FOR LOVERS OF BEER SPRING 2020 - On Tap
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FOR LOVERS OF BEER SPRING 2020 South Africa R40.00 ontapmag.co.za
UNIQUE AROMA
UNIQUE AROMA
FOR EVERY BEER.
FOR EVERY BEER.
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From The Editor
Hopping through history
I
am often asked how I ended up being a Africa’s oldest microbrewery, Mitchell’s (page
beer writer in South Africa. It’s a long story 6), and then continuing through the 80s and
that involves meeting a Canadian on the 90s, wandering around the microbreweries that
rooftop of a budget hotel in Cairo, drinking were way ahead of their time, closing before the
some of the best homebrew I’ve ever had term “craft beer” had actually been used in a
at the US army base in Seoul, and moving to South African setting.
Cape Town for one year almost a decade ago, We haven’t just kept it local though, tipping
serendipitously arriving just as the first ripples our hats to global beer history with a look at
of craft beer were being seen here. some near-extinct beer styles on page 40 and
I’ve always loved a good origin story, and in asking our resident homebrew expert to recreate
this issue we’ve delved into the origins of South an ancient ale on page 49. When it comes to
Africa's beer culture. Our focus on SA beer ancient beers though, there was only one that
history was in part inspired by this year being was going to be worthy of its own dedicated
the 200th anniversary of the Newlands Brewery. feature. Check out what it is on page 43.
A whole book could be written on the brewing We finish off the issue by asking our readers
history of Cape Town’s wettest suburb, but for their origin stories – what happened to make
the moment you’ll have to make do with the them the passionate beer lovers, homebrewers
feature on page 16. or professional brewers that they are today. And
Once we’d cranked up our virtual DeLorean we’d love to hear your tales too, so drop us a line
to travel back in time and explore Victorian on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter and let us
beer culture, we decided not to stop with just know which beer turned you from an occasional
one trip, packing enough proverbial plutonium imbiber into the kind of person that reads entire
to visit the early 1980s for the launch of South magazines dedicated to nothing but beer.
Cheers!
Lucy Corne
EDITOR
@LucyCorne
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 1
FEATURES
16 200 years of beer You spend most of your time in taverns,
Newlands Brewery hits a double century tasting rooms and craft bars looking at
beautifully illustrated blackboards, offering
20 Leading a historical British a range of tasty craft beers, so we thought
brewery into the future you’d recognise a menu long before a
Taking the leap from Castle to cask ‘contents’ page. Enjoy!
28 Fallen comrades
Raise a glass to the SA breweries that were
ahead of their time SPRING 2020
Fancy a
cuppa? 36 REGULARS
06 Brewer Q&A
The godfather of South African craft beer
08 Tell the bartender
Falling in love with local beer
12 Brew news
Stories from the SA beer scene
28 Breweries
of yore
24 World of beer
Biblical beer in Belgium page 08
40 Brewer's dozen
We open the history books on
12 near-extinct styles
43 Style guide
Understanding umqombothi
49 Homebru
Recreating ancient ales
52 Brew reviews
Rating the latest brews
The coolship
explained 32 58 Mash out
Do you remember the sip that forever changed
the way you think about beer?
46 Beer, food, fire
24 Ales and abbeys
16 Happy birthday to South Africa's oldest brewery
20 Hopping over to England
36 From picking to pairing - the full
tea experience 43 Our heritage beer
JHB 24764
OUR
BEER.
MADE
HERE.
Enjoy Responsibly. Not for Persons Under the Age of 18.
Editor
SPRING 2020 Lucy Corne
lucy@ontapmag.co.za
CONTRIBUTORS Publisher
Andrew Thomas
inhouse publications
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brewer at Hey Joe Brewing Company in Franschhoek. +27 (0) 82 604 5038
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Craighall
2024
Johannesburg
Rachel du Plessis
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Greg Gilowey and Karl Tessendorf
Greg and Karl of Beer Country work and play in TV, content Design:
creation, social media, collab brewing, braai spices, recipe Rachel du Plessis
rachel@prycision.com
development, braaing, and a whole lot of beer drinking. They’re
Prycision
currently working on second a book, following on from their recipe prycision.com
book, Beer Food Fire. You can find them online @BeerCountrySA.
Printing:
Paarl Media
Lockdown Distribution -
FREE
For lockdown our
Jeff Evans distribution is entirely digital.
Jeff has been a professional beer writer for more than 30 years. His We are spreading the beery
love far and wide. Please
books include the Good Bottled Beer Guide, The Book of Beer
share this mag on your
Knowledge and So You Want to Be a Beer Expert? He was editor digital platform.
of the CAMRA Good Beer Guide for eight years and is a former UK
Beer Writer of the Year. For more about Jeff, check out jeffevans. On Tap is South Africa's only
co.uk or @insidebeer. beer magazine, a quarterly
publication keeping
homebrewers, pro brewers
and beer lovers up to date
with what's happening
in beer on the African
Kamini Dickie continent and beyond.
Kamini specialises in the development and commercialisation of
The views expressed in
beverage products including technical collaboration, sensory and individual articles are the
consumer science. With 20 years in the global brewing industry personal views of the
Kamini’s passion for beer has led her to contribute to many authors and are not
industry-wide initiatives. Recently, she moved into another part of necessarily shared by the
the beverage industry – tea, coffee and botanicals, focusing on editor, the advertisers or the
publisher.
cross-category product innovations.
No articles may be
reproduced in any way
without the written consent
of the publisher.
Marnus Hattingh
Marnus is the national motoring editor for Afrikaans newspapers.
When not sampling Belgian beers, you’ll find him in his Pringle
Bay garage tinkering on a DIY project. He has cycled from Lhasa
to Kathmandu, cooked a vegan meal for a British family in France,
in
Published by:
and served as security guard at Castle Corner during a rather lively
cricket test match in Bloemfontein.
PUBLICATIONS
4 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.za
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Since we’re exploring beer history in this
issue, there was one person we just had
to chat to; a man who has been involved in
South Africa’s microbrewing industry since
the very, very start. We asked Lex Mitchell
to tell us more about spending more than
three decades in beer.
When you started Mitchell’s back in 1983,
OT: always referred to it then) was of a cottage industry – green
what was your vision? and local without the need for massive infrastructure and
LM: I remember in those first years, having recently visited transport requirements. To some extent therefore, I think I
the UK and Germany, I was fired up with the belief that South did see the growth possibilities – after all, I had seen what
Africa’s beer scene could become like those countries’. I happened in the UK when craft breweries exploded from 7
imagined the establishment of small breweries in many towns to nearly 200 in a few short years. But in SA, from 1983 when
in SA. I had the vision of beer routes throughout the country I realised my dream, it just took so long! It was lonely for a
and avid beer drinkers undertaking pilgrimages to sample long time and then when I was starting to think I needed a
them – each town offering something uniquely special to its break (15 years with two weekend breaks!), things started to
geography or history, even if it was just in a name. I saw these happen.
breweries as small, independent entities, fiercely promoting OT:What have been your proudest/happiest
real beer as opposed to the offerings of the megabrewery moments over the past 40 years of your
products which had for years dulled the palates of fellow
beer drinkers in SA. I wanted to see brewers who were an brewing career?
intimate part of the tapestry of their towns, who engendered LM: I think my proudest and happiest moment in my brewing
pride in the citizens of the town because they could boast career was opening my brewery in Knysna on 6 March, 1983.
about having their own brewery, their own beers. It was the culmination of years of planning and much angst.
We planned our opening in a restaurant in Knysna and sold
OT:Do you think you ever imagined how tickets for R10 per head with free beer and snacks. We sold
much the beer industry would change 200 tickets and believe at least 300 people pitched! We gave
around the world, and just how big craft away 400 litres of beer and ran out of snacks but everyone
had a great time. Of course it was very late in the evening
beer would become? when I finally started relaxing and realised that it was a
LM: Did I foresee exactly how big craft beer was going to be success.
here and abroad? Possibly not. Certainly not that some of
the “micro” breweries which have been established would Are there any beer trends that have
OT:
appear to be pushing to catch up with the established puzzled you?
megabreweries! My vision of craft beer (or real beer as I LM: What has puzzled me most is the size of some of the
6 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.za
‘micro’ breweries which have been established. For me
a micro needs to be a hands-on operation, where your
customers should be able to share a drink with the brewer
around the pub. My definition of “real beer” is a beer which
is unfiltered, unpasteurised and naturally carbonated.
There are other requirements relating to raw materials,
specifically beer brewed adhering to the Reinheitsgebot
but this does not allow for some of the more esoteric
beers brewed by some brewers with weird and wonderful
ingredients and I guess if they are brewed by people
with the right ethics this is OK. I realise that I exist as an
anachronism and I resist change! I think that in 2014 at the
beer competition you referred to me as the Grandfather
of SA Craft Beer – perhaps that should have been the Old
Fart of Craft Beer!!
OT:Although you hadn't been involved for a
number of years, it must have been a blow
when the Mitchell’s Brewery in Knysna
ceased production…?
LM: The demise of Mitchell’s Brewery in Knysna was a
sad day for me even though I had not been involved for
a long time. I followed their fortunes from afar and tried
to convince myself that I was no longer involved and thus
should have no proprietorial feelings about the direction
they were following. This was made a bit easier by the
fact that the ownership kept changing, which gave me the
separation that I probably needed to ensure that I would
not be too badly affected by their closing up shop. Dave
McRae, who had been my right hand man and whose
support and constancy played a huge part in the growth
and success of the Mitchell’s brand even after I moved to
Port Elizabeth, stayed on with the various new owners and
finally when he left a year or two before Mitchell’s closed, I
felt that my connection was finally severed.
OT: What have you been up to recently? Are
you still involved in beer?
LM: In 2011 I had my arm twisted by Gary Erasmus in Port
Elizabeth to join him in a restaurant and brewery venture
and this led to the establishment of Bridge Street Brewery
which mashed in its first brew on New Year’s Day 2012. We
were back to basics again – hands on in the brewhouse,
just Sue (my wife) and I, putting in a stout to christen my
new plant and to start a new chapter in our lives.
This was a new lease of life for my brewing story and was
a lot of fun for nearly five years when Gary and I realised
virtually simultaneously that we were not restaurateurs
and began to consider selling. We were lucky to find in
John and Grant Davies, the ideal people to continue the
business and to ensure what Gary always wanted – for the
business to become an institution in PE. We sold in 2016
and I have remained as a consultant since then.
OT:Do you have any predictions for the
future of craft beer in South Africa?
LM: I think anyone in the brewing business worldwide right
now is going to have great difficulty predicting the future
of craft beer. I think that after the Coronavirus has hopefully
been tamed, it will take years for the craft beer world to
reset and rise to the heights it reached before the devastation
caused by the virus. Many small breweries will have been
forced to close after months of inactivity and lack of finance
to keep the doors open. I’m not sure how many people
will have the courage to rise from the ashes like a phoenix
and start again.
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 7
GOT A BEERY
TALE TO SHARE?
Send it to
A LIFELONG lucy@ontapmag.co.za and you
might just see your name in
LOVE AFFAIR print. If your story is chosen for
publication, you’ll get a year’s
subscription to On Tap on us!
LEIGH COOKE
WIN
T
he relationship I have with beer kicked off many Fast forward a bit and we arrive at the next chapter: craft beer. My
years ago, not with the glorious taste and satisfaction first experience was tasting Jack Black on tap at a local restaurant. My
you receive after the first sip, but more a fascination mind was blown and simultaneously filled with questions. This and
with the process, the technology and the effort put intrigue grew to a point where I made the conscious decision to turn
into creating this golden liquid. beer into a hobby – not the brewing, but the “researching”. I was
My father worked for SAB for as long as I can remember and this fortunately in a position where my job required me to work all
drove a small but consistent culture of beer in our household. My over the country, where I embarked on a nationwide visit to all
father would always share the stories of work and travels around the these breweries.
world during his tenure at SAB, but for me it was the visits to the From meeting the brewers or owners of 1000 Hills, Aegir
SAB World of Beer that were fundamental. As this was free for all Project, Agar’s, Clarens, Clockwork, Doctrine, Mad Giant,
employees, my father frequently took friends and family to enjoy this Old Potter’s, Stellies and That Brewing Company to name a
incredible demonstration and every time we visited, I was in awe of few, I discovered the incredible personalities and enthusiasm
the process. this industry has to offer. Now in
As I passed through my adolescent complete love (my fiancée and I got
years, I forgot those beer-related times
as young boy. Beer was re-introduced
My fiancée and I got engaged during Clarens Craft Beer
Festival to give some perspective)
to me at the age of 18 and if I had to engaged during Clarens and with experience earned from
use one word to describe it, it would Craft Beer Festival over 45 different brewery visits, I
be disgusting! Perhaps not the word finally started homebrewing.
you would expect after all those years Over the past year, with the
of fascination. As a student, ciders and mixers were the poison of wisdom and sage advice imparted by many of the KZN Craft
choice but beer made a slow comeback largely due to the cost aspect Revolution members, I decided to purchase a 20-litre setup,
– terrible, I know. Still, this is where I learnt to respect my now develop my own recipes and commence full grain brewing. The
favourite beverage. feeling of creating your own special brew brings a new meaning
At first we were driven towards Tafel and Black Label due to cost, to beer, where it is a natural fit in the South African culture of
but the occasional Grolsch, Guinness or Duvel (a particular favourite friends, family and “kueiring”. To all the authors, editors, judges,
of mine) would always be a welcome guest at a braai. Oh, the culture farmers, cultivators, owners, risk takers, brewers and investors
of setting up the braai, inviting every chom you know and exchanging who are involved in this industry, I raise my glass and say thank-
stories while sipping a cold beer. How could one fault that? you for the incredible gift of beer.
8 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaAN APP
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IT IS MADE FOR YOUCOVID-19 LOCKDOWN:
THE FALLOUT FOR CRAFT BEER
As On Tap went to print, the South African liquor industry had endured a complete ban on alcohol
sales for a total of 14 weeks. Add to that an additional seven weeks of heavily restricted trading,
including a ban on weekend sales and on-consumption trading, and you can imagine what dramatic
consequences this has had on the craft beer industry. CBASA recently conducted a survey of
breweries, brewpubs, brand owners and suppliers across the industry. The results are alarming.
31% 12 0% 56%
of business have been forced to
of businesses have average number of of businesses have been able to retrench, with 53% of business
decided to close employees per business access SMME debt relief finance retrenching more than 50% of their
scheme loans staff, and 32% of business retrenching
more than 75% of their staff
16% 4/10 2 years 25%
of business have been The aggregated outlook the average expected recovery of businesses that applied have
able to secure some is very poor time of those businesses which received full Government UIF
kind of additional (1 = very bad, survive payments for June and July with an
funding 10 = very good) additional 45% only receiving part
payments
SURVIVAL STRATEGIES BUSINESSES HAVE USED TO
SEE THEMSELVES THROUGH THE ALCOHOL BAN:
Negotiated
payment
deferrals
Selling or holidays
equipment Moved to (44%) Amalgamated
(29%) cheaper with another
premises brewery
(9%) (5%)
60%
50% 50%
40% 100%
40%
30% 90%
100%
30%
20% 80%
90%
20%
10% 70%
80%
10%
0% 60%
70%
0% 50%
60% 40%
50% 30%
40% 20%
30% 10%
20% 0%
10% 0%
Changed Selling
Producing
recipes to wort or raw
non-alcoholic
brew more ingredients
beverages
economically (29%)
(21%)
(12%)
100%
60% 90%
50% 80%
40% 100%
70%
30% 90%
60%
20% 80%
50%
10% 70%
40%
0% 60%
30% 50%
20% 40%
10% 30%
0% 20% 10% cbasa.org
0%BREW PETE BROWN
LAUNCHES NEW E-BOOK
Remember at the start of craft, before quashing each
lockdown, when you told definition. Whether you agree
yourself you’d read more with him or not – and you
or exercise more or start to often won’t – it’s a great read,
learn a language? Well, while peppered with Pete’s signature
most people’s promises of wit and ability to seek out some
self-betterment were quietly truly random information. The
forgotten, one man put us book is available on Amazon.
THE YAKIMA HOP all to shame. UK beer writer
and somewhat regular visitor
HARVEST GOES
to South Africa, Pete Brown,
researched, wrote, edited and
VIRTUAL
published an entire book in the
time the rest of us managed
to finish reading a book. The
loftily titled Craft: An Argument
- Why the term 'Craft Beer'
If you’ve always wanted to witness the US hop harvest, this is completely undefinable,
year you’ll get a chance to join in, if only from a distance. hopelessly misunderstood
Hop supplier Yakima Chief is operating a virtual harvest and absolutely essential, grew
for the whole of September, with a range of live sessions out of Pete’s popular talk on
including farm tours, interviews with hop farmers, panel the same topic, which he gave
discussions and informative talks on topics such as at the 2019 Beer Boot Camp
sensory analysis and hop breeding. All sessions are free in Johannesburg. The self-
– you just need to register at hopandbrewschool.com. published e-book delves into
the oft-posed question “What
is craft beer?” and comes up
LOCAL BREWERIES
with a host of ways to define
EXPAND THEIR CALL FOR PAPERS:
NON-ALC OFFERING
The ban on alcohol pushed many brewers to
FOOD & DRINK
become increasingly resourceful, with some
launching non-alcoholic products to sell in TECHNOLOGY AFRICA
lieu of beer. Brauhaus Afrika has released Hop
Lemon Hop Water: a fizzy drink made with Industry experts interested in speaking at the 2021 food
water, yeast, hops and homemade lemon juice, & drink technology Africa summit are invited to submit
and sweetened with stevia. Darling has released abstracts. The event is set to take place from 13-15 July 2021
a whole range of non-alcoholic beverages, at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg. Interested
including a traditional ginger beer, two hop- parties should submit a brief synopsis of their presentation
infused zero-alcohol seltzers and Malt Cross, a along with a biography and photo of the speaker.
toffee-flavoured shake that can be drunk warm Abstracts can be emailed to Katy Van der Walt at katy.
or cold. Check out our reviews of the latest non- vanderwalt@mm-sa.com, by Wednesday 30 October 2020.
alcoholic beer releases on page 52. Check out www.fdt-africa.com for further info.
12 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaNEWS
TAPROOM OPENINGS KWEZA CRAFT BREWERY
Nobleman Brewing launched a new taproom in Ilovo,
Johannesburg in early August. It’s the brewery’s second
BUYS FRASER’S FOLLY EQUIPMENT
venue, with the original Magaliesberg location still
operating. The 650-litre brewhouse formerly installed at Fraser’s Folly in
the Overberg will soon be taking up residence at Rwanda’s
first microbrewery, Kweza Craft Brewery. The brewery, plus
tanks, bottling line and other equipment will be shipped
and installed at Kweza’s brewpub in Kigali. There’s still a
long way to go before the brewpub is fully up and running
with licencing hurdles to tackle before the brewery can be
commissioned. Kweza’s managing director Jessi Flynn hopes
to have the brewery up and running by mid-2021.
NEW BREWS
Fraser’s Folly Wild Richmond Hill Gimme
Berry & Basil (4% ABV) Shelter (6% ABV)
The latest in Fraser’s When booze was banned
Folly’s small batch series but brewing was not, PE-
is a “blended sour beer” based Richmond Hill offered
with blueberries and sanctuary to the members of
fresh basil. It’s currently the local homebrew club, the
Mad Giant are also about to open a second location, available by the case from Yeastern Cape. The result is
this time in Blairgowrie. The taproom is due to open at the brewery’s online store. this smooth and delicately
the start of October. spicy elderflower saison,
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Saggy Stone Summer available in 500ml cans and on
In Cape Town, Lakeside Brewery is finally opening a Ale (3% ABV) tap at the brewery.
taproom after many years operating as a distribution- Saggy Stone have
only brewery. The new space will open at Imhoff Farm in ventured into light beer
Kommetjie in late September. for the first time with
this low-ABV blonde ale.
BREWER MOVES The beer is available in
cans and on tap at select
outlets around the Cape.
Brewers seem to enjoy a little Maun. Back in South Africa,
job-hopping and lately there Michael Biljon, formerly of
have been several moves. Gilroy Brewery, is now brewery
Soul Barrel Fresh
Little Wolf founder Stefan manager at Brewhogs. And in
Nectar (5.2%ABV)
Soul Barrel’s Nick Smith
Wiswedel is taking over as the southern Cape, American-
promises a “juicy,
head brewer at Cape Town born Ross Eaton, who moved
hazy pale ale with
brewpub Patiala, stepping to South Africa last year
explosive hop flavours
into the shoes of Murray to brew at Drifter Brewing
of candied clementine,
Stephenson. Murray, who has Company, is now manning
apricot, pineapple and
previously brewed at Jack the kettles at Barrington’s in
guava”. Grab a pint
Black and Woodstock, will be Plettenberg Bay. His first order
at the brewery or find
heading to northern Botswana of business was to add a bock
it in bottle from mid-
to work at the brand new to the existing line-up of lager,
September.
Okavango Craft Brewery in weiss and pale ale.
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 13SOUL BARREL AND
BREWSTERS CRAFT
RELEASE SA’S FIRST
UMQOMBOTHI HYBRID
This collab with Brewsters Craft is inspired by
te of traditional
South Africa's amazingAfrican beer
beer culture. Think of it as aand
re modern rendition of traditional sorghum beer,
eflects modernUmqombothi. craft. The
We've blended European traditional
barrel-aging
techniques with African methods of sour mashing
umqombothi
and open, natural fermentationswasfor a brewed
first of its kind ale. in
A batch of Umqombothi was blended with our mixed
. February for South
culture farmhouse ale and a two year old
barrel-aged brett beer. This finished blend African
r was refermented and matured in an oak barrel.
National Beer Day, then
This beer is fascinating and unique. Flavors of cream pear,
lity. blendedcitrus & honeywith Soul
meld into a sticky Barrel’s
barrel character,
balanced by acidity and funky grain notes derived from
mixed culture farmhouse fermentationale
LOCKDOWN LEADS TO
the wild sorghum malt and spontaneous
he with native yeasts.
k, andIngredients:
a two-year-old barrel-aged
• Malt: King Korn sorghum, maize, oats, pilsner, pale, local organic
Brett
• Hops:beer.
unmalted wheat
The finished blend
BREWERY CLOSURES
nery.
Wild African Soul
Cascade, S Spalt
• Yeast: Native sorghum microflora, house wild mixed culture,
was• Water:
refermented
Simonsberg Mountain water and matured
brett brux, champagne
Umqombothi Beer in anDon’toak drink barrel.
and walk on the “Think
road, you may ofbe itkilled.
as a
ccur. modern rendition of traditional
Brewed and bottled with soul at:
Soul Barrel Brewing
R45 Simondium
sorghum beer,” says Nick. In a recent survey from CBASA, 21 brewery owners said
WC
www.soulbarrel.co.za
340ml they had decided to close their businesses permanently
“We've blended European
barrel-aging techniques with since the start of lockdown. Due to the anonymous nature
Soul Barrel’s Nick Smith African methods of sour of the survey, the details of these closures are not available.
and Brewsters Craft brewer mashing and open, natural However, a number of breweries have confirmed that they
Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela have fermentations for a first of its have ceased trading, with some advertising their equipment
joined forces to produce the kind ale.” The beer launches on for sale. Closures include Sir Thomas Brewing Company in
first commercially available Heritage Day (24 September) Stellenbosch, Stone Circle Brewing in Cape Town, Owl &
umqombothi hybrid beer. and will be available on Best Hare Craft Brewery in Wakkerstroom, Robertson Brewing
Wild African Soul (6.5% ABV) Craft Beer as well as from Soul Company in George, Red Rock Brewing Company in
represents a coming together Barrel’s brewery in Simondium. Johannesburg and Odyssey Craft Brewery in Durban.
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Chat with our experienced brewmasters
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After a brief period of A new app focusing on
closure, Pretoria-based craft beverages launched in
Bernie’s Brewery is under August. Craft Craze doesn’t
new management. The only focus on beer, but all
new owners are working artisanal beverages. The
on a rebrand and a app allows you to browse
revamp of the taproom. products, purchase from
Keep an eye on their an ever-growing selection
social media accounts of beers, wines and spirits,
for details of the launch, then rate and review the
currently set for late products. The app is free
September. to download from the Play
Store or check it out at
craftcraze.co.za.
Brewhogs is the latest Nigerian microbrewery
local brewery to invest Bature has released a
in a canning line, with limited edition brew with
their core range to be a social message. Working
re-released in 330ml in conjunction with a
cans from early October. local NGO, The Consent
Following the huge trend Workshop, the brewery
in the USA, the Jo’burg- launched Yes Means Yes
based brewery has also with the goal of spreading
developed a hard seltzer, more awareness about
Crush’d. The seltzer – AKA sexual consent. All proceeds
alcoholic sparkling water – from the beer, a coconut
will be available from early cream stout, will go to The
September. Consent Workshop.
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 15FEATURE
It is the cradle of brewing in South Africa, and home to
our country’s oldest brewery. Lucy Corne explores the
beery history of Newlands and celebrates the 200th
anniversary of its namesake brewery.
16 | Autumn 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaL
ooking back, they probably is today the Montebello Design Centre.
should have called it Brewlands. Mensing approved of the site, largely due
The Cape Town suburb has to the pure, soft water that trickled down
been linked with brewing ever from Table Mountain. But despite his
since there was a brewing knowledge that good beer requires good
industry in South Africa – in fact, water, Mensing turned out not to be the
even earlier than that. And as with other star hire the Company had thought, taking
brewing hubs around the world, there was several years to get the brewery up and
a very good reason that Newlands quickly running and then admitting that he “did
became the heart of beer-making in this not know how to stop the beer from going
country: water. sour”. But while his tenure as official Cape
This year marks two centuries since brewer was short-lived, the area in which
brewing first began on the current he started his brewery is still synonymous
Newlands Brewery site, but brewing in with brewing to this day.
this part of the city actually predates that
by at least another 126 years. It was 1694 A BREWERY IS BORN
when the Cape’s first trained brewer was Other brewers came and went over the
dispatched from the Netherlands by decades, but the next to be immortalised in
the Dutch East India Company - Rutgert historical accounts was Jacob Letterstedt.
Mensing. Whether it was the decision Letterstedt arrived from Sweden in 1820 Entrance to the old Mariendahl Brewery, now
of then governor Simon van der Stel, of and promptly married Maria Barendina the reception area and gift shop
Mensing himself, or of some visionary Bekker, a widow and Newlands landowner.
who goes unnamed in history books, it is That same year, Letterstedt opened a
unclear, but the location chosen for this brewery on her land, naming it Mariendahl
early brewery was a decision well made. It Brewery in her honour. The name remains
was in an area known as Nuweland and it to this day on a sign as you enter SAB’s
was chosen for its proximity to a clean and Newlands Brewery to take the 90-minute
reliable water source – the springs fed by tour of the historical buildings and to see
streams flowing from Table Mountain. the modern-day plant in action.
It had been almost half a century Letterstedt, like other Cape brewers
since the Dutch first set up at the Cape, of the time, brewed English-style pale
during which time the Europeans had ales and a porter, which he advertised
made numerous attempts at brewing. in the 1830 South African Directory and
Historical accounts talk about failed Advertiser as “warranted to keep in any
efforts at growing barley, shipments of climate”. By 1854, brewing was booming
rotting hops and batches of beer that in Cape Town, with a census that year
were probably best used for watering counting 13 breweries in the city, a number
the aforementioned barley plants, so the of which were in Newlands.
arrival of a trained brewer must have been Some of his contemporaries’
very welcome. businesses failed, but Letterstedt’s
Mensing was given 30 morgen of land brewery thrived. In 1859, he announced an
on a farm known as Papenboom, right expansion, with “new utensils, including
in the heart of Newlands. Papenboom some from Europe”. The notice also
included the section of Newlands Avenue promised a “much improved quality from
now home to the Forrester’s Arms, with the 1st April” when “any quantity of Cape
Pale ale bottle from a brew at Mariendahl
Mensing’s original brewery located at what Ale, of all the best descriptions, will be Brewery in 1860
Newlands Brewery in the late 1800s - some of the structures can still be seen today
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 17FEATURE
The old and the new working seamlessly together
obtainable”. Some of the buildings from stands on Cannon Street in Newlands – Spring, and that no other brewery would
the 1859 expansion are still standing today and the Cloete Brewery (also known at be supplied from it. Not that there were
and form an important part of Newlands the time as the Newlands Brewery), which any other breweries left in the area at this
Brewery’s landscape. was situated on Newlands Avenue, across point, since he’d bought them all out
Sadly, Jacob Letterstedt passed away the road from the Forrester’s Arms. In 1889 and incorporated them into his own mini
just three years later, leaving the brewery in he also acquired Letterstedt’s Mariendahl brewing empire.
the hands of his daughter, Lydia. She made Brewery, merging the four to become
extensive upgrades in 1881, including Ohlsson’s Cape Breweries Ltd. At the time SAB TAKES OVER
a move to gravity-fed brewing and the it was the largest industrial enterprise in Ohlsson ran his brewing company with
construction of the tower brewery that still the country outside of the mining industry. great success, adding a lager brewery
stands today. But despite some successes, Perhaps the most important legacy of in 1900, just a couple of years after the
she ended up leasing and later selling Ohlsson’s foray into the brewing world was first lager had been produced in South
the brewery to another Scandinavian securing the rights to the Albion Spring Africa. He retired in 1906, passing control
immigrant, one Anders Ohlsson. in 1898. He had already secured water of the brewery to his son Axel. Ohlsson
rights for his Anneberg Brewery in 1883, senior lived out his remaining years at the
OHLSSON’S EMPIRE then when he purchased the Cloete and Montebello residence he had acquired
Norwegian-born Ohlsson was a shrewd Mariendahl breweries he got additional years before along with the Cloete
businessman and politician. He first water rights to the Newlands Spring. Brewery. Shortly after his death, a new
ventured into the brewing industry in Ohlsson was a founder and major lager was released in his honour, one that
1881, founding the Anneberg Brewery shareholder of the Cape Town District bore his nickname, The Lion.
in Newlands. Today, Anneberg Road Waterworks Company and when it Ohlsson’s Cape Brewing and Union,
falls within the grounds of South African was sold to the Suburban Municipal as the company was then known,
College High School and sadly nothing Waterworks, Ohlsson is said to have continued until 1956, when it was taken
remains of the original brewery. secured a guarantee that his brewery over by South African Breweries. The old
Ohlsson went on to buy out the would receive 175 000 gallons of water brewhouse has of course been replaced
Cannon Brewery – whose building still free of charge each day from the Albion and upgraded many times since then,
This 1940s delivery van is on display outside
Early packing line circa 1900s the old malthouse Newlands Distillery and Brewery in the 1830s
18 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.zabut when tours of Newlands Brewery are counts a couple of commemorative beers requirements for the renovations. Part of
once again operating post-Covid, you in its range: Jacob’s Pale Ale is of course one wall, as well as the roof, had to be
can also take a peek into local brewing named for the site’s founder brewer, Jacob carefully removed in order to slide in the
history, including the malthouse and the Letterstedt and is based on a 150-year old brewery and tanks, then carefully rebuilt
19th-century building that once held recipe found within the Newlands Brewery under the watchful eye of the Heritage
Letterstedt’s brewery. archives, while Tribute Lager is brewed Council. The finished product is a shiny
In 2015 the old cellars, which date back in honour of Anders Ohlsson, who saw a brewhouse that serves as the perfect end
to the mid-19th century, received a revamp spring and built a brewing empire on it. to a tour through Newlands Brewery; a
when SAB installed a 2000-litre brewery to Installing Newlands Spring Brewing brewhouse where ales are once again
produce speciality beers under a separate Co. was not without its difficulties. Classed being brewed some 200 years from the
label. Newlands Spring Brewing Co. as a heritage building, there were strict very first time Letterstedt mashed in.
THE FIRST
NEWLANDS
BREWER?
Although Jan van Riebeeck tried his
hand at brewing almost as soon as
he landed at the Cape, his efforts
were largely unsuccessful. One of the
earliest mentions of another brewer
in Riebeeck’s diaries was Pieter
Visagie, a sailor from Antwerp. He
began brewing at his farmhouse east
of the Liesbeek River, using water
from the river for his beers. Historical
accounts suggest that the farm was
in Rondebosch, although it’s possible
Visagie was the very first brewer to
set up in Newlands back in 1657. Newlands Brewery staff in 1885
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www.bevplus.comFEATURE
South African-born Rob Jacobson cut his
teeth brewing macro lagers at SAB, but when
the chance arose to work as head brewer in a
historical UK brewery, he jumped on a plane
and swapped Castle for cask. Jeff Evans
quizzed him about the move.
20 | Autumn 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaB
ased in the quiet country different roles, from technical through to independent regional brewers produce a
town of Devizes, Wadworth management, I was quite keen on taking a different style of beer – cask ale – which
& Co. is as traditional a broader spectrum of work – raw materials you won't find as widespread anywhere
British brewery as you can right the way through to packaging. With else in the world. To be able take on
get. It brews mostly cask- the way roles are specialised in SAB, a more senior role with a much wider
conditioned ale, runs its that wouldn't have been possible at the scope of work, and seeing the change
own estate of pubs and even has a team time.” It seemed a good time to broaden that Wadworth was going through, it just
of shire horses that deliver beer around horizons. “I was recently married and, seemed like the right decision.”
the town. It would be understandable between myself and my wife, we were Brewing cask-conditioned ale, which
therefore if Rob Jacobson had suffered a very keen on the opportunity to travel and contains live yeast and enjoys a secondary
little from culture shock when he arrived work abroad,” he says. fermentation in the cask when it reaches
here as head brewer in 2018. the pub cellar, is certainly a different
Rob joined Wadworth from SAB’s brewing experience to producing filtered,
Newlands Brewery in Cape Town, having pressurised lagers, but Rob quickly
previously worked at the Rosslyn Brewery
in Pretoria. From a world of mostly
He's also pushing adapted. “In principle, everything's very
similar. For me it's around following a
huge-volume lager produced in a giant the innovation process and having systems is really
brewhouse, he now sits in the small head
brewer's office high in a rambling, red- button with a important. There was obviously some
learning but that was part of the
brick brewery built in 1885. The value of his continuous series of excitement in the move. The team here
appointment to Wadworth, which has an
eye on the rapidly-changing beer scene in experimental brews is unbelievable. I was received with open
arms and where I had gaps those have
the UK, is clear. “It was important for us not been filled really quickly.”
just to get a technically-qualified brewer So what changes has Rob brought
but somebody who gets the consumer bit to Wadworth? Well, a fresh eye on
and understands that what we brew has got procedures for a start. “Something we've
to be sold and be relevant to the market,” OLD TECHNIQUES, NEW CHALLENGES done over the last two years is look at all
says chief executive Chris Welham. But They settled on the UK as the ideal of our standard operating practices,” he
what was the lure for Rob? destination and things then moved very says. “We would question if they are up
“I had been with SAB for a number quickly. “From a brewer's perspective, it's to date. Could things be done better?
of years and was nearing a point where really exciting to have done large-scale How do we start challenging what we
I would take on a brewing manager's commercial brewing but now to also be are doing? This is always against the
role within a big brewery,” he explains. able to work in a completely different backdrop of how can we do that without
“Having been through a number of market space,” says Rob. “The UK’s fundamentally changing what we are.”FEATURE
A LITTLE
HISTORY
Wadworth is one of Britain’s
historic family breweries, based
in Wiltshire in the south-west
of England. It was founded in
1875 by Henry Wadworth, who
built today’s brewery in Devizes
in 1885. Its most famous beer,
6X, was first brewed in 1923 and
today Wadworth operates more
than 150 pubs, most of them
close to its home town. Charles
Bartholomew, a great-grandson
of Henry Wadworth’s brother-in-
law and business partner John
Smith Bartholomew, remains as
non-executive chairman of the
company.
CORONA CURVEBALL production of the core range of ales,
One such initiative was the new tasting and primarily the well-known best
panel he has set up. “Within quality bitter, 6X. But part of his remit is to
assurance we didn't have a trained respond to the market and so he's also
taste panel. We had people who were pushing the innovation button with a
probably very good but not formally continuous series of experimental brews.
trained. I thought that was a great “Something that we've done is put some
opportunity to get people engaged in focus on new product development,” he
the brewery, so we looked also toward says. “We did have seasonals but we're
the wider support staff,” Rob says. A really trying to supercharge that, so we
team was selected and trained in have what I call a feeder programme.
sensory analysis. They now meet once a Every month we produce some bespoke
week to discuss and dissect the beers. beer on the microbrewery that's two
“From there, the brewers review and and a half barrels (409 litres). That goes
say 'Right, where are the opportunities? down to one of our pubs for consumer
How do we get better?' It's all about feedback. We use different adjuncts,
challenging ourselves again towards different raw materials, potentially
continuous improvement.” different yeasts. We've done a range of
Earlier this year, Wadworth revealed different things that we would have never
plans to leave its ageing Victorian done previously. What I'm trying to work
brewhouse and move to a new purpose- toward is creating a portfolio that we are
built site elsewhere in Devizes. Those ready to draw on so that when we see the
plans have been placed on indefinite opportunity to start launching new stuff, it's
hold because of the Coronavirus crisis there and ready to go.”
but the equipment in current use, while That's all part of the joy of brewing in
in some areas getting a little creaky, is England for Rob. While appreciating what is
still totally functional. historic and traditional, he's very much part
“We manage to produce some great of the future of Wadworth, helping to take
beers. We've got some pretty fancy the company into a new age and securing
silverware so it can be done,” says Rob. its future, as he sees it, for the next 50–100
“We've got amazing engineers and years. That said, Rob continues to keep an
amazing brewers and the combined eye on what’s happening in his homeland.
experience really gets us to a place “My heart is very much tied to South Africa
where we are able to produce great beer and the friends and family who live there,”
on a consistent basis. So where we do says Rob. “I definitely keep a lateral eye
have potentially some challenges with on what’s happening within the industry
old kit, we've got great people to make and quietly drop into the odd taproom
sure that we can manage that.” to try out the beers when I’m back.” And
who knows, perhaps one day he’ll bring
MARRYING INNOVATION AND his recently acquired knowledge from a
TRADITION historical brewery to introduce some new,
Much of Rob's time involves the old concepts to the South African scene.
22 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaWHEN THE LOCKDOWN
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MOST IMPORTANT DRIVER OF BEER SALES IS BEEN SERVED A STALE
FACTOR IN CHOOSING A QUALITY (UP 10% YOY) OR OFF “PINT”
PUB IS BEER QUALITY
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WWW.GAP-DRAUGHT.COMWORLD
OF BEER
Coming from a country where he
considered Castle as king, Marnus Hattingh
found an experience with European
Trappist beers was a little like swopping
his lunchbox sarmies for a Jamie Oliver
creation. We join him on a Belgian beer tour
in search of some abdijbiere.
24 | Autumn 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaT
hrough an intricate Today only a handful of monasteries still It took some three hours to reach the abbey of
link involving Tintin, brew their own beer on site. In fact, since Maredsous, a large monastery set on top of a
the Aussie rock band a set of rules was set up in the modern era hill in the middle of a quiet forest. Maredsous
Midnight Oil, and the to control what constitutes a Trappist beer is not a Trappist brewery, but I stopped at the
historical connection (very much like our own “estate wines” are Gothic-like abbey to stretch the legs, walk in
between Afrikaans and regulated), only 14 abbeys – all from the the tranquil grounds, taste the pater’s cheese
Dutch, many years ago Trappist order – qualify as makers of true and, of course, sip on a Maredsous Bruin,
I became pen pals with Trappist beer. And six of those are dotted the brewery’s dubbel, full of dried fruit and
a guy from Antwerpen in northern Flanders, across Belgium. caramel flavours.
Belgium. And so, on a visit to his hometown, When a recent work trip to Holland
we went out for a drink. Sometime later provided an opportunity to stay behind in ACQUIRING NEW TASTES
someone shoved a bowl-shaped beer glass Europe for a couple of days, I got myself a The road meandered further south into the
into my hand and uttered those immortal car, brought out the paper maps and plotted green hills for an hour, after which I parked
words of the late evening partygoer: try this. in front of an abbey called Orval, secluded
I did, and was hooked. It was a Westmalle in a remote valley. It’s a big complex of
Dubbel, a highly decorated Belgian beer buildings, and next door the shop is filled
brewed by monks behind the walls of with souvenirs, while a modern cafeteria
their picturesque abbey rebuilt in the early provides a comprehensive menu including
20th-century. Dark in colour, with a rich
complexity, it was quite an awakening for Light enough for something sought after by beer lovers. Orval
is famous for producing just one beer, but at
someone used to South Africa’s pale lagers.
Belgium is very much a Catholic country,
a devout monk the abbey you can taste the patersbier, Orval
Vert, named for the green glass it was once
and in some of the denominations it is to sip on and still bottled in. I preferred it to the classic Orval,
considered a virtue for the abbey to be self-
reliant. Of course, to live a quiet life and pray
continue his day whose characteristic dryness and complex
tartness take some getting used to.
seven times a day is valued as well. But to be of praying Next up was the abbey of Rochefort,
self-sufficient – to grow your own vegetables, half an hour’s drive away. The abbey is less
tend to the chickens and pigs, farm honey, a three-day road trip across Belgium, linking commercialised and has no shop of its own,
and bake bread – that is the ultimate calling. five of the country’s Trappist breweries, but you can buy their beers from one of the
plus one of its most famous “abbey beers”. cafes in the nearby village of the same name.
A BEERY PILGRIMAGE Unfortunately the Achel monastery in the far As with the famous Rochefort cheese, the
Beer has long been a part of monastic life. northeast) slipped off my radar and agenda, beer is an acquired taste, particularly for
With water from the local streams not meaning I’m destined to recreate the in full someone used to the simplicity of a light
always of the best quality, the monks treated one day. lager. I don’t mess around though and opt for
it with barley, herbs, a rigorous boil and of I picked my car up at Amsterdam’s a Rochefort 10, the 11.3% ABV quadrupel
course, a period of fermentation to make Schiphol airport, then dashed on the highway which is filled with aromas of dried fig and
it into something they could offer as safe south, crossing the border into Belgium just flavours of chocolate and caramel.
refreshment to visiting pilgrims. In some north of Antwerpen, then headed all the way My first beer stop the next morning was
abbeys, beers were even considered as part of down to the Ardenne in the southeast of Scourmont Abbey, where the Chimay beers
each monk’s daily ration, together with friar Wallonia, Belgium’s French speaking corner. are brewed under strict supervision of the
Bernoldus’ basket of eggs, honey and bread. It’s a leafy, hilly, farmland area of the country. monks, still using only water from two wells
The stately entrance to the La Trappe abbey, where you can take a delightful beer tour Prayers to the left, pints to the right
ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 25WORLD
OF BEER
Orval's iconic bowling pin-shaped bottles waiting to be filled (image by J.P. Remy) Chimay beer and cheese tasting platter
within their grounds. I immediately order beers has become as legendary as the beer
a Chimay Gold, the monastery’s patersbier. itself. You can only buy their beers by first
Lighter than other Trappist brews, the making a call to the paters to reserve a
patersbier was traditionally brewed for the crate for you – and nothing more. Volume
monks’ own use each day – with an alcohol is strictly monitored, and the monks only
level of around 4% ABV, it was considered sell to individuals, as no shop may sell their
light enough for a devout monk to sip on and beers. Plus you must come and collect it in
still continue his day of praying. person, providing the licence plate of the
The beer was good, but I liked their cheese vehicle you’ll be driving in advance.
more. I opted for their smaller platter, which Of course, there is a loophole, with the
featured four cheeses – Blue, Red, Vieux and café across the road from the brewery selling
Doré. The Doré is the mildest of the four, so six-packs of the three beers – the blonde, the
The Maredsous abbey has quite the I started with that, working my way through 10 and the legendary 12 – on a first-come,
playful character the stronger Vieux and Red and finishing first served basis. Sadly, it is a Friday when
with the Blue’s sharp and tangy taste. The I visit and I find the café closed. Until my
Vieux was my favourite, as a Gouda lover, next trip I will have to take it from beer
and I found it paired perfectly with the slight lovers around the world that this beer offers
sweetness of a bottle of Chimay Rouge. an other-worldly experience.
A BEER OF LEGEND HOPPPING OVER TO HOLLAND
A two-hour drive west to the coast of West With the disappointment behind me, it
Flanders followed. From French speaking was time for the third and last leg of my
Wallonia’s beautiful greenery and hills to Belgian beer dash. I headed northeast,
the flatlands of West Flanders’ coastline, the back to Antwerpen, where I swung by the
views were bleak and uninspiring. Luckily Westmalle Abbey for a glass of dark brown,
The Orval beerglass resembles a the Beemer ate up the kilometres in silence fully flavoured Westmalle Dubbel: one of my
traditional goblet. along the gloomy road as I drove past large favourites. The final drive took me across the
cemeteries filled with small, white crosses – a border into the neighbouring Netherlands for
stark reminder of the trench warfare of the a relaxing lunch and beer tour at the abbey of
First World War where thousands lost their Koningshoeven, better known by the name of
lives in this corner of the world. its beer label, La Trappe.
As you drive through the village of Both Westmalle and La Trappe have large,
Vleteren, a sign the size of a pencil case points modern cafeterias serving food and beer and
you towards “Wes-Vleteren Abdij”. Zig zag it is quite the occasion for locals in each
past suburban houses and you arrive at a town to come out and have a brunch of beers
nondescript entrance. This is the Abbey of St and wafels.
Sixtus, home of the Westvleteren 12, often In a small country that produces over 400
hailed the best beer in the world. It is simply different types of beers, the monasteries form
amazing and a tribute to the monks and their an essential part of the Belgian beer culture.
quest for silent devotion and a renouncement You’ve done the Cape Wine Route. Next time
of worldly things that the maker of the you’re lucky enough to be in Europe, treat
so-called world’s best beer is virtually yourself to something completely different
invisible in its complete absence of any and sign up for a beer tour – just try and
Entrance to Scourmont Abbey, home of
advertising or branding. travel with a designated driver so that you
the monks that brew Chimay
The process of purchasing Westvleteren can take full advantage of the brews.
26 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.zaYou can also read
