OnTap Magazine

ON THE HOP Black Horse Brewery Surely one of the most beautiful places to drink a beer in South Africa, the brewery sits on the Black Horse estate (blackhorse. co.za ), which includes a restaurant, wedding venue, accommodation and a distillery. The restaurant overlooks beautiful cascading gardens flowing into mountain-backed farmlands. With a wide variety of beers on offer, including regular specialities, there is something for all tastes. During my visit, the light-bodied Irish red ale was my favourite, with a light caramel and roast character and a soft, approachable bitterness. The restaurant serves sizeable hearty meals from breakfast to dinner – with some mighty burgers on the menu. BEYOND THE BREWERIES Magaliesberg is a popular area for outdoor enthusiasts, with tons of hiking and mountain biking options available, either on private farms or game reserves. A great way to take in the scenery and environment of the berg is the Magaliesberg Canopy Tour (canopytour.co.za ). This zip-lining adventure traces back and forth along a rocky ravine with beautiful views, interesting fauna and flora and spectacular rock formations, not to mention a heap of fun as you zip from one side of the ravine to the other. The guides are fantastic and you feel well taken care of. The tour also includes a light lunch and refreshments. The canopy tour is a short drive from Brauhaus Afrika, so it makes perfect sense to follow up your adventure with a visit to the brewery. Probably the most famous visitor attraction near Magaliesberg is Maropeng - the visitor centre for the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site (maropeng.co.za) . The exhibits guide you through the evolution of the earth and its inhabitants in an interactive way which will manages to keep the attention of both children and adults. You can get a combination ticket for Maropeng and the nearby Sterkfontein caves, but Nobleman Brewing Co. is closer so rather combine that with your educational experience. Just outside Magaliesburg town is La Veneziana ice cream manufacturers (laveneziana.co.za) , with an onsite factory store. Perfectly placed between Brauhaus Afrika and Black Horse Brewery, it makes a fine detour to give the non-beer drinkers a little cool refreshment between breweries. If you’re driving from Jo’burg or Pretoria, a great place to take a break from driving as you reach the start of the Magaliesberg is Van Gaalen Cheese Farm (vangaalen.co.za) . This popular MTB and trail-running venue is home to a small Dutch cheese factory, making a range of cheeses, but specialising in variants of Gouda. They offer tours but be sure to book as it can be a popular spot for school trips. They also have a nice restaurant and deli where you can load up with delicious cheese for your weekend away. Remember, cheese pairs wonderfully with beer. I’d suggest buying one of the aged Goudas to pair with the Dunkel from Brauhaus Afrika. The nuttiness and increased acidity of the cheese is a great counterpoint to the rich toasty malt of the Dunkel. STAY THE NIGHT ere are plenty of guest houses, lodges and B&Bs in the area to suit all requirements The beautiful brewhouse at Brauhaus Afrika Gouda maturing at Van Gaalen cheese farm Nobleman Brewing Company 42 | Summer 2019 | ontapmag.co.za