OnTap Magazine

EVENT RECAP H eritage Day means different things to different people in South Africa. This is not unexpected given the melting pot of cultures coexisting on this amazing piece of rock at the tip of Africa. The supermarkets would have you believe that it is braai day, and yes, a braai is quintessentially South African, but there are so many ways to celebrate one’s heritage. Heritage is inherently personal: an expression of your connection to your family history, and the cultures, journeys and personalities which make that up. Your expression of your heritage is also likely to take a more contemporary form to match your lifestyle, interests and aspirations. As a beer geek, I have always identi ed with European brewing culture. Not surprising given the ubiquity of European beer styles which dominate beer markets around the world. For this year’s Heritage Day I was able to get a glimpse of local brewing heritage and culture – a culture which is sadly on the decline due to the ubiquity of pale lager and subsequent changes in tastes and preferences. I celebrated Heritage Day at Brewsters Craft, where a showcase of traditionally homebrewed umqombothi was underway. The main event was the brewing competition, inwhichhomebrewers brought their umqombothi along for formal judging – with a little extra for attendees to taste too. Since the idea was to celebrate African brewing heritage, the rules speci ed that entries should be traditional umqombothi. Modern takes – such as European styles incorporating sorghum – were not eligible. Six beers were entered into the competition, showcasing a diverse range of flavours, especially considering that the base ingredients were basically the same: sorghum and maize. The main variables I picked up between the different beers were the balance of acidity and sweetness, texture, fruitiness and o avours. Since this is a spontaneously fermented beer, with yeast and bacteria introduced through adding uncooked grain as well as from the environment, there is a wide variety of yeasts and bacteria present in the beer. is means that both lactic and acetic acid can develop and there is always a possibility of o - avours. As for the range of avours on offer from the six homebrewed beers, there was a complete span, including biscuit, gingerbread and wheaty porridge-like avours, oral and fruity aromas and a range of acidity levels, from light lactic to prominently acetic. In terms of balance, the beers ranged from quite sweet and porridge-like, through evenly balanced acidity and grainy sweetness, to the more harsh acetic sourness. e texture of the di erent beers was also a feature, ranging from thick and creamy to thin and watery. From this selection the top three beers were chosen by a collection of industry professionals and experienced umqombothi brewers. In third place was Orifha Singo, a student who is interested in entering the brewing industry, brewing her first umqombothi. She did extensive research on brewing, through online sources, as well as asking friends and family from her home town to guide her through the process. In second place was Thandi Litheko, an experienced home brewer, though brewing mostly contemporary European and American ale styles. is too was her rst umqombothi, which used a range of techniques as well as some recipe adjustments. In rst place was Mbali Qwayede, an experienced umqombothi brewer, although she generally only brews once or twice a year for special functions and family gatherings. She uses her family recipe, passed down from her grandmother. e event was a great success, with palpable excitement around the beers, and a general celebratory atmosphere: very much what Heritage Day is all about. I look forward to next year’s event, hopefully with more homebrewed beer to enjoy and experience. Modern and traditional beers and serving vessels Left to Right: Thandi Litheko, Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, Orifha Singo, Mbali Qwayede Judges taste, analyze and compare entries to select a winner A display of traditional serving vessels and rituals Umqombothi samples on offer to the attendees. ROB CASS HERITAGE DAY AT BREWSTERS CRAFT ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2019 | 7