This weekend sees the return of one of my favourite South African beer festivals: the Southyeasters Summer Fest. Run entirely by the volunteers who keep Cape Town’s homebrewing club operating throughout the year, the festival gives homebrewers a chance to share their beers with the public. For some, it’s a launchpad to opening their own brewery (the brewers from Triggerfish, Lakeside, Zebonkey, Atlantic Storm, Honingklip, Buurman Brouwerke and Dissident, to name a few, are all Southyeasters alumni). For others it’s just the opportunity to show people just how good of a beer you can make in your own home and to have the pleasure of seeing others enjoying your wares.

But it’s not just the brewers that get something out of the fest. For beer lovers it’s a chance to chat to brewers, to learn more about homebrewing and of course, to taste some fairly unusual beers. Homebrewers don’t have to worry about what’s profitable so they brew the weird, the hoptastic and the massively boozy. And once you’re paid your entry fee, all tasters of the beers are included, so you don’t have to faff around with tokens or Snapscan or that archaic concept, cash. Plus, you get to be a beer judge for the day: once you’ve sampled all the brews, you vote for your favourite – there are great prizes for the best beer of the day so be sure to support your favourite brewer.

The festival takes place this Sunday, March 3rd, at the Saggy Stone Villager Pub & Grill in Claremont from 11am to 3pm. The Rosmead Food Market is being held on the same day, so there will be plenty to eat and there is a kids’ play area on the lawns. Tickets are available now from Quicket for R90 per person…but if you want to try your luck before buying, I have a pair of tickets to give away to one awesome human. You can either enter on Twitter or Facebook. On Twitter, simply tweet this:

I really want to win tickets to @SouthYeasters Summer Fest, happening this Sunday @saggystone Villager Pub & Grill in Claremont and @LucyCorne has two tickets to give away! #homebrew #beer #SYSF

Or on Facebook, head to the pinned post on The Brewmistress page and follow the instructions. Easy!

Winners will be announced on Thursday evening. Entrants must be over 18. Support your local homebrewing club. They are great people doing great things for the South African beer scene.