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SALUTE CHEERS was bought by Stellenbrau and is still operational at their Stellenbosch premises. The brand lives on, apparently brewed under contract in KZN. Farmers’ Brauhaus Where: Hattingspruit When: The brewery launched in 1993 when Otto Martin realised a lifelong dream to open a brewery. They closed down in 2010. What: The family-run brewery produced German-style beers on their 1000-litre brewhouse, which was manufactured in Austria. Beers included a Schwarzbier and the flagship Farmer’s Draught, a Munich Helles that impressed two visitors so much that they ended up buying the brewery… What next: The brewery was carefully dismantled and transported 440km to become the showpiece brewhouse at Brauhaus Afrika (formerly Brauhaus am Damm) in the North West province. Their flagship Farmers Draught also lives on in the Brauhaus core range. Wartburger Hof Where: Wartburg When: The brewery closed in 2007 after the untimely death of the owners. What: I have the fondest memories of visiting Wartburger Hof in late 2006. Excellent German-style beers (strictly Reinheitsgebot), perfectly cooked eisbein and delightful company in the form of owner and brewer Siggi Schaedle. I was truly saddened to hear that both Siggi and his wife Ingrid were shot and killed less than a year later and have little doubt that if he was still around today, he’d be one of the most respected figures in SA craft beer. What next: The hotel was later sold and the brewing equipment moved to Johannesburg, but there the trail seems to go cold. Siggi and Ingrid’s son, Chris, has kept their spirit alive though, and now runs Siggi’s German Restaurant & Pub in Umhlali Beach. Firkin Brewery Where: Westville When: The brewery opened in 2006 and functioned for four years. “People didn’t respect a brewery within a mall,” said founder Rob Mitchells, who later moved the equipment and founded a new craft brewery. What : This was one of the six breweries I wrote about in my first ever beer piece, long before beer writing would become my profession. It was a convivial spot on the top of the Pavilion Mall, with good pub grub and the refreshing Foxx Lager on tap. What next: The equipment was moved to Old Main Brewery in 2012 and a few new beers were added to the menu alongside the flagship lager. Old Main has since closed, but there are plans for a 2021 reboot. WESTERN CAPE Tollies Where: Stellenbosch When: We couldn’t find an opening date for the brewery, but it certainly existed in the late 90s. The brewery closed several years ago, although the bar remains open under a new name. What: Tollies was a legendary student bar that just happened to have a brewery on the premises. “I remember drinking Tollies draughts for R5 in '99,” reminisced beer lover Justin Bredenkamp on Facebook. “I recall that with R20 I had a great night: R5 a draught, R7 for a bottle of tassies and some loose change for a Grandpa afterwards!” What next: The Tollies brewhouse now stands at LilyPatrick Craft Brewery in Stellenbosch. The bar lives on as The Terrace and is still a popular student hangout. Helderbräu Where: Somerset West When: The brewery officially opened in 2004, closing its doors four years later. What: I visited Helderbräu in early 2007 and was pretty impressed. It was one of those places that makes you regret offering to drive, with a friendly atmosphere and highly sessionable beers. The brewery was particularly popular with Somerset West’s German ex-pat community. What next: The equipment was auctioned, with the fermenters destined for a Stellenbosch winery and the brewing vessels heading to Upington to be used for the production of mageu. Some of the equipment remained in the craft beer scene though. “We bought some kegs and stuff to build our first all grain brewery,” says Mark ter Morshuizen of Honingklip Brewery. “It was a 50-litre system and we still have it!” Paulaner Where: Cape Town When: The Cape Town branch of Paulaner opened in December 2001 and closed its doors just over a decade later in February 2012. What: It was the best reason to visit the Waterfront – a huge and bustling brewpub serving superlative weissbier and excellent German grub. The walls were adorned with Paulaner paraphernalia and I’ll bet I’m not the only one with a couple of – ahem – appropriated branded steins sitting in my windowsill, reminding me of pretzels and weizen. What next: The brewhouse was bought by Devil’s Peak and sat in their Salt River brewpub for several years. It’s now in use for smaller batches at the Epping brewery. The brewer of course, was Wolfgang Koedel, who has been at the helm of Cape Brewing Company in Paarl since it launched in 2013. FEATURE DID WE MISS ONE? Do you remember an early South African microbrewery that we have missed off our list? We’d love to hear your memories of the places you sipped before the craft beer boom began. Get in touch on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, or drop our editor a line on lucy@ontap.co.za . 30 | Spring 2020 | ontapmag.co.za