OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2020 | 1 From The Editor U sually, we use the nal issue of the year to o er some sort of roundup: a State of the Industry address, a recap of the past 12 months…But I think I speak for all of us when I say that there is neither need nor desire to dwell on 2020 any longer than we already have. Instead, let’s look forward to 2021 in the hope that it will be a better year all-round. And there really is a lot to look forward to. For a start there’s travel, and while overseas trips might still be o the cards for most of us for a while, we are lucky to have such an amazing country to explore. My 2021 goal is to visit every one of our nine provinces – and to have a pint at as many breweries as possible of course, raising a glass to all the small businesses that managed to survive the year. Despite everything, the beer industry actually shows great promise for 2021. New brands have emerged this year, some new breweries are set to open over the next few months and those that have been around for a while are, I think, going to reach new heights next year. Many brewers used the downtime during lockdown to reassess, and whether that meant they were perfecting recipes, tweaking their business model or just focusing on new ideas, I really believe that we are all in for a treat in 2021. But this issue isn’t all about beer. To kick o the festive season, we wanted to celebrate all of the small beverage producers in South Africa, whatever their tipple of choice. So we’re bringing you stories on family-run rum distilleries, passionate gin-makers, the rise and rise of kombucha and a ground-breaking piece on South African sake. Whatever is in the glass you raise this summer, drink it responsibly, keep social distancing, keep sanitising, keep wearing your mask and with a little luck in 2021 we can gradually all return to the old normal. Here’s to the old normal Cheers! Lucy Corne EDITOR @LucyCorne