OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2019 | 1 From The Editor I n the last issue of On Tap I wrote about 2018 being South African craft beer's annus horribilis . Sales were down, in- ghting was on the up, competition for taps and fridge space began to get in the way of friendships and while a few breweries opened, many more closed. Brewers entered 2019 with trepidation. e economy is still struggling and while new years are often used to signify new starts, alas in business, putting up a new calendar cannot suddenly make everything better. But despite the slack sales and dreaded closures, this year the craft beer community is largely full of nothing but positive energy, of smiles and well-wishing and that marvellous catch-all term that has no reliable translation in the English of my homeland, gees . I too was down-in-the-dumps about the local beer scene last year, but following successful events like Drifter's Ocean-Aged Tripel launch, the opening of a number of new Gauteng taprooms and the somewhat legendary unveiling of Soul Barrel's seven-way collab, spirits of late have been remarkably high. Despite the many possible woes, beer events seem to feature more hugs than a montage episode of Friends , and never was this truer than on South African National Beer Day. I read more than one comment proclaiming that the night before SANBeerDay felt like Christmas Eve and indeed the vibe both in person and on social media throughout the day only heightened the festive spirit. e whole industry just lately has made me feel so optimistic and lucky to be a part of this thing and I truly hope that the energy I've been experiencing spills over onto the pages of this issue. We're bringing you two bucket list tales, a tour of the country's northernmost breweries, a guide to making your brewery stand out in the market and a disproportionate amount of articles on a beer style that is as divisive as it is exciting: Gose. Enjoy the mag, and long live the gees, Only good things Cheers! Lucy Corne EDITOR @LucyCorne