In loving memory of Julian Pienaar

by Lucy Corne | 04/02/2026 | Blog | 2 Comments

It was with deep, deep sadness that South Africa's beer industry learnt about the sudden passing of Julian Pienaar last week. Julian - or Jules to family and friends - was a much-loved figure who will be remembered for his perpetual smile, spectacular hugs and...

Charlie’s Garage launches South Africa’s first Ukrainian Golden Ale

by Lucy Corne | 15/01/2026 | Blog | 2 Comments

One of my favourite things about the craft beer industry is its collaborative spirit. Brewers frequently put their heads together to launch creative, unique and sometimes just downright outlandish beers under a shared brand. They swap brewing tips and ingredients and...

Winners of the 2025 Brewmistress South African Beer Awards

by Lucy Corne | 17/12/2025 | Blog | 2 Comments

Voting is now closed with almost 800 people choosing their favourites in the 2025 Brewmistress South African Beer Awards - a record number of voters! In some categories it was a very tight race, with just a few votes separating the winner from the runners up. Just...

The Brewmistress South African Beer Awards: Final Round

by Lucy Corne | 08/12/2025 | Blog | 21 Comments

First round nominations have been cast and the shortlist has been drawn up. Dozens of breweries, bars, bottle stores, homebrew shops and festivals were nominated and now it's up to you to pick your favourites. You don't have to vote in every category - just find your...

Ten epic gifts to buy for beer lovers this Christmas

by Lucy Corne | 02/12/2025 | Blog | 0 Comments

December is upon us, and you might find yourself looking for a cool Christmas gift your the beer lover in your life. Luckily there are plenty of exciting new releases heading our way, as well as some special edition festive box sets. And if you're not shopping for a...

Vote in the 2025 Brewmistress South African Beer Awards

by Lucy Corne | 24/11/2025 | Blog | 1 Comment

It's been a tricky few years for craft beer in South Africa. There have been multiple closures of breweries, bars and even festivals. Finding shelf space is tricky and making money more so. And yet, the quality of beer, and the innovation in craft beer just keep on...

Four beers to drink while watching the Springboks

by Lucy Corne | 11/09/2025 | Blog | 0 Comments

Rugby and beer - it is a pairing that no-one can argue with, so I have quickly rounded up a quartet of local beers to seek out and sip while you watch the fourth round of the Rugby Championship this weekend. Take your pick, from an old classic, a brand new beer...

Homebrewing is booming in South Africa – here’s how to get involved

by Lucy Corne | 29/08/2025 | Blog | 7 Comments

Three years ago I was lucky enough to attend Homebrew Con in the States. Homebrew Con is (or at least was) a three-day expo and conference that's attended not just by homebrewers from across the US, but also from around the world. Major suppliers like Fermentis,...

Beer review: Crafty Dee’s Wheat Beer (Tanzania)

by Lucy Corne | 18/08/2025 | Beer Reviews, Blog | 2 Comments

One of the most difficult aspects of brewing is consistency. It is something that's not entirely expected of a winery. A winemaker produces their wares once a year and variation from one vintage to the next is not only allowable, it is largely expected due...

Celebrating the women of South African beer

by Lucy Corne | 05/08/2025 | Blog | 1 Comment

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?

by Lucy Corne | 30/07/2025 | Blog | 4 Comments

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...

A sad day for South African craft beer as Mad Giant announces closure

by Lucy Corne | 22/04/2025 | Blog | 6 Comments

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 by...

Around Africa Series: Craft Beer in Namibia

by Lucy Corne | 22/07/2024 | Blog, Travel | 0 Comments

There is something about Namibia that just says thirsty. There is not a patch of green to be spotted from the plane window as we fly from Cape Town to Windhoek, and the river beds are all dry. Inside the cabin though, I'm anything but thirsty. The drinks service is...

Beer Review: Darling Break Free Gluten-Free Lager

by Lucy Corne | 02/07/2024 | Beer Reviews, Blog | 0 Comments

I am having one of those weeks where I strike things off my to do list. Specifically my February to do list. Why, just yesterday I replied to not one, but three emails that have been sitting in my inbox for four months. I am feeling very proud of myself and am...

Is it beer clean? How a dirty glass can ruin a great beer

by Lucy Corne | 08/02/2024 | Blog | 0 Comments

Imagine the scene. You’re at a restaurant and your much-deserved dinner arrives. You’re about to cut a slither off the perfectly cooked steak in front of you when, what’s this? There is a blob of something that looks like dried-on curry on your plate – something that...

How to become a qualified beer judge

by Lucy Corne | 15/01/2024 | Blog | 0 Comments

As we're still in January I thought you might still be looking for some kind of goal for 2024. So how about becoming a qualified beer judge? There are various methods and sets of guidelines used in beer competitions around the world, but in South Africa we almost...

Yes it has bubbles and no it’s not served warm: the case for cask ale

by Lucy Corne | 18/07/2023 | Blog | 3 Comments

If I had a rand for every time a South African had described English beer as "flat and warm", I'd probably have enough to buy a pint of English beer in the UK. And with the current exchange rate (and considering the prices in your average British pub), that is a LOT...

Beer for elephants: a visit to Okavango Craft Brewery in Botswana

by Lucy Corne | 14/06/2023 | Blog, Travel | 1 Comment

Maun is known by its residents as ‘Dusty Donkey Town’, and on the day that Okavango Craft Brewery had its unofficial (re)launch party, it quickly became evident why. I’m not quite sure why I felt it necessary or smart to walk the 5km from my hotel to the brewery on a...

Brewery equipment for sale in South Africa

by Lucy Corne | 01/02/2021 | Blog | 14 Comments

I get regular requests asking about used brewery equipment or complete businesses up for sale so I thought it might be useful to post this here and try to keep it updated. For every brewery that closes, hopefully another one recycles its equipment and starts up in its...

Blog

2014 SA Craft Championships: The Winners

So, the results are in. Seventeen judges took part, scrutinising 64 beers and ciders from 23 breweries/cideries and judging them to the BJCP style guidelines. This was narrowed down to 10 finalists in the beer category and eight in the cider category. The winners...

Lucy Corne | 6 Oct 2014 | 0

Blog

Bottling issues – part three

Yesterday I was at Draymans Brewery in Pretoria. As one of the country's longest-running craft breweries, Draymans is always a hive of activity and yesterday they were both brewing and bottling. I spent some time watching the bottling process and it helped shed...

Lucy Corne | 3 Oct 2014 | 7

Beer Reviews Blog

3 Fransen Street: The beers

So, the conspiracy theories have somewhat died down and the beers have been released. Whatever your opinion on the matter - and many of you voiced yours here - 3 Fransen Street, the "craft" arm of SAB is now open for business. After a low-key launch at SAB HQ in...

Lucy Corne | 30 Sep 2014 | 14

Blog

Win tickets to the Jo’burg Festival of Beer!

Beerfest season is upon us and the awesome guys at Jo'burg Festival of Beer have kindly given some tickets for me to give away on the blog. The festival takes place this weekend - September 27th & 28th - at the Pirates Rugby Club. Advance tickets are R150 but...

Lucy Corne | 24 Sep 2014 | 0

Blog Events

Grape vs Grain Dinner at Winchester Mansions

Hey, Cape Town foodies and boozers - this blog post is for you. Remember those awesome Grape vs Grain events that you heard about earlier in the year? You know, the ones where I faced my arch nemesis, Cathy Marston - "The Wine Lady" - and we battled it out to see...

Lucy Corne | 23 Sep 2014 | 0

Beer Reviews

Beer Review: That Brewing Co. APA

My first taste of this beer came straight out of the secondary fermenter. The fresh smack of citrus that hit my nostrils followed through when I sipped. 'This is my kind of beer', I thought. Imagine my surprise then, when I tasted the finished version at...

Lucy Corne | 22 Sep 2014 | 0

Blog

SAB steps into the craft beerosphere

A couple of weeks ago, SAB quietly announced that they would be venturing into the South African craft beer scene (the first I heard of it was on Beerhouse's blog). Well, they didn't quite put it like that - they're sensibly staying away from the word "craft". The...

Lucy Corne | 16 Sep 2014 | 22

Blog

Finalists in the 2014 SA Craft Brewers Championship

Last Saturday, BJCP-accredited judges from across South Africa met at the SAB World of Beer in Johannesburg to judge the second annual South African Craft Brewers Championship. Brewers really stepped up this year, with a 33% increase in the number of entries and a...

Lucy Corne | 16 Sep 2014 | 3

Beer Reviews

Beer Review: Robson’s West Coast Ale

I've only ever tasted one other California Common (Anchor Steam, of course) so I don't have much to compare Robson's West Coast Ale (from Shongweni Brewery in KZN) to. The beer placed third in the 2013 SA Craft Beer Championships, though for me, it doesn't match up...

Lucy Corne | 11 Sep 2014 | 1

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