OnTap Magazine

YETI UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT NON BLONDE BREWING COMPANY SWAGGA BREWERIES YETI17 DAS DUNKELE SHUNKEL | 4.8% ABV AMERICAN HEMP IPA | 5% ABV ENGLISH IPA | 5.8% ABV BREW REVIEWS PANELISTS: Megan Gemmell, Brian Leopold, Troye May, Chris Roth, Michelle Seale, Olga de Smidt, Dion Van Huyssteen, and Chantell Van Niekerk. 4.1 3.6 4.5 When Gavin Marais from OC Brewery teamed up with Danie Odendaal, magic was bound to happen, and with this, the Yeti Underground Movement (YUM) was born! Constantly looking into creative ways to change up beer styles that we know and love, but not to perfect them, but rather to make them in their own unique way and show the public what can be done with the beautiful liquid we call beer. The dunkel that I'm reviewing is certainly one of these beers. Hitting all the parameters that this style requires is a great starting point, but then adding pretzels to the mix really assists with the mouthfeels creaminess and the overall aroma. Freshly pressed peanuts came to mind instantly with the first whiff of this drink, with a caramel undertone that lingered a tad in the nostrils. The flavour was very similar to the aroma but added some bread notes that made this very sessionable and moreish. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer and I'm sure if any of you get your hands on one, you will too. Hemptons, a hemp company that has been around since 2002, was the first company to import hemp-based food and oil products into South Africa. Amelia Karg, who is the sole owner and founder of Hemptons, decided that it may be a good idea to fuse hemp with beer, and with the assistance of Craig Groeneveld and Brewhogs Brewery, they created a range of hemp-infused beers. The IPA that I tried brought on all the styles aromas and flavours that are expected, such as citrus notes of oranges and grapefruit, but also gave off a floral side on the aroma and a light white pepper on the flavour. These additional notes, not commonly found in the style, come from the hemp side of things along with a slightly creamier mouthfeel. An easy drinking IPA which doesn't give off a great deal of bitterness, but allows for great sessionability and all-day drinking. Definitely worth a try and will go down well for any occasion. Swagga Breweries is located just north of Meyerton in Gauteng. They have carved out a beautiful venue, with great indoor and outdoor seating. All of this paired with affordable food and beers. When you crack this beer open, the fruity esters immediately make a very good impression. The beer pours like an English Ale with a touch more carbonation, which helps to add a crispness to the finish. The aroma is a complex and complimentary mixture of light toffee and marmalade-like hop aromas. A delicate and delicious sweetness on the tongue is complimented by the smooth bitterness of the hops, creating a balanced and crisp finish to the beer. There are few examples of this style in South Africa and it is not as bold or bitter as an American IPA, but the interesting variation of esters and balance makes this a very fine example of the style. It is so smooth to drink, you almost don’t notice the 5.8% ABV. EDITOR’S NOTE: We at On Tap have made some changes to our Brew Reviews section. We have established a panel, currently consisting of eight individuals, who will be our go-to beer reviewers, and who all have demonstrated experience reviewing or judging beers. Panel members will not necessarily review a beer for every issue, but all names will be listed regardless. Also, if any brewery would like a beer of theirs to be reviewed, they will need to contact On Tap editors directly (editor@ontapmagazine.com) . ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2023 | 57