OnTap Magazine

How did you get started in beer? My entry into the beer scene happened completely by chance. I was looking for vacation work at the time and honestly gave brewing little thought other than that. This perspective very quickly changed when I first started brewing in 2016 at Mad Giant being trained by the mad wizard himself, Eben Uys. Beer and brewing have since turned into an obsession and I am loving every moment of it. How did you end up in Bali? The idea to work overseas popped up in mid-2022. I was on my way to Europe to potentially go and brew in the Netherlands. During the job hunt/visa application process I stumbled onto a job post simply titled “Brew Beer in Bali” and I applied straight away. Five months and a few interviews later I was on a plane to Bali. What's the biggest difference between working in South Africa and Indonesia? One of the biggest differences has to be our location in relation to suppliers and technicians. We are located in a very rural part of Bali and simply put, we cannot just call suppliers or technicians to come out on short notice. This means proper planning and maintenance is crucial. Culturally Bali is amazing, a place I would highly recommend everyone to visit at least once. What's the local beer scene like compared to South Africa? The local craft beer scene is still in its infancy, but that being said there are a few breweries making some great craft beer. As far as consumption of craft beer and education around craft beer goes there is still a lot of work to do, which makes it so great being here. It is an honour to be a part of that journey. Do you see yourself ever coming back? Coming back to SA would most likely just be for a holiday and to visit family and friends. And I will definitely go around and have some beers at some of my favourite SA breweries (Soul Barrel, ACBC, Mad Giant and Aegir, to name a few). CHRISTIAAN GREYLING Lead Brewer, Beaches Brewing Co. Bali. Bali, Indonesia How did you get started in beer? I started off homebrewing and eventually realised I was far more interested in the brewing process than in my profession at the time. I started my career brewing at Woodstock Brewery in Cape Town, then later became head brewer at Tuk Tuk in Franschhoek. How did you end up in Mauritius? In early 2019 I met a few members of the Phoenix brewing team while they were in SA for a convention. A few discussions and an island visit in late 2019 quickly became a plane ticket and a move to the island in December of that year. What’s the biggest difference between working in South Africa and Mauritius? The biggest difference I've noticed is by far the consumers' perception of craft beer. New beer styles are often questioned and finding a space in the market can, at times, be challenging. What’s the local beer scene like compared to South Africa? There is unfortunately not much of a local beer scene as it is prohibited to advertise alcoholic beverages and therefore beer events are virtually non-existent. Besides that, it is great to have pairing events and educate the consumer on what we are trying to achieve with varied beer styles. Do you see yourself ever coming back? Currently, I have no plans to leave. My current role requires much more than just brewing knowledge and being part of a company where I can grow and be involved in numerous aspects of the business is deeply rewarding. But in the same breath, nobody knows what the future holds. DEWALD GOOSEN Craft brewer for Phoenix Beverages Ltd. Vacoas-Phoenix, Mauritius ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2023 | 37