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to introduce the broader public to something they may not be familiar with, and they also elicit feedback on their product from both visitors and staff. When asked where Warren sees Newlands Spring in the constellation of South African beer, he says that internally, they promote “passion for beer,” including different styles of beer, and externally there is al- ways the emphasis on a good quality product, with an added dash of beer education. “There's a beer for every occasion, and there's a beer for every taste,” he emphasizes, before under- scoring yet again the importance of their heritage, and how special he finds their placement within the old brewery. Yes, the reach of these experi- mental beers is limited, however, Warren describes how the brewery tours often end around the time that the staff are closing out their day and popping by the pub, and you see this great interaction happen between the two, involving a lot of, “Hey, have you tried this beer yet?!” It’s a cross-pollination of beer novelty and enthusiasm, resulting in a mini beer-test-kitchen. Or as Warren puts it: “It’s a great, fun vehicle.” LIFTING THE INDUSTRY Over the course of the conversation, Warren twice mentions his hope to see a local malting operation de- velop, including for specialty malts, in large part to reduce costs for the smaller breweries and homebrewers. It was also mentioned in the context of what Warren sees as a growing emphasis in the industry on using local or South African ingredients. He points to this year’s winner of the “Best Beer in Africa” award at the Af- rican Beer Cup: Soul Barrel’s “Ale of Origin” – a beer brewed exclusively with local ingredients and sponta- neously fermented – as a leader in and an indicator of this local inclina- tion. Warren is also excited and inspired by the innovation and creative think- ing happening at the varsity level, recounting with wide eyes how he’s seen groups using a seed he has never even heard of to create a choc- olate flavour in the beer. It is clear that he sees this kind of creativity as a boon to all beer business, adding at a certain point: “Whatever we can do to the lift the industry is good.” He also acknowledges that the perception of Newlands Spring has changed over the last few years. In the beginning, they were seen as “imposters,” “not real craft” and generally tied to “big beer.” Now he thinks folks better understand the business side of beer, and there’s also a realization that they can create a two-way street: “The small guy can talk to the large guy…We want to be part of the movement; that was my passion. I just was lucky to get a job at a big brewery, but then even luck- ier was that the big brewery allowed me to follow my passion and do ex- actly what I want.” For good measure he adds: “We've got a slogan here at work: ‘here for the beer.’” SUSTAINABILITY GOALS Newlands Spring complies with all ABInBev established policies, including their four 2025 Sustainability Goals. One is “smart agriculture,” which Warren explains is essentially ensuring that the farmers with whom they work are as knowledgeable, skilled and efficient as possible, maximizing yield while minimizing impact on the environment. Another is “circular packaging,” where the emphasis is on reusing and recycling materials. As Warren points out, Newlands Spring packaging is either glass or cardboard. And then there’s “climate action,” which dictates that all electricity eventually come from renewable sources. As an example, Warren points to the fact that all the wastewater they produce on site goes through a biological treatment system which, among other things, generates methane. That methane gets harvested and used in a steam boiler, in turn significantly reducing their use of coal. Relatedly, and perhaps most importantly for Newlands Spring, is the final arena: “water stewardship.” The company has extremely stringent parameters around water usage. They are always looking at ways to reduce, reuse or retreat water. Employees regularly check for and are encouraged to report leaks. All of their drains are marked for specific use, with absolutely nothing allowed in storm water drains. Newlands Spring is proud of their relationship with the “Friends of the Liesbeek” community group who report anything amiss in the river to the brewery so that it can be addressed immediately. They strive to eliminate “beer loss,” so when making 100 hectolitres of beer, for example, are you packaging 100 hectolitres? This relates to their broader “cradle to grave” concept where they are responsible for anything produced or thrown away by the company. Again, these are top-down policies but ones that Warren sees very much aligning with their own values. The team at Newlands Spring Warren Wiese from Newlands Spring NSBC at Capital Craft Beer Festival 30 | Spring 2024 | ontapmag.co.za