OnTap Magazine

plays a very important part in our economy. I have now decided to come back to my first love which is the malty and hoppy beverage. OT: The beer is contract brewed, but we understand you are a qualified brewer yourself? LM: Yes, I am a qualified biochemist and brewer and an associate member of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling (IBD). I worked for South African Breweries as a project brewer and brewhouse manager at the Rosslyn plant and as trade brewer before venturing into marketing. OT: Why did you decide to enter the craft beer market? LM: The dream of starting my own beer started way back when I used to work for SAB. I always knew that one day I would formulate my own beer recipe and launch my own beer brand. Craft beer is still relatively unknown especially in the informal market and I wanted to play a part in transforming the industry and in injecting inclusive growth into the craft beer industry both from the producer and consumer points of view. OT: Do you plan to open your own brewery at some point? LM: I don’t have immediate plans to open a brewery. What is in my plan is to create a pub or restaurant in one major township that sells only craft beer in order to introduce craft beer in the townships. I also plan to start an academy that focuses on beer education and responsible drinking. OT: Can you tell us about the name Mohope? LM: I am a Mosotho. Mohope is a Sesotho name for a drinking calabash. In my Sesotho culture a calabash is used for serving drinks such as traditional beer, milk and soft porridge (motoho). Our craft beer is a proudly South African beer that takes its inspiration from Basotho culture and tradition. Mohope is a celebration of our African heritage. OT: And finally, where can people find Mohope? LM: You can find our beer both on tap and in 340ml green bottles at Capital Craft in Pretoria, at Nexdor Restaurant in the famous Vilakazi Street in Soweto and at a few liquor stores in Johannesburg. The beer is also available in a couple of restaurants in the beautiful small town of Clarens in the Eastern Free State. We also distribute to a couple of pubs and restaurants in Maseru, Lesotho. We plan to expand our distribution in the new year. The beer is also available online at www. bestcraftbeer.co.za. For more updates, people can follow us on Instagram @mohope_brew.