This post is part beer review and part (very) last-minute Christmas present idea. Every year, around this time, mobile canning company Tiny Keg releases a limited edition six-pack featuring once-off beers from brewers around South Africa. The brewers fly (or drive) to Cape Town to brew their beers at Lakeside Brewing in Kommetjie. The third edition of the box is now available so I thought I’d drink it and share some thoughts. I quite like to create a pyramid of preference with the annual Tiny Keg box. Here’s my 2022 version:

The stand out for me was the Tropical IPA from Anja Van Zyl (Nova Beer Project). Fruity, crisp, massive aroma and lots going on flavour-wise I could polish off a fair few of these. Anja has won a number of awards since starting her gypsy brand last year – if you haven’t sampled anything yet, the Tropical IPA is a great place to start. I failed to actually take any notes when I drank it, but I know it was great and I know you’ll agree…

My middle-tier beers are numbers 14 and 15 – the witbier from Megan Gemmell (Clockwork Brewhouse) and the Sorghum Sour IPA from Lethu Tshabangu (Ukhamba Beerworx). This was Megan’s first foray into witbier brewing and a successful one. Granted there is too much banana on the nose, but the generous coriander addition really balances it out. There’s also a great whiff of citrus zest and lemongrass, although the beer doesn’t actually contain the latter – it’s spiced with toasted coriander seed and lime zest (from limes grabbed from the airport Woolies en route from KZN for brew day, in case you’re a fan of pointless information). Highly carbonated, which lifts the slightly too-full body perfectly, it’s going to be perfect with a boerie roll or just on its own, sneaked onto the beach this summer. 

Lethu’s Sorghum Sour IPA is, for me, a surprise success. I’m not really a big fan of the whole sour IPA thing. In my experience, the sourness usually hides much of the hop character and bitterness, leaving the beer an IPA in name alone. This beer is not really an exception, but I still very much enjoyed it. The sorghum is present on aroma – for me it always presents as Bird’s custard powder, taking me back to my childhood when I helped my mum make custard to go with the Sunday lunch apple crumble. There is some hoppy fruitiness here as well though – mango and gooseberries, as well as some phenolics which are a little out of place but not unpleasant. It all comes together on the flavour – a balanced, fruity, pleasingly sour beer with a refreshing sessionability.

The remaining beers were all perfectly drinkable but just lacked wow factor. The American Amber Ale from Morne Uys (Lakeside Brewing Co.) is a solid version of the style – malt-forward with caramel flavours and a fairly assertive bitterness – and I could finish a couple, but I wouldn’t be rushing to tell my friends about it (though granted, it’s not the most exciting of styles to begin with – more of a background player than a protagonist). 

The Oktoberfest Lager  from Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela (Tolokazi Beer) sure looks the part, with great clarity and a beautiful copper hue. It has the rich malt character of the style, but lacks the requisite dry finish, leaving the beer a little heavy and cloying. 

Also a little cloying was the Pastry Stout from Fraser Crighton (Folk & Goode), although that tends to be a characteristic of the genre. My bigger issue here is that the beer is kind of one-note. It’s got a nice chocolaty character and plenty of body and sweetness courtesy of lactose, but for me a pastry stout needs a bit more pizzazz. A cursory search on the definition of pastry stout brings this pretty solid description: “sweet, rich, over-the-top dark beers loaded with high adjuncts and flavoured to taste like liquid cakes, pie, cookies, and candy bars.” This version is sweet and dark but lacks the vanilla or cinnamon or orange zest or butter cream and sprinkles additions I would expect. Still, it is a good example of a sweet stout and a nice southern hemisphere festive nightcap.

The best thing about the Tiny Keg mixed six-pack, as always, is the variety it brings in both brewers and styles. I’d highly recommend grabbing one while you can – and posting your Tiny Keg pyramid on social media if you fancy.

Merry Christmas!

The Tiny Keg Limited Edition Six-Pack is available from Takealot, Beverage Club, and select craft beer-loving liquor stores, retailing at R220.