OnTap Magazine

IN BRIEF Cape Town’s Drifter Brewing Company has permanently closed. The popular brewery moved from its Woodstock home to a Paarl winery in May 2021. Following some very difficult trading months, the brewery announced its closure in an email earlier this year. Following its closure during the pandemic, Route 62 Brewing Company in Montagu has reopened under new ownership. New owner Peter Venter has added a restaurant and is in the process of extending the beer garden, as well as making improvements to the brewery. Based in Makhanda (Grahamstown), Featherstone Brewery has opened an outdoor tasting space adjoining the brewery. The beer garden is kid- and pet-friendly and serves light meals alongside the beers. It’s open Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Stellenbosch Brewing Company held their final day of trading at Joostenberg in late August with the equipment going up for auction a day later. Owner Bruce Collins has said that they are looking for new premises to launch a different Stellies venture, but for the moment, the brewery is out of action. Hopman Brewery, formerly located in an industrial park in Milnerton (Cape Town), has moved operations to the former home of Drifter Brewing Company in Woodstock. They’ll be launching on October 1st with a mini festival featuring live music, pizza and beer. DRIFTER ANNOUNCES CLOSURE ROUTE 62 BREWING COMPANY REOPENS FEATHERSTONE BREWERY OPENS BEER GARDEN STELLENBOSCH BREWING COMPANY EQUIPMENT FOR SALE HOPMAN MOVES TO WOODSTOCK ontapmag.co.za | Spring 2022 | 15