Celebrating the women of South African beer
It's Women's Month in South Africa, and after a quick look through my blog I realise I have never actually written a post celebrating the women that work in the South African beer industry. So I'm here to remedy that. I have written elsewhere about some of our beer...
Is craft beer in decline in South Africa?
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...
Participate in the Belgian Beer Company’s pairing competition and you could win beer!
Last week, someone on a beer WhatsApp group asked for recommendations of restaurants that are championing food and beer pairing culture and I have to admit I was a bit stumped. Sadly most chefs in South Africa don't take beer seriously. Many fine dining restaurants...
Triggerfish to host super limited vertical tasting of seven Crazy Diamond vintages
When I first met Eric Van Heerden, he was still homebrewing. The year was 2010 and he was wowing everyone at Southyeasters meetings with hop-forward American styles and bold stouts. Later that year, he opened his Somerset West microbrewery, Triggerfish. Initially...
A sad day for South African craft beer as Mad Giant announces closure
Mad Giant, undoubtedly one of Gauteng's finest craft breweries, has closed. The Johannesburg-based brewery made the announcement via social media late last night. "It is time to say goodbye," the post began. "For just over ten years, we embarked on a mission fueled...
A love letter to Banana Jam for their 25th anniversary
I remember the first time I went to Banana Jam Café. It was 2011 and we were broke – a freelance writer and a Master’s student saving for a wedding. We used to walk straight past the bright yellow façade of the Kenilworth-based Caribbean restaurant to drink pints...
SAB launches limited edition Carling Gold Label
It's not often that SAB launches a new beer. The last one that springs to mind is Castle Double Malt, which was released in 2021 and has seen plenty of success, both with drinkers and competition judges. Other beers, like Carvers Weiss and Castle Milk Stout...
End of an era as Jack Black founders Ross and Meghan McCulloch sell remaining shares to Heineken
It has been six years since Heineken acquired a minority stake in Cape Town based Jack Black's Brewing Company and today the founders, Ross and Meghan McCulloch announced that they have sold their remaining shares. "The long journey with Jack Black has come to an...
Eight places to celebrate IPA Day in South Africa
The first Thursday in August is celebrated by beer lovers worldwide as IPA Day. The day was started by beer writer Ashley Routson back in 2011 in the USA - you can read the full story over at All About Beer. As far as I can recall, the first IPA (India Pale Ale)...
