OnTap Magazine

T he very first beer article I ever had published was about the KZN Ale Trail. It was 2006, when the term “craft beer” was not in the South African lexicon and KZN was the centre of the country’s microbrewing scene. Of the six breweries I wrote about for that first piece, only three remain, although of course, many more have sprouted up in their wake, some even reincarnating the kettles and fermenters of those early pioneers. Since this issue of the magazine is tipping its hat to all things historical, we thought we’d take you on a wander down memory lane, visiting a few of craft beer’s fallen comrades – the breweries that paved the way but peaked too soon, closing their doors before South Africa’s beer culture really kicked off. And since my first ever visit to South Africa was only in 2002, I turned to some of the country’s longest-serving beer lovers to help fill in a few of the gaps in the South African beer story. EASTERN CAPE Highlands Brewery Where: Rhodes When: The Walkerbouts Inn, home to Highlands Brewery, opened in 1995, with the brewery itself launching a couple of years later. What: I have vague memories of dropping by in 2007, but I think they were all out of beer. According to Joakim Löfkvist of Homebru.net, beers included “Walkers Best Broo Fallabout Stout, Rooikat and Vuyl Ale.” The brewery began to struggle when the nearby Tiffindell Ski Resort closed and the 150-litre brewhouse was sold soon afterwards. What next: The equipment was bought by Gert Jacobs of Jacobs Brewhouse in Wolmaransstad in 2008. Coelecanth Brewing Co. Where: Port Alfred When: According to Ian Cook of The Little Brewery on the River, Coelecanth Brewing Co. opened in 1998 but had closed by 2007. What: The closest I ever got to experiencing Coelecanth was peeking in through the windows when visiting Port Alfred in 2007. Locals had told us about the brewery, but the building was looking rundown and there was no brewing taking place. A review of their Old Four Legs lager from BJ Lankwarden’s South African Beer Drinker’s Guide (2001) describes the beer as “refreshing, crisp, almost sharp…somewhat bitter and not too full bodied”. What next: The equipment remained in situ and the brewery reopened as The Little Brewery on the River in 2009. GAUTENG Rosy O'Gradys Where: Gold Reef City, Johannesburg When: According to the Brewhogs website, the Gold Reef City brewery opened in 1985 and closed in 1994. What: “Some oldies in Jo’burg will remember when Rosy O'Gradys was a brewpub,” says William Yell, owner of Featherstone Brewery in Grahamstown. “It was the first local craft beer I ever had. The bar was a western-style saloon with can-can girls that I remember being better than the beer menu! I think there was a Digger’s Lager and perhaps a pale ale on the menu.” What next: After many years in storage, the brewhouse was bought by Brewhogs and is still in use at their Kyalami premises. Bavaria Bräu Where: Centurion When: Started in the early 90s, closed in the early 2000s. What: “I started working there in 1994,” says beer writer and former distributor Holger Meier. “It was my first real job. I started in sales and ended up as their marketing manager. They produced highly sessionable, German-style beers and were open on Friday afternoon for tours, beers and German sausage platters. I forget the size of the brewery, but it was a sizable operation, perhaps comparable to CBC or Devil’s Peak today. What next: The company went into liquidation and its operational assets were acquired by Dutch-based Bavaria NV (no relation), now renamed Royal Swinkels Family Brewers. The Dutch beers were brewed under licence in South Africa for some time but production was later centralised in the Netherlands. We’re told the equipment was bought by SAB and moved elsewhere on the continent. Firkin Brewpubs Where: Sandton and Hyde Park, Johannesburg When: It seems the pubs were great at what they did since while many remember their existence, few remember much about them! Moritz Kallmeyer of Draymans Brewery briefly worked at a Firkin pub in the mid 90s. “It died a quick death,” he told me when I was researching African Brew some years ago. “It was way before its time.” What: “The Firkins were great brew pubs in the early 90s,” says long-time homebrewer Bruce Williamson. “I had a huge party after the 1995 Rugby World Cup final at the Firkin in Hyde Park.” What next : We have no idea what happened to the equipment – if you know, please get in touch! KWAZULU-NATAL Luyt Breweries Where: Ballito When: The brewery launched in 1972 but was way ahead of its time and was not ready for the marketing might of SAB, who bought them out. The brand had a brief reboot in 2009, opening a brewpub in Ballito. What: Luyt Lager was a fairly mainstream brand that attempted to go head to head with SAB. What next: The brewpub equipment ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2020 | 29