Last week I was updating my database of craft breweries across South Africa. I’ve been maintaining this list since 2011 and have sections for physical breweries, contract brands, up-and-coming breweries and those that have closed down. Now, for the first time since I started the list, the tally of closed breweries is larger than the list of functioning craft breweries in South Africa.

This in itself probably isn’t that newsworthy – the list of closures spans almost 15 years and the section noting breweries that have closed can only get longer over the years. But in tidying up my database, I did realise that there have been a lot of closures lately – and more worryingly, there haven’t been many new breweries opening. The big casualty of the year was the much-loved Mad Giant, who announced their closure in April. Around the same time, Wildebeer in Johannesburg quietly closed its doors. Last month, TNT Brewery advertised all of their equipment for sale on Facebook, and then Paternoster Brewery announced its permanent closure. Black Eagle in Langebaan is currently up for sale, and a few months back The Brewery at Hemel-en-Aarde appeared on auction websites, although they still seem to be very much operational, looking at their Facebook page.

Check out this post for details on breweries currently up for sale in South Africa.

A shrinking industry?

There are now about 130 physical breweries in South Africa – down from a pre-Covid peak of around 220. In fact the last time we had fewer than 150 breweries was in 2015. Contract brands are likewise on the decline, from a peak of around 60 across the country in 2019 to no more than 30 today. So what is happening? Is the industry that I so dearly love in big trouble?

Good times at Capital Craft Beer Festival 2025

Well that somewhat depends on how your measure success. Breweries are certainly closing faster than they are opening, but that’s not the only marker of growth. Are the existing breweries producing more beer? And is the quality of beer getting better?

Alas I cannot accurately answer the former as many brewers are tight-lipped about their output, but I can confidently say that South African beer is improving in quality. I definitely have to water my plants with actual water more often these days, with less ‘drain-pour’ beers on the shelves to supplement their diet. And we have way more variety of beer styles now than we did when we had 220 breweries – from sour beers showcasing Brazilian fruits to the strongest beer ever released in Africa; from world-class hazy IPAs to a gose utilising Japanese cherry blossom and miso; from classic styles like amber ale and German pilsner to an award-wining beer that’s made with 100% sorghum.

The best place to witness this extreme diversity in beer styles is at one of our festivals – and we have some world-class ones. If you’ve never been to Fools & Fans, Capital Craft or Clarens, put one of them on your to do list for 2026. One glance around Pretoria’s Botanical Garden when Capital Craft Beer Festival is in full swing would have you confidently believing that our craft beer industry is more buoyant than ever. Over 10,000 people turn up every year to drink some of the 250-plus beers from across the country – among them, once-off collabs like the excellent Hops Must Be Crazy from OC Brewery, Yakima Chief, and homebrewer Bruce Williamson, old favourites like Devil’s Peak’s Silvertree Saison making a long-awaited comeback, and of course the 2025 Best Beer in Africa – a truly unique blend of umqombothi and farmhouse ale from Soul Barrel and Tolokazi.

Some good news

Blix Brewery sits on Rustenburg Wine Farm, but the taproom is on Dorp Street in Stellenbosch town centre

So while there are signs that craft is dwindling in SA – namely the diminishing number of breweries and in many cases the diminishing number of beers available in bars and bottle stores – there is still promise. In fact, most hospitality industries – the “nice to have” rather than essential services – are currently struggling. And at least it’s not just a local issue; craft beer is losing ground globally. The US Brewers Association announced a 4% drop in volumes from 2023 to 2024, with more brewery closures than openings. Their mid-year report confirms that sales have continued to slowly dwindle in 2025 although, as seems to be the case in South Africa, many smaller breweries are reporting increased volumes – particularly brewpubs.

And while 2023 and 2024 brought with them very few new breweries, there has at least been some movement this year.  Blix opened up outside Stellenbosch with little fanfare at the start of the year, Ivan Beukes, who stalwarts might remember from the now long-defunct Mtunzini Brewery has opened The George Brewery in his new Garden Route hometown of George. Freely Craft launched in Krugersdorp and Magalies Brewing Company is underway at a small guesthouse in Roodepoort.

So while you couldn’t say that the industry is thriving, I think it is safe to say that it’s not dying. There’s plenty of great beer to be found, many breweries are experimenting more than ever, and – to put a positive spin on a slightly sad situation – if you ever wanted to launch your own brewery, now might be the time, since there’s plenty of equipment currently on the market…

Know of any other breweries that have opened this year? Tell us about them in the comments. You can also check my map of craft breweries around South Africa and tell me if you spot something missing.