OnTap Magazine

BREW In a move that is bound to attract a mixed response, Heineken have started importing beers from one of their acquired craft breweries in the USA, Lagunitas. Two of the California- based brewery’s beers will initially be available – the highly regarded Lagunitas IPA and Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale. e IPA will be available on tap at some 40 outlets around the Cape, with a recommended retail price of R49 for a 500ml draught. A limited number of 355ml bottles of both the IPA and Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’will also be available through select Cape retailers and via League of Beers. P anic and concern reigned among smaller brewers this August, when it was announced that Signal Hill Products had bought some 700 installed taps from distribution company e Tap Room. Signal Hill’s portfolio includes Devil’s Peak, Little Wolf, St Francis and Mitchell’s as well as the international brands Amundsen, Fierce and Mikkeller. ey also distribute for Guinness and Striped Horse. e Tap Room was one of South Africa’s largest independent beer distributors, representingawiderangeofmacro and microbreweries including Darling, Drifter, Mad Giant, Poison City, Brauhaus amDamm and Nottingham Road as well as Heineken and its various brands and partners, including Soweto Gold, Stellenbrau and Jack Black. Brewers expressed concern that Signal Hill would use the move as a way to further their national footprint, pushing other brewers o their newly acquired lines. Writing on Facebook, Carl Nienaber of e 400 Brewing Company said that the Tap Room was “central in providing the craft beer consumer with a diversity of interesting and independent products and this is why the sale of their equipment can’t be good for the industry.” He went on to suggest that “over the next few weeks we are likely to see dozens, if not hundreds of taps that had been pouring beers from small independent breweries being replaced with products from the basket of one company.” Russell Boltman, one of Devil’s Peak’s founders and a director at Signal Hill responded, insisting that their aim was not to monopolise the industry. “We are comfortable with the fact that we will never be, nor want to be, in a position where we dictate to the customer what beer goes on our taps,” he wrote in a statement on the Devil’s Peak website. However, some brewers reported losing taps in certain venues within days of the deal being completed and Russell did acknowledge that there would be some changes regarding what would be poured from the newly acquired taps. “We generally work on wanting to have at least half of the lines being our own brands,” he said. “ ere have been and will be changes as we do have a desire to be on the equipment and we are only on a very small percentage at the moment.” He added that fewer than half of the 700 taps were currently being used to dispense beer and that one of the goals was to introduce a beer o ering to venues that were currently favouring products like pre- mixed gin and tonic, Branna’s or Prosecco on their taps. Many brewers in South Africa don’t own taps in bars and restaurants, instead relying on companies like e Tap Room, or to a lesser extent, establishments that own their own taps and lines. SIGNAL HILL PRODUCTS’ NEW MODDERFONTEIN THE NORTH-SOUTH DIVIDE BREWPUB BRIDGES Due to launch in October, At Hops End brings together two existing breweries, one fromGauteng, the other from the Western Cape. Family-run Just Brewing has moved from its Boksburg premises to the new site in the Modderfontein Nature Reserve. Just Brewing’s Julian Pienaar will be at the helm, also brewing on behalf of Old Potter’s Inn and Brewhouse, based in Greyton. As well as the permanent range, there will be seasonal treats on tap. Aiming to be a true destination brewery, the pub is the starting point for various hikes and mountain biking trails. Kids can run around outdoors and beer lovers can watch the brewer in action from the restaurant. At Hops End will also host the 2019 Beer Boot Camp. LAGUNITAS BEERS LAUNCH IN CAUSES PANIC AMONG BREWERS TAP TAKEOVER SOUTH AFRICA 12 | Spring 2018 | ontapmag.co.za