Table of contents for Autumn issue 1, March 2024 in On Tap

It would be impossible to bring out this edition without the slightest of nods to 30 years of democracy in South Africa. Before the next edition, we will have an idea of the outcome of this very important election, where all South Africans get to express themselves at the polls and make their voices heard about their economic hardships, about their desires for a brighter future for the nation's children, and for the future of South African trailblazing. There is a sense that anything is possible. In all the industries I find myself, this belief is nowhere more evident than in the beer industry. It is with that in mind, that in this edition we feature articles about trailblazers who are taking decisive steps to bring craft beer to St…

Hester Bergh has over a few short years become a fixture in the craft beer industry in the Western Cape. Her energy and her passion are apparent when you meet her. She has an attitude that you can describe as no-nonsense or direct, but perhaps it is better to describe her as highly expert but completely unpretentious - a description that captures the unique nature of the craft beer community in South Africa quite accurately. Born, raised and educated in Bloemfontein, Hester came into contact with the beer industry as an art director in corporate advertising 19 years ago. Working on brands that are loaded with a sense of history and heritage - such as Black Label - made her realise that no matter what happens in her future, she…

The Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) takes pride in its representation of traditional beer interests. In late 2023, United National Breweries (UNB) joined BASA, securing a seat at the table alongside existing members: the Craft Brewers Association South Africa (CBASA), HEINEKEN Beverages, and South African Breweries (SAB). BASA enthusiastically welcomed this development, expressing in a statement, "UNB holds a special place in South African culture. It is heartening to have them become part of the BASA family. This means BASA now represents all beer manufacturers in South Africa, presenting a unified voice on issues ranging from regulatory matters to promoting beer culture, highlighting the economic contribution of our industry, and advocating for responsible beer consumption among South Africans." UNB stands out as the primary manufacturer of traditional African sorghum…

TYPE 01 Developed in the 1960s by the German company Stabifix for the protein stabilisation of beer, silica gels and sols are made from natural sand which is heated to create a porous silica with a very high surface area for the physical adsorption of haze proteins. Their adsorption capacity is determined by pore structure, size, and moisture content. The latter determines if it is a xerogel (<10% moisture), hydrogel (<65%) or a hydrated xerogel (<35%). Silica sol is a suspension of silica particles and is applied as a pre-clarifier after mashing, or a clarifier at maturation. TYPE 02 PVPP is the only sure-fire way of removing haze reactive polyphenols. It stands for polyvinylpolypyrrolidone, a resinous polymer that has a remarkably high affinity for chemical bonding with polyphenols, more so…

FEATURE The Levant is a region that has been synonymous with human development. For over thousands of years there have been empires expanding around it. This was largely due to good climatic conditions and abundance of wild grains that coaxed the early nomadic cultures into settling down for longer periods of time. While writing this, I am reminded of my interview with Jeff Alworth in 2023 and his proclamation that human development and beer go hand in hand. “It's like a human impulse!” In fact, beer is widely accepted to have come from a region that covers the Southern Levant, a region that contains modern day Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Given the war we have seen unfold over the last several months, it is easy to forget about the human…

FEATURE I came across such an amazing deal on a Grainfather G30, that I just closed my eyes and pressed the “buy now” button. There was no looking back! The system arrived, which made me ask myself the next tough question, “what now?” Not only did I not know what else I needed, I also figured out how pricey it could get to get going. So, over the months following the purchase, I finally had all the necessary accessories, like fermentation buckets, air traps, and importantly, some ingredients. I was ready to get my first brew underway. Well, that's what I thought! Sitting in my “cave” I was going through every step of the brewing process to get a better understanding of the system, bright eyed, yet sleep deprived with…

Kamini Dickie With over 20 years in the global brewing and beverage world… in beer, wine, cider, kombucha, hard seltzer, botanicals…Kamini established Cleverfish Consulting to help companies create innovative cross-category drinks. Kamini specialises in the technical development and commercialisation of beverages. Her career spans new product development, sensory science, strategic marketing, technical sales, and global key account management. Lotte Peplow Lotte Peplow is the American Craft Beer Ambassador for Europe for the Brewers Association and is based in London, UK. She is a Certified Cicerone®, BDI accredited Beer Sommelier, beer writer, author, speaker, beer communicator, international beer judge, homebrewer and beer lover. Joya Taft-Dick Joya is a writer and part-time editor who just completed her Master's Degree in Creative Writing at the University of Cape Town. She is also a…

CRAFT BEER APPRECIATION CLUB THE HENLEY HOPPERS The Henley Hoppers is a vibrant and close-knit community established for craft beer enthusiasts and home brewers alike, providing a platform for like-minded individuals to gather and share their passion for brewing and craft beer. This dedicated group meets on the first Wednesday of every month at Swagga Breweries in Highbury, Meyerton to engage in lively discussions about the art and science of crafting exceptional beers. From exchanging brewing techniques to sampling diverse brews, the Henley Hoppers cultivates an environment where members can expand their knowledge, refine their skills, and appreciate the intricate flavours of various beer styles. The camaraderie within the group creates a supportive network where beginners and seasoned brewers alike can connect, exchange ideas, and celebrate their shared love for…

FEATURE Almost 2,000 kilometres directly west of the Namibian-Angolan border is an island called Saint Helena. As a British Overseas Territory, the roughly 4,400 individuals who inhabit the island are British citizens, however, it was the Portuguese who first set foot on its tropical shores at the very outset of the 16th Century. The island was uninhabited upon discovery, but soon thereafter, and for hundreds of years, became an important stop-over for ships traveling the “Cape Route” between Europe and Asia. Named after Helena of Constantinople (the mother of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great) the island is not a big one: measuring 16 by eight kilometres or 122km squared. Despite its modest size, several countries did attempt to claim it and/or fought over use of its land and ports, including…

WORLD OF BEER 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 all appear to be dry. Inside the cabin, I feel like the crew are prepping us for this thirsty land. The drinks service is the most generous I've seen in a while, with four passes of the beverage trolley on a flight that lasts a little less than two hours. It's all setting the scene well, for my sole reason for being here is beer. Most trips to Namibia take in game drives, photogenic sand dunes, visits to ghost towns – I have four stops on my four-day itinerary and they all…

HOW DO YOU MAKE BEER? Essentially, your aim is to extract sugars from grains, adding hops during a sterilising boil, and then fermenting the sugary, hoppy liquid to create that gorgeous beverage known as beer. As you can see above, this seems simple enough, but the devil is often in the details. The below information is intended to give you some guidance as to where to begin. What is important to note is that, in spite of a long list of equipment, there are very many great homebrew stores available these days and they will get you started. This article is not a recipe, instead it is aimed at getting you informed before stepping into the hobby and hopefully inspire you to go do some additional reading. BASIC EQUIPMENT NEEDED…

“I found Pete Brown's book, Hops and Glory a fascinating read on the origins of the IPA. It certainly pushed all the boundaries in attempting to replicate the iconic British beer of the 1700's. The book was a major influence on me and I certainly tapped in to the design of our brewery's first ever IPA, the Tomahawk. Although stylistically American West Coast, the book encouraged me to experiment with pushing the limits, such as IBUs of 100, ABV 7% all the while maintaining an incredible balance and drinkability. It was due to the excitement with which Pete Brown presents the history of the style, that gave me the courage to attempt this style in the first place.” Happy reading! Have a book or podcast on all-things-beer that changed your…

EASTERN CAPE BRIDGE STREET BREWERY Port Elizabeth Grant Davies +27 41 581 0361 grant@ingoodcompany.africa bridgestreet.co.za RICHMOND HILL BREWING CO. Port Elizabeth Niall Cook +27 78 396 5485 niall@richmondhillbrewing.com richmondhillbrewing.com TABLE 58 BREWING East London Paul de Klerk +27 43 748 2815 info@table58brewing.co.za table58brewing.co.za FREE STATE APPOINTMENT CRAFT BEER BREWERY Kroonstad Rudi & Coal +27 82 371 3794 rudi@regalhq.co.za EAST END BREWERY Bloemfontein Carel van Aswegen +27 61 535 3065 production@eastendbeverage.co eastendbeverage.co GAUTENG AGAR'S BREWERY Kya Sand Michael Agar +27 76 191 5331 michael@agarsbrewery.co.za agarsbrewery.co.za BREWHOGS Kyalami +27 11 466 0746 brewmaster@brewhogs.co.za brewhogs.co.za HAZELDEAN BREWING CO. Pretoria Marius Botha +27 71 379 0963 admin@hazeldeanbrewing.co.za hazeldeanbrewing.co.za SWAGGA BREWERIES Henley on Klip, Meyerton Justin Goetsch +27 10 109 0388 pub@swaggabrewery.co.za swaggabreweries.co.za KWAZULU-NATAL 1000 HILLL BREWING COMPANY Durban Trevor Maarschalk +27 83 625 3019…

FEATURE Once all brewers aspired to create crystal-clear beers, free of haze or sediment. Wheat beers and Lambics aside, clarity was a sign of quality. A cloudy beer was considered contaminated, poorly brewed or kept, or simply a mistake. The late 90s was a time of great bitterness – a craze to create ever more off-the-scale bitter beers leading to IPAs in the early 2010s getting juicier. Bitterness was dialled down and later additions of hops with tropical fruit aromas and flavours produced beers that were all the rage. Vermonters from the US northeast coast started crafting juice bombs – beers that were not just hazy, but positively opaque. Demand for new fruity aromatic hop varieties surged as the NEIPA - New England-style IPA craze exploded. Today's haze-craze beers are…

FEATURE The use of fruit in beer is nothing new, just think of the fruited lambics of Belgium or tart Berliner Weisse of Germany, but in today's ‘anything goes’ brewing landscape, the use of beer in fruit is seeing a resurgence as brewers around the world experiment with styles and flavours, both ancient and experimental. Over in the States, American craft brewers, renowned for their innovation and creativity, are pushing the boundaries of brewing with fruit to develop groundbreaking new styles, tastes and flavours. According to the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade association representing small and independent American craft brewers, fruited beers, in their many different guises, are growing with the category up 8% in 2022*. They appeal to today's newest legal drinking age consumers who are seeking less bitterness…

BEER MEETS FOOD Shackleton's Red Ale is an easy-drinking beer that pairs well with a hearty dish due to its mild maltiness, which compliments your meaty flavours without overpowering it. I found that fresh rosemary also brings out the flavour and aroma of the beer, while the beer neutralises the acidity of the tomatoes. For this particular recipe I add a dash of honey to the sauce before serving, but should you substitute the beer for a sweeter ale, you can skip this step. INGREDIENTS 1 Can Whole tomatoes Fresh Rosemary Mixed Herbs 1 Can Red Ale Draught Garlic 500g Minced Meat 1 Large Carrot 1 Onion Chopped Oil Salt to taste 1 Cube Tomato & Onion Stock 1 Cube Oxtail Stock 1/2 Can Red Ale Draught Honey Spaghetti METHOD…

MEET A OT: When and why did you start homebrewing? PH: I've always loved beer. It's literally been woven into the tapestry of my entire adult life. Catching up with my dad over an ale, marrying into a German family, exploring local brews on travels and discovering craft beer fanned an absolute passion for what has become quite a defining part of me. I started brewing when I was given an NFP homebrewing starter kit for my birthday one year, and took the plunge into homebrewing with a couple of mates on (American) National Homebrew Day (first Saturday of May) in 2015. OT: What's the best beer you ever made? PH: I've almost always brewed with a fellow homebrewer and really good mate - Doug Orsmond. We've been honing a…

Type: All Grain Batch Size: 20.00L Boil Size: 23.44 L Boil Time: 30 min End of Boil Vol: 21.94 L OG: 1.048 IBUs: 37.4 BU:GU: 0.776 EBC: 13.8 ABV: 5.4% Water additions: 26.5L 0.80 g Baking Soda 7.40 g Gypsum 3.10 g Calcium Chloride Mash Ingredients: 4.75 kg SAB Pale Malt 0.25 kg Caramunich II Malt Mash Steps: Mash in at 60° Celsius for 20 mins Increase the mash temp and mash at 63° Celsius for 40 mins. Mash out at 78° Celsius for 5 mins. Boil - 30 mins: 23.50 g Magnum (14.27%) @ 30.0 mins (35.6 IBUs) 1 tsp Irish Moss @10 mins Whirlpool: 15.00 g Citra (13.10%) for 20 mins @ 64° Celsius (0.9 IBUs) 15.00 g Southern Star (11.80%) for 20 mins @ 64° Celsius (0.8…

MASH OUT “I would love to have a beer with two people. It stems from my love of Egyptology and Murder Mystery. 1. Egyptologist, Zahi Hawass: I would drink a historical Egyptian beer while diving into the history of Egypt's ancient breweries that were discovered recently. 2. Anthropologist/Author, Kathy Reichs: I would drink a Porter while we go down the rabbit hole of a good murder mystery.” “I would love to sit down with Johnny Glegg (sadly no longer with us). I have attended a few of his shows. First one was in their early days as Juluka in 1986 in Somerset West and the last one in Port Elizabeth shortly before his death. I would start off with an old Lion Lager and then have a Leffe Royal in…