Image courtesy of Edo Photography

I’ve always admired Devil’s Peak for not tiptoeing on to the South African beer scene. They arrived at the 2011 CTFoB and whacked us all in the face with a great big bag of much-needed hops. So I won’t lie – I was a trifle disappointed when I learned that they decided to brew a lager. Yes I know a pale lager is one of the most difficult style to brew, but we just have so much of it already. But then I realised a couple of things – first, however passionate any brewer might be, they are running a business. And b) not everyone likes what I like.

Anyway, the lager comes in at 4% and is, as you would expect from a craft brewery, an all-malt brew. It’s crystal clear and ticks all the lager boxes – there’s a mild, grainy aroma, followed up by a touch of malty sweetness when you sip, though this quickly gives way to a long, dry finish. I imagine it’ll be a top seller in summer, when the sun beats through the Tap Room’s floor-to-ceiling windows. The lager is currently on tap only at the brewery, but you’ll find it in 340ml bottles and on tap throughout the country soon. Until now, First Light has been Devil’s Peak’s “gateway beer“, but the lager is set to fill this role, leaving the golden ale to gradually become the hoppier, maltier ale it used to be. As for the lager, it will undoubtedly have a strong following. Is it going to become my go-to Devil’s Peak beer? No. But it is crisp, it’s clean and it’s refreshing. In fact, if you were going off a BJCP description you could say that this is lager – as it should be…