OnTap Magazine

32 | Autumn 2019 | ontapmag.co.za ON THE HOP WEEKEND SPECIAL We’re not just here for the birdsong though – we also – surprise, surprise – came for the beer. It’s a short but steep hike up to the brewery, past the sheep sheds and the wedding venue. The brewery sits behind the bar for all to see, but as much as I love shiny kettles and simmering mash tuns, I opt to look in the other direction. Zwakala is pretty and the owners know it. Large windows look out onto the bush or you can take your pint out on to the lawn if you want to zwakala to nature. I opt for a Weekend Special. It is one of the only commercially available white IPAs in South Africa and it is excellent. A touch of bubblegum and clove are followed up with citrus fruit and a lingering perfume- like note from the addition of lemongrass. It’s the perfect beer for a special weekend at a very special brewery. We take a case of Zwakala with us as we head for the Kruger and spend the next couple of days sipping Naked Ale and Limpopo Lager at the end of a hard day’s wildlife watching. By the time we emerge from the park, we have a crate of clanking empties and a hankering for another local pint. The closest watering hole to the Kruger is Sabie Brewery, whose deck overlooking the main road is a pleasant place to stop for a quick lunch and a tasting tray of the six beers, each named for a local icon. I love the fact that they’ve picked gold rush-era barmaid-turned- prostitute-turned-madam, Cockney Liz, as the face of their “Wild Card” beer, a rotating brew that is meant to represent Liz’s unpredictable nature. Sadly, there’s no wild card on tap when we visit, so I settle instead for half a Glynn’s Gold, a simple but satisfying English ale. Like Limpopo, Mpumalanga has a mere sprinkling of breweries. But it does have, in my opinion, one of the finest little brewpubs in the country: Anvil Ale House. Anvil opened in 2010, but brewer Theo de Beer has been in the business far, far longer. He’s been homebrewing for decades and successfully ran nearby Hops Hollow Brewery before moving to Dullstroom and opening Anvil. A BREWING LEGEND “Uncle Theo”, as he is often known in the industry, is a bit of a brewing legend in South Africa. Known for his no-nonsense attitude and his meticulous approach to brewing, he produces some of the best, most consistent beers in the country. His Mjölnir IPA has won several medals, both locally and in international competitions, and his Black Anvil oatmeal stout is the perfect brew for a wintry afternoon in chilly Dullstroom. But we are here in summer and it is Uncle Theo’s White Anvil that we seek – a Belgian style witbier with naartjie peel that offers a delicate, complex and utterly refreshing way to spend a day in Dullstroom. Although he’s clearly earned it, it makes me sad to learn that Uncle Theo is planning to retire this year and that this might be the last time we get to visit Anvil while it is still under his fastidious care. When you think of taking a beer trip, you might picture the kind of town that has a dozen brewpubs within walking distance, or a region where you can hop between half a dozen microbreweries on your air conditioned minibus. In Limpopo and Mpumalanga, there are drives of at least 100km between the craft breweries, but that doesn’t really matter. These aren’t the sort of places that you pop into for a quick pint anyway. These are the sort of places that you want to linger for hours, or perhaps days, getting to know the brewers, getting well acquainted with the beers. And yes, where cell reception and electricity supply allow, they’re the sort of places that you want to post about on Instagram or Facebook with a caption along the lines of “Not been here yet? Shame, man.” If you’re looking for liquid refreshment in the northernmost provinces, here are five further breweries to seek out. FANCY ANOTHER? 1 This nanobrewery near Bela Bela in Limpopo serves a wide range of dependable beers plus excellent pizzas. L’ABRI FOUNTAIN Based on the Long Tom Pass between Lydenburg and Sabie, Hops Hollow offers country accommodation on site in case you have one too many. 4 HOPS HOLLOW Found in a strip mall in Middelburg, Big Buddies serves a small selection of beers brewed on site, as well as a meaty menu with everything cooked over coals. 3 BIG BUDDIES BBQ & BREWING CO Found in the far south of Mpumalanga in Wakkerstroom, you can’t visit Owl and Hare’s brewery but you’ll find the beers at the town’s hotel and the Mucky Duck Pub & Grub. 5 OWL AND HARE Based at the Lake Umuzi waterfront in Secunda, the brewery is based at Eish Restaurant, which serves South African specialities and boasts an impressive kids’ play area. 2 LAKE UMUZI