OnTap Magazine

U mqombothi isanendangered species. It is perhaps an odd thing to say about a foodstuff, but despite the enhanced interest in beer culture in South Africa in recent years, traditional beer is on the critical list. Literally. In 2017, the Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity recognised umqombothi for its cultural importance and, noting its gradual decline in popularity, added it to the Ark of Taste, an initiative that seeks to champion and preserve global culinary heritage. Umqombothi has been around for centuries and more likely, millennia. Its early history is undocumented but just one look at the thick, sorghum-based brew would transport beer historians happily back in time, its recipe likely having a lot in common with the porridge-like beers immortalised in hieroglyphics. Traditional African beer has little in common with its modern day counterpart. It is not golden, amber or copper, but a tough-to-describe shade of grey-pink. It is not clear and is in fact unfiltered to the extent that pieces of grain remain in suspension, providing a beer that you part sip, part chew. Uncarbonated, murky, thick, sour and low in alcohol, it’s like every craft beer trend of the past two years merged together in a single glass. Except of course, umqombothi is not served in a glass. INTUITIVE BREWING As you would expect from a beverage with an ancient – if largely untold – history, drinking umqombothi isn’t as simple as just grabbing a pint, toasting and sipping away. This beer comes with ritual, and those rituals begin on brew day. As was once the case pretty much the world over, brewing traditional African beer is the domain of women. Recipes and rites are passed down from mother to daughter, aunt to niece, grandmother to granddaughter. Those recipes vary between families and regions, and they seldom, if ever come with the kind of technical precision today’s brewers utilise. You won’t find a thermometer, a refractometer or hydrometer at an umqombothi brew day, and none are needed, for modern- day brewing gadgets cannot compete with centuries of acquired learning; with the trained nose and eye of an expert brewer who knows exactly what her beer should look, smell and feel like even if she doesn’t know the pH or the exact fermentation temperature. The process takes about five days and begins with just three ingredients: malted sorghum, maize meal and water. Once upon a time, the grain bill would likely have been comprised of sorghum alone, or perhaps a blend of sorghum and millet. Maize arrived in South Africa in the 17th century with Portuguese explorers, eventually making its way into brewing vessels. Much like its use in macro-brewery lagers, maize helps boost alcohol content without contributing much in the way of flavour or body. In umqombothi it makes for a smoother, paler beer and today it is usually used alongside sorghum. Whichever grains are chosen, the first step in the process is the mash – that is, steeping grains in warm water. This leads the lactobacillus bacteria found naturally on the grain to produce lactic acid, which provides the characteristic tang of umqombothi. On day two the porridge-like mixture is boiled and before it moves to the fermentation stage, bowls are often scooped off, sprinkled with sugar and given to children as a nutritious, belly- filling meal called umhiqo. The rest of the soon-to-be-beer cools overnight, with an extra dose of sorghum added to kick-start fermentation. DRINKING RITUALS Traditionally, umqombothi is a wild- fermented beer, meaning that domesticated yeast isn’t added. Instead fermentation relies on the wild yeasts found on the sorghum. Some Like every craft beer trend of the past two years merged together in a single glass While many local beers naturally follow international examples, a growing number of South African brewers are looking into local history to inspire their next brew, in a trend that is sure to define a brand new local style. Taste a blend of past and future in the following beers: FEATHERSTONE IBHIYA Released on South African National Beer Day, iBhiya blends the sour mash of umqombothi with a pale ale base, using wheat and sorghum alongside malt. Both are then boiled together, seasoned with SA hops and fermented as normal. You can find the full recipe on Featherstone’s website if you want to try it at home. SOUL BARREL X TOLOKAZI WILD AFRICAN SOUL The first commercial beer to actually blend a freshly fermented batch of umqombothi with what is generally known as “clear beer”. This second version features umqombothi blended with coolship-fermented saison and then refermented in oak. TOLOKAZI SORGHUM PILSNER Using 10% sorghum in the grain bill, Tolokazi’s pilsner is a huge hit, to the extent that it was recently brewed in Europe and distributed by UK craft beer club Beer52. UKHAMBA UTYWALA SAISON The first local beer seeking to marry African tradition with modern-day craft, Utywala uses 40% sorghum alongside malted barley to create a mildly funky, slightly tart and very drinkable saison. INSPIRED BY TRADITION ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2022 | 21