OnTap Magazine

CRAIG CLAASSEN HOMEBRU T he very nature of brewing is to blend various expressive elements; like taking a hop flower and boiling it to release various oils which imparts bitterness to sugars that has been extracted from malts by the process of mashing. Then there is yeast, selected for the flavours they produce. The alcohol warmth (or lack thereof) also contributes flavour and body to the final product. One forgets what is most important, the grains, the hops, the yeast or the alcohol. How one goes about combining the various ingredients, is how you achieve a particular style, a set of rules. Take the humble International Pale Lager, understated, crisp and designed to be inoffensive and easy drinking. Compare that to an American IPA, bold in its citrussy (and other) aromas and flavours, balanced on a sweet, yet not overpowering malt bill. The two beers are completely different, yet start off in the same way. So where do we get the rules for how to brew these different styles? Waldo Emmerson, said, “Every artist was first an amateur.” South Africa is young in comparison to the rest of the world’s craft beer scene, but with a massive appetite for beer and a fairly active homebrewing PABLO PICASSO ONCE SAID: “LEARN THE RULES LIKE A PRO SO YOU CAN BREAK THEM LIKE AN ARTIST.” 46 | Autumn 2023 | ontapmag.co.za