OnTap Magazine

I t was a fine question and one to which the answer was, rather embarrassingly, “no”. I’m not sure why we’ve never brought out an On Tap beer before, other than the rather crucial fact that no-one ever thought of it. But when Fraser Crighton of Folk &Goode brewery suggested a collab, we leapt on board. A couple of weeks of recipe planning later the On Tap team – minus our Jo’burg dwelling designer Rachel – joined Fraser at the Overberg- based brewery for On Tap Magazine’s first ever brew day. It is an exceptionally pretty spot. The brewery is based at Black Oystercatcher Wines, deep in the southern Overberg, not far fromBredasdorp. The brewery itself sits in what was once a sheep shearing shed until Fraser moved his brewhouse here back in 2016. By that point Fraser was already well- known in the local beer scene. Originally from the UK, he opened his brewery, Frasers Folly, in 2011. Based in Struisbaai, it was the southernmost brewery on the continent. A trained winemaker and sommelier, Fraser had met Black Oystercatcher owner Dirk Human through the wine industry. By 2016, Fraser knew he needed to expand his brewery and began to look around for possible investors. That’s when Dirk stepped in and bought the brewhouse, moving it – and Fraser along with it – to the wine farm. MEET THE BEERS Meanwhile, 80km west in Hemel-en- Aarde, a new beer brand was brewing in a region long known for grapes rather than grain. Folk & Goode Brewing Company was the brainchild of brothers Bevan and Gordon Newton of Newton Johnson Family Vineyards, as well as beer loving friends Patrick Gold and Steven Brooker. Always a bit of a side hustle, the brand ticked along for a few years but got a new lease of life in 2020 when it was bought by Karen and Peter Dickens, who decided to move production to Black Oystercatcher. A master distiller, Peter had already started to make gin and vodka at their Hermanus-based distillery, The Spirit of Hermanus. Then, when the opportunity came up to buy the brewing kit residing at Black Oystercatcher, Peter and Karen jumped at the idea. Rather than moving it to their distillery in Hermanus, the brewhouse remains in situ at Black Oystercatcher under Fraser’s watchful eye. The new owners also brought a whole new brand to the table – Old Tin Hat. Through striking can art, which won a gold medal at the 2021 Beer Label Design Awards, the beers tell the stories of forgotten South African war heroes like Lance Corporal Lucas Majozi, a WWII Stretcher Bearer, and ace fighter pilot Sailor Malan. The three brands each have their own distinct personality, but they’re all brewed with the same attention to detail on the same 500-litre system. And if you’re in luck – because the beers fly off the online shelves – you might find some of the range available for tasting at Black Oystercatcher’s restaurant. Sadly, our brew day falls on a Monday and the restaurant is closed. Luckily though, we happen to know the brewer and we spend the day sipping an experimental low-ABV IPA from the tank then working our way through multiple cans of Old Tin Hat Lager while we lovingly add hop pellets to the boil. “HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT DOING A COLLAB BREW AND RELEASING IT WITH THE MAGAZINE?” NEED TO KNOW Getting there: Black Oystercatcher is 215km southeast of Cape Town on the R43 between Bredasdorp and Elim. It takes about 2 ½ hours to drive there. Getting fed: The restaurant serves excellent wood- fired pizzas and is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am-4pm. Getting out: The farmhas five cycling routes aswell as hiking trails and excellent birdwatching. Getting beer: The full beer range is available in the on-site shop, stock permitting. If you can’t make it out to the farm, you can also order beer from the online store at thespiritofhermanus.com. Getting to bed: The cottages sleep two people and cost R 990 (R 495 per person sharing) or R 700 per single person a night. Getting more info: Check out blackoystercatcher.co.za. You can taste some of the Folk & Goode range at Black Oystercatcher's restaurant Folk & Goode's stout has notes of caramel, chocolate and coffee ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2021 | 21