OnTap Magazine

I join for the end of the brew, where the banter is as thick as the steam rolling out of the brewhouse. Hotel manager Peter Wagener is a real character, flitting between English and German as the mood takes him. He has a great rapport with Axi and they exchange bilingual wisecracks, laughing at themselves and each other. Hailing from Germany, Axi has as intriguing a back story as any brewer, which he recounts as we continue to work our way through the Roof range. Originally from Germany, Axi arrived in Namibia on his Wanderjahre . This 1000-year-old German tradition sees travelling artisans spending three years and one day wandering the world to gain work experience in a sort of gap year-meets-apprenticeship set up. The Wandergesellen – or journeymen – move from place to place offering their skills in carpentry, roofing and metalwork and it is this that brought Axi to Roof of Africa. Upstairs, some of his intricate handiwork is on show in the form of cabinets used to store the restaurant’s impressivewhisky selection. But Alex has long since completed his three-year stint and swapped carpentry for brewing, winning a number of medals for the wide range of beers brewed on site. With the brew day complete and the beer safely transferred to the fermenter, we finally grab some food as we sit on the terrace and continue to tackle Roof’s sizable repertoire, which includes an IPA and a Weissbier alongside lagers in every hue and strength. The conversation flicks between German and English, but from its big beer brands playing heavily on their Reinheitsgebot roots to the handful of microbreweries here that all celebrate Weissbier and Pilsner and Helles, it is obvious where Namibia’s beer allegiance lies. And in one department, Namibia has Germany beat, for the weather here sure is more conducive to polishing off a few pints of lager. LAND OF THIRST Bar stool takes on a new meaning at Joe's Beerhouse Welcome to Joe's THIRSTY FOR MORE? THOLCH BREW Based in Windhoek, Tholch is run by three brothers. They produce an IPA, Helles and an American wheat beer. You’ll find their beers at select liquor stores in the capital and at certain weekend markets. SKELETON COAST BREWERY Skeleton Coast Brewery A nanobrewery based in Henties Bay, 70km north of Swakopmund. Call first to make sure they’re open. 38 | Autumn 2024 | ontapmag.co.za