Five beers for Valentine’s cheer
It’s almost that time again – the day that turns perfectly happy single folks into miserable mopers and converts perfectly normal partners into nervous wrecks, stressing over which lame slogan emblazoning a teddy’s jumper is the best way to say ‘I love you’. It...
BJ Lankwarden’s South African Beer Drinker’s Guide
Some of you might know that last year, I, along with local photographer Ryno Reyneke, spent a few months sipping my way around South Africa in the name of research for a detailed book on the country’s beer scene. The book, African Brew, will be published soon and...
Cape Brewing Company Opens
I’m just a humble brewer,” says Wolfgang Koedel, as he stands amid brewing equipment that is more than likely giving some of the guys in our group of cerevisaphiles a beer chubby. The brewery in question is the one that has been talked about in beer circles for...
Hello 2013: My New Beer’s Resolutions
I’d like to raise a glass to 2012, a year that offered me the chance to taste well over 100 different beers. I sampled ales and lagers from 40 South African microbreweries, I finally got to sip some Dogfish Head IPA, I was treated to tasters of hand-crafted ales...
2012: The year in beer
It would not be an exaggeration to say that 2012 was one of the biggest years in South African beer since Jan van Riebeeck sent a ship home for brewing supplies. Brewery numbers doubled, homebrewing became a must-do hobby and we were treated to a range of beer...
What isn’t craft beer?
There’s a question that raises its head in the beer world a lot, especially in South Africa. It’s been touched on in blog posts by Gallow’sHill and Food 24 and of course, the guys from &Union have a lot to say about it. It is a question I’m asked often...
Imported craft – bonus or burden?
If you follow the local beer scene closely, you’ll have noticed a couple of new names appearing on taps or bottles in your local bar or liquor store. Imported craft beers are infiltrating the South African market and some have suggested this is damaging for an...
Band Aid Beer…and how to stop the sickness spreading
I received a DM the day after CTFoB from a beer buddy who will remain nameless. It was regarding a brewery that will also remain nameless. The beer buddy – let’s call him Bob – asked if anyone had “‘publicly rebuked” said brewery for its “band aid beer”. I feel I...
Cape Town Festival of Beer 2012
You’ll excuse the delay in posting this – it took me a while to recover from the third annual Cape Town Festival of Beer. This is not because I tried to mimic last year’s achievement of tasting every single beer on show, but more because this year, I actually...
