Between 2014 and 2016, brewery numbers in South Africa almost doubled (from 86 to 154). Two years on, the growth has slowed and today we have around 225 microbreweries and contract brewers, some of which are rarely, if ever, heard from. In the past 12 months or so,...
I kind of fell in love with this beer before I'd even tasted it. When Little Wolf held an evening of saison appreciation a few weeks back, I was recovering from a three-week trip to the States (stinking cold picked up on the plane and a touch of beer fatigue from...
Last night, just as I was tucking into my "yay the child is in bed" beer, my phoned beeped. It was a message from our Women in Beer group, a screen grab of labels from a new contract brewery in Gauteng. There was a fairly instant uproar. I read a lot about sexism...
As one great 80s icon said, life moves pretty fast. Here we are, almost half way through 2018 and I have managed a measly 11 posts on this blog all year. Eleven. That's half a post a week, which is a bit crap. It's not that there isn't stuff to write about - I have...
When I received the press release about Bicycle Kick, a couple of things grabbed me. It's a collab Kölsch, designed for the forthcoming World Cup in Russia and I thought the addition of chamomile (apparently Russia's national flower) was a clever idea, though...
This blog is generally all about beer, beer, beer, but do you know what beer lovers love? Whiskey. It’s kind of beer’s closest cousin and this weekend Cape Town is host to a festival dedicated to American whiskey. The House of Machines has partnered with Jack...
Cask ale has never really been a thing in South Africa. I'm not sure it has any reputation at all, but if it does, it's probably not a particularly positive one, sadly. But as our beer culture grows, cask ale is gradually beginning to trickle into our pint mugs....
I am utterly biased of course, but I have long thought that the Southyeasters Summer Fest is one of the best beer festivals in South Africa. It's one of the few that really is all about the beer. You grab a tasting glass on your way in and you do the rounds,...
I've lived in South Africa for almost eight years and Cape Town is very much my home. I've set down roots here, I've made friends here and I love living here. But there are some things that, as a foreigner, I will probably never 'get': why anyone would voluntarily...
