OnTap Magazine

Letter from the Editor A s I sit down to read through the nal versions of the articles for this edition, I notice that the music in the home o ce (something that is on in the background pretty much all the time) has moved over to a Glen Hansard album in the way that music streaming services tend to do. I recall many moments spent over the years sipping on beers, while listening to music or reading books and in doing so somehow, I have reinforced my sense of identity. A theme that developed in this edition, with the Bomb Squad on the cover, was that of overlapping passions. No person is just one thing, and so for me, music being the way in which I misspent my youth, has stayed with me with every sip of beer I take. You will see the question posed in the Mash Out and a familiar face or two seem to feel the same. We look, as we try to do with each edition, beyond the South African landscape in an attempt to clarify where we stand, where we di er; we try to contextualise the state of the South African beer scene with knowledge of what the rest of the world is up to. As such, the articles in this edition, once again sees the contributions of international and local beer stalwarts, all passionately conveying their knowledge and stories to you, the reader.Whether it be about using fresh hops, or explaining the nuances of your favourite beers and the malts that go into them, we trust you will nd these new found gems of information helpful as you try your next “new” pint. I hope you enjoy the latest edition, brought to you thanks to the immeasurable knowledge of our contributors. I express my deepest gratitude to them, the advertisers, the beer associations in South Africa and you, the beer-curious reader, for taking the time to read and engage with the magazine. Prost! Craig Claassen EDITOR ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2025 | 1