OnTap Magazine

K waZulu-Natal has the Midlands Meander, Mpumalanga the Panorama Route, the Western Cape has several wine wanders and even the dusty Northern Cape invites visitors to explore its Red Dune Route. Tourists have long been indulging in the Eastern Cape’s natural beauty and adventure activities. However, the province only recently officially launched their craft beer route in partnership with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board. The route leads travellers by the tastebuds, as they sip their way along the Sunshine Coast, and in addition to craft breweries, it features a small scale wine producer and a few gin distilleries. The route begins in Storms River Village at the Tsitsikamma Micro Brewery, set next to Marilyn’s 50s Diner, with its jukebox, classic cars and black-and-white checkerboard floor. It makes its way along the coastline – with two slight inland detours at Makhanda and Hogsback – before ending in Chintsa. The coastal section stretches over 500 kilometres, providing a craft beer pilgrimage for thirsty travellers. For those who don’t have time to cover all the territory in a single trip, it’s best to focus on clusters of breweries along the way. MEETING A MASTER I started my tour in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), where two breweries sit close together in a quirky industrial area in Baakens Valley. Happily for those who have left the car keys behind, Bridge Street Brewery and Richmond Hill Brewing Company are within easy staggering distance of each other. Lex Mitchell, the brewmaster at Bridge Street and one of the founding fathers of craft beer in South Africa, took our group through his brewing process before we got to taste his handiwork. He refers to the craft beer that he makes as “real beer” – all-malt beer with natural ingredients that is “unfiltered, unpasteurised and naturally carbonated.” I took a liking to the Boar’s Head, a full- bodied traditional British ale. It’s a dark and malty beer with a complex caramel flavour and subtle, earthy notes from the addition of Fuggles hops from England. The Black Dragon Stout, with its coffee character, was also a winner. “It goes very well with chocolate,” said Lex. “I’m very happy to eat any chocolate while I’m drinking stout. In fact, all beer goes well with chocolate.” A LOCAL LEGEND At nearby Richmond Hill, owner and brewer Niall Cook explained each beer to us, as we tasted a variety of lagers and ales including a special edition spiced pumpkin brew, which gets released in October each year. Based on the concept of pumpkin pie, the beer focuses on the spices added to the traditional American dessert rather than pumpkin itself, with hints of nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon wafting from the glass. My favourite tasting of the day was the Car Park John, an amber ale that’s brewed to celebrate local surfing legend John Scheepers. “John is famous for spending time in the car parks at Hobie Beach and Avalanche, watching the waves and sharing tips with young surfers,” said Niall. It has passion fruit and guava notes, malty sweetness of caramel toffee and a lovely dry finish. I also discovered Richmond Hill’s dry, alcoholic lemonade, Jane Doe – a grown-up take on the popular soft drink. From Gqeberha we headed to Chintsa, along roads lined with milkwood, where we visited Emerald Vale Brewery. Owner and brewer Chris Heaton established the brewery in 2012, after tasting craft beer in Port Elizabeth and deciding to try his hand at making his own. His beers include a pale ale; a golden ale, which is slightly sweeter and more robust; an amber ale with its coffee and toffee notes and a dark ale that’s less bitter than a regular stout. The venue has grown to include a family- friendly restaurant and is a hub for hiking, trail running and mountain biking. We rounded off our trip with a visit to Table 58 in East London. Here, Linda Mynhardt explained that the brewery applies the German purity law to its brewing process and uses only barley, hops, yeast and water, with no herbs, spices, fruit, sugars or other grains added to their beers. Table 58 produces a lager, weissbier, pilsner, porter and IPA as well as a gin, in a setting that’s perfect for eating and drinking the day away. The wooden deck offers a sheltered outdoor section as well as an open area ringed by palm and willow trees, where vervet monkeys hop mischievously from branch to branch. The ambiance, reminiscent of a German beer garden, provided the ideal venue to wrap up our beer tasting mission – at least for this trip. BEYOND THE BREWERIES The list of attractions in the Eastern Cape reads like a bucket list that could keep you going for years. Some highlights, within reasonable proximity to a craft brewery, include segway tours in the Tsitsikamma Forest and Untouched A setting that’s perfect for eating and drinking the day away The route leads travellers by the tastebuds Lex Mitchell founded SA's first microbrewery, Mitchell's, in 1983 and now heads up Bridge Street Brewery in Gqeberha As well as the regular ales like Two Rand Man and Car Park John, Richmond Hill produces limited edition beers such as November Child and Just a Bit More. Taste Bridge Street Brewery's craft beers outside in a relaxed and appealing setting. Images by Elise Kirsten ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2022 | 35