OnTap Magazine

ON THE HOP Musgrave. eir agship is at APA, a beer that showcases American hops and boasts what big breweries like to call ‘repeat drinkability’. at Good AdWeiss is also a solid sipper, or check out one of the limited release brews you’ll usually nd on tap alongside the core range. You’ll need a designated driver for the next leg of the journey. e Kloof region is about 30 minutes from Durban central and is home to Nguni Brewing Co. and Stumpnose Brewery . Nguni doesn’t have a tasting room that’s open to the public, but their Premium – a pale lager – is usually on tap at Stumpnose. Stumpnose is one of those places where you pop in for a pint and end up wanting to spend the afternoon. e star of their line-up is the Endless Summer APA, but I’d highly recommend also ordering tasters of e Fisherman IPA, Squid ink Stout and whatever experimental brews are on tap at the time. ere’s simple bar food on the menu and a small bottle store selling a range of KZN craft. A winding 20-minute drive takes you deep into the Valley of 1000 Hills, where you can check a bunch of breweries o your list. It’s best to visit on a Saturday, when the tiny tasting room at Yng Gns Brewery is open. e friendly father/ son team produce sessionable beers on a tiny scale – de nitely worth a visit. Nearby is the long- running Standeaven Brewery . You can’t visit the brewery itself, but you can taste their wares at the Saturday morning Shongweni Farmers’ Market, held at Shongweni Resource Reserve from 6.30am-12.30pm. e anchor brewery in the region is 1000 Hills Brewing Company , now a collaborative brewery with beers from Clockwork Brewhouse and Doctrine Brewing also produced and served here. Clear your afternoon and taste your way through the range while sampling as much as you can from the innovative food menu, all cooked up by the on-site culinary school’s students. SLEEP Durban doesn’t have any lack of options when it comes to nding a place to stay. We stayed north of the city at the Royal Sibaya . For a family getaway it’s ideal – a large pool for swimming laps or simply splashing about, lush green lawns to run around on, a range of restaurants from fast food joints to something a little fancier and cheeky vervet monkeys swinging in the trees. Kids of course are not allowed on the casino oor, but they’ll love tallying up their tokens in the on-site arcade (and let’s be honest, so will you). It makes for a perfect break with the right combination of relaxation, entertainment and that splash of luxury that you so deserve right now. If you’re in the 1000 Hills region, you might well want something within walking distance of what should probably be your last stop of the day, 1000 Hills Brewing Company. PheZulu Safari Park is 900m away and has guest rooms and self-catering chalets as well as hiking trails, Segway tours, game drives and a reptile park within the grounds. Durban Brewing Co. has opened a cool taproom that shares space with a bunch of pop up restaurants Nguni doesn't yet have a tasting facility, but they recently started canning their range No trip to Durbs is complete without bunny chow 36 | Autumn 2021 | ontapmag.co.za