OnTap Magazine

a gentle touch of coriander. It is not overtly phenolic like its Belgian counterpart, and is dry-hopped with modern hop varieties, giving the beer a fruity impression. The first edition became the drinkers' favourite almost immediately (yes, Ukrainians have quite a sweet tooth) and soon got into the core range of quite a number of local breweries. But we still have to overcome the shyness of claiming it as a Ukrainian golden ale. FLYING THE FLAG And talking about local pride, the thing a lot of brewers are looking forward to is the resurrection of hop growing. Fertile soil and an ideal climate make Ukraine a perfect place for the industry to bloom, and it was quite developed years ago, but sadly faded away with time. Some hop varieties developed here are promising, but still not aromatic enough, and fewer people are interested in this kind of agricultural activity. Anyway, we still hope for the emergence of young generations of growers, willing to take the risk, try new varieties, and probably new ways of collaborative efforts with brewers. Ukrainian beer is still looked upon as an exotic peculiarity in the rest of the beer world, but the Ukrainian beer scene does not lack enthusiasm and optimistic people eager to prove that we are not just an eccentricity, but a growing power. We are yearning to get medals at international competitions, invitations to international festivals and collaborations. And we are getting those by showcasing the quality of beers we make. Ambassadors of Ukrainian beer are globetrotting with bottles and cans in their suitcases to let the world know of our existence and get some more recognition. Who knows, maybe some Sou t h - A f r i c an - Uk r a i n i an collaborations will happen. Because all in all we have so much in common, so why not share some beers too? Brewers promote an active lifestyle too, by running, hiking, cycling and taking part in triathlon competitions. (Photo: Lana Svitankova) It helps a lot when beer is beautiful both inside and outside the bottle (Photo: Lana Svitankova) shop online and get 10% off when using promo code: Braaidsmaid10 the braai brand for women braa dsmaid www. braaidsmaid.co.za hello@braaidsmaid.co.za