama community in preparation for the towns’ worst flood in 150 years.
“Being home during the floods, Xavier and I are so proud of being from that region and seeing people get together and helping each other,” Fimmel said.
“Seeing the teenagers and kids bringing around water and restaurants giving out free food and free coffees, other communities coming in to help – it’s been beautiful to watch but it’s such a tragedy with Rochester being inundated.
“It makes you proud to be from Northern Victoria and you feel for everyone affected by the floods, not just from Victoria but everywhere.”
For Campbell, Travla has provided an opportunity to branch out into something new, an opportunity that he has embraced after a busy year in the AFL.
“I was very lucky when I was at Essendon, I had amazing support from our president Paul Brasher and others who encouraged me to explore opportunities in that realm,” Campbell said.
“When Travis and another mate of ours, Jeremy Hunt, first came to me and said ‘we’re thinking about doing this,’ I wasn’t sure that’s where I wanted to go.
“But the whole international angle won me over and it’s been a lot of fun.”
Both Campbell and Fimmel have enjoyed success in their respective fields, but the collaboration on Travla has provided an opportunity to combine professionally for the first time.
“(Travis) has been a great mate for 25 to 30 years,” Campbell said.
“I always wanted him to do some commercial stuff and I’m really glad he’s doing it. It’s something close to his heart and he’s very passionate about it.
“It’s genuinely born out of his love for the country and that’s pretty admirable.
“It’s a beer, but what a great medium to communicate through about your pride for the country, communicating it through the brand and what it’s about.
“It’s been great to work with him. The only downside is that I’ve had him living at our place for four months this year, which is fraught with danger because he terrorises the kids.
“I love him, he’s a great man.”
The result of what has been a 12-month production process is a mid-strength, low-carb drinking option that holds appeal for everyone.
And the belief is that the team has zeroed in on a perfectly balanced beer that touches on the Aussie spirit.
“We refined it slightly and changed 10 to 20 per cent of it, but that’s probably six months ago,” Campbell said.
“It’s been such an interesting experience because you learn so much and I’ve loved it. It’s a proud moment to get here.
“Most beers have a province, they’re intrinsically linked to a particular area.
“We’re very much about Australia as a whole, the love of our broader country, and our end game is very much representing our country overseas.
“Naturally, our roots are tied in Echuca and it means so much to us. That’s where our first love for the country was struck.
“That’s why we’ll always have a strong connection to Echuca and that’s why we started talking to people about the brand. We want to have a strong presence there.”
Fimmel and Campbell’s focus will rest on ensuring a strong start for Travla, but both are also making progress in other areas.
Fimmel, a seasoned actor of nearly two decades, explained that part of his professional focus had shifted to Australian productions.
“I’ve just done a series with Stan (Black Snow) that comes out soon, and I’ve just done a Netflix series that comes out next year,” Fimmel said.
“I’m trying to do as much Aussie stuff as I can and the streaming stuff helps.”
Meanwhile, Campbell has enjoyed a change of pace after an “intense” period as an AFL administrator.
“When you’re in such an intense industry for so long it’s nice to be working at your own pace or just learning through your exposure to other industries,” he said.
“(Our family) is going to spend some good time overseas; we’re going to move to France next year and put our children in school.
“That will be a nice adventure for us to build a stronger bond with the family. It’s a very exciting opportunity for Claire and I.”
Travla is available at Liquorland, Vintage Cellars and First Choice stores nationally as well as on tap at pubs locally.