Beer and variety

Bob-Dubery · 2011-07-02T05:59:29+00:00

We recently moved house. I'd made a habit of using a particular bottle store in Northcliff because it stocked the locally brewed Drayman's brews. Quite good,...

Beer and variety

Psean

X-rated Bob wrote: Coming up at Maboneng: Urban Craft Beer fest, 3 August.

Thanks

BluJu

Reading this thread while drinking a Darling Bone Crusher. Nice!

Bob-Dubery

The Smack! Republic brewery in Maboneng is now open. The only day they are open for sales to the public at present is Sunday, market day. The brewery is adjacent to the main market hall and sign posted from that hall.

They have three brews, but don't always have them all on tap.

They do bottle their beers, but aren't supplying bottle stores yet.

Psean

Oh, and anyone had anything from The Standeaven Brewery? http://www.thestandeavenbrewery.co.za/
I saw some of their beers in the Linden bottle store. Didn't get any though - got some CBC stuff.

EDIT:

X-rated Bob wrote: Well what's a guitar forum for if one can't talk about beer?

OK... I had a chance to expand my repertoire again on a recent trip to Durban.
... I washed the bunny down with a pint of Standevan African Pale Ale which is brewed with a very high percentage of home grown barley. IMO they got this one wrong as the hops, quite perfumey, overpower everything else - but if you like that blossomy hop flavour (and nose!) then this might do the job for you. I recently had the Standevan weisse which was pretty good, but these are not cheap beers.

Thought I recognised the name - anyway it's available in JHB now.

rikus

Psean wrote:

Oh, and anyone had anything from The Standeaven Brewery? http://www.thestandeavenbrewery.co.za/
I saw some of their beers in the Linden bottle store. Didn't get any though - got some CBC stuff.

EDIT:
X-rated Bob wrote: Well what's a guitar forum for if one can't talk about beer?

OK... I had a chance to expand my repertoire again on a recent trip to Durban.
... I washed the bunny down with a pint of Standevan African Pale Ale which is brewed with a very high percentage of home grown barley. IMO they got this one wrong as the hops, quite perfumey, overpower everything else - but if you like that blossomy hop flavour (and nose!) then this might do the job for you. I recently had the Standevan weisse which was pretty good, but these are not cheap beers.

Thought I recognised the name - anyway it's available in JHB now.

Why of why can't we have stuff like this in Cape Town? :'( During my last trip to the states I discovered that I love IPA! I've been trying to track down some locally, but without success...

Psean

Rikus wrote: Why of why can't we have stuff like this in Cape Town? :'( During my last trip to the states I discovered that I love IPA! I've been trying to track down some locally, but without success...

You have many good breweries in Cape Town.

And you have an IPA day:

On Thursday, Aug. 1, join beer enthusiasts, breweries and bars across the globe in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India pale ale. Come enjoy 9 craft IPA's over some live music at the Camps Bay Sports Club. Limited tickets available.

rikus

Psean wrote:
Rikus wrote: Why of why can't we have stuff like this in Cape Town? :'( During my last trip to the states I discovered that I love IPA! I've been trying to track down some locally, but without success...
You have many good breweries in Cape Town.

And you have an IPA day:

On Thursday, Aug. 1, join beer enthusiasts, breweries and bars across the globe in a collective toast to one of craft beer’s most iconic styles: the India pale ale. Come enjoy 9 craft IPA's over some live music at the Camps Bay Sports Club. Limited tickets available.

Awesome! Thanks for the link!!

Getting the craft beers out in the 'burbs can be a bit of a mission, but that's not really an excuse!

Psean

2013 Craft Beer dates for CT, JHB and DBN:
http://www.thecraftbeerproject.co.za/festivals-events-future/2013-beer-festivals-south-africa/

Bob-Dubery

Some necro-posting to while away the time until Smith declares (which he surely must as he needs a win rather more than Clarke does and thus he needs to make a game of it).

The local is now stocking the now hideously expensive Nottingham Road in blikkies. I am not hostile towards that beer, but since they switched from bottles to tins the price per ml (or per liter) has gone up substantially. Also they have Copperlake, Lakeside (not the same thing) still have the CBC coming in, the full range of Devil's Peak beers, two brews from Citizen, and three or four from Jack Black (the Skeleton Coast is quite tasty). Oh... and some beers under the Wild Beast banner.

The latter seem to me to be quite well suited to people who cling to the old fashioned theory that you haven't had a PROPER beer unless you wake up with a stinking hangover. Their red ale is not bad, but I had one and woke up with a bit of a sore head the next morning. 6% ABV. Beware!

CBC and Draymans are pretty reasonably priced. Citizen is not going to break the bank, but some of these local craft beers are starting to hit the piggy bank quite hard.

I was offered this explanation a while back. It's all down to stricter and more effective enforcement of DUI laws, especially in the W Cape and KZN. The theory goes that an oke used to go out and knock back 8 or 9 Castles in a night. Now I'm not going to get snotty about Castle and start a fight but let's face it, unless that stuff is ice cold it's pretty foul on the tongue (other SAB products are about the same quality). But now said oke is worried about having a chat with the constabulary on the way home. So he does one of two things:
1) He catches taxis or joins one of these "drive me home" clubs. Not cheap, but cheaper than bribery.
2) He tries to get through a night out on less beer - but the stuff he's accustomed to drinking becomes problematic as if he takes it slower it warms up a little and the full horror is revealed. So he drinks craft beers because they actually taste a lot better, even if you are sipping on them which gives them time to warm up a little. But now the breweries and the pubs have to make the same profit out of 2 beers that they used to make out of 6. So the prices get jacked up. This is called free enterprise.

Anyway, the good news is that there are now LOTS of options. The not so good news is that an awful lot of them are starting to taste a bit the same. There's a very hoppy pale ale style that seems to be becoming popular. Several breweries do it now and they all seem to use the same hops and about the same dosage (IE pretty high). I have nothing against a pale ale on principle, but why do they all need to do taste the same? But not everybody goes that route: Tthe Draymans IPA is quite a lot like an English IPA, bitter but differently bitter than the competing brews. Darling, as far as I can see, don't even offer an IPA (English or otherwise).

It's Friday.

Just saying.

Bob-Dubery

PS. Odd Café in Greenside have a reasonable range of craft beers, including Butcher's Block on tap. AND they have pretty fab burgers (Their babelas burger is cheese and bacon but the cheese is haloumi. Yummy!). So that establishment has it's charms.

Stoffeltoo

I am not a bucket brewer but have colleagues who started small a couple of years ago. Last year they took the SAB award at the Clarence beer festival for the best stout. They specialise in malt, weiss and buchu beer. Njam!

Psean

Stoffeltoo wrote: I am not a bucket brewer but have colleagues who started small a couple of years ago. Last year they took the SAB award at the Clarence beer festival for the best stout. They specialise in malt, weiss and buchu beer. Njam!

The Dog and Fig?

Stoffeltoo

Yes! best beer in this region! I also had the good fortune of meeting the guys that played with Bachus Nel at the fest. A great bunch and very enjoyable songs.

Psean

Stoffeltoo wrote: Yes! best beer in this region! I also had the good fortune of meeting the guys that played with Bachus Nel at the fest. A great bunch and very enjoyable songs.

Cool ?
I've had their stuff a couple of times. It's good. Had it on tap and also organised a few bottles. The Buchu was one of my favourites.

Psean

V8

Neeccrrrooo-post!

I've been sampling a bunch of craft beers the last week and came across http://www.agarsbrewery.co.za/index.php/our-beer. The "English Special Bitter" is a fav, but the Red Ale and American Pale Ale were also to my taste.

Anyone else tried them?

I also found that Darling Brewery are doing a black Wit beer "Silverback", that's along with the old fav "Bonecrusher" were rather enjoyable :? Tried out a few pilsener's as well -surprisingly - Hansa is still a contender...

While I was shoppng, I saw Peak Organic, it's a import from America? Anyone tried any of that yet?

deebee

I've been brewing my own beer for the last 7 months - - -m-u-u-u-u-ch cheaper, and interesting with all the different types available.
Buying empty bottles is pricey, so, if you go to a rock fest like i did at Hillcrest, i got all of my friends and relatives to put all their empties in a few plastic bags that i took along, and hey presto, enuff'' bottles for ever. Wash and disinfect - and you are A-for away. ?

morph

V8 wrote: that's along with the old fav "Bonecrusher" were rather enjoyable :?

Had one of them the other day at Die Damhuis in Melkbos, very nice, except the R62 per bottle cost ??? ?

DaFiz

I luv beer and have tried many imports.
I prefer the Windhoek lager as even some of the imports are too sweet.
Just about my most favourite ever is the Bosun's Bitter...
Made right here in Cape Town by Mitchell's Brewery. 8)

V8

Greg Perkins wrote:
V8 wrote: that's along with the old fav "Bonecrusher" were rather enjoyable :?
Had one of them the other day at Die Damhuis in Melkbos, very nice, except the R62 per bottle cost ??? ?

Eeek - They're a bit cheaper at the Darling Taproom (www.darlingbrew.co.za)...I think around R30 last I was there. Only snag was I was driving, mollified by a four-pack take-out!

Tried a few more brews last nite, the Darling Xmas Ltd (nutmeg & cinnamon lager - ewwww :-\), Brew Dog California Pale Ale (Yum!), a coupla Duvel's (I prefer the Bonecrusher).

DaFiz wrote: Made right here in Cape Town by Mitchell's Brewery. 8)

Not sure Mitchell's still brewed in Cape Town, last I read (https://mitchellsbreweryct.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/raising-our-glasses-to-2012/), they had a new brewery in Knysna. Hmm, perhaps time to re-re-remind myself with a taster at Ferryman's. Good thing the BRT goes past my house!