OnTap Magazine

On 20 - 22 October, a total of 17 tertiary institutions gathered in Bloemfontein at the Central University of Technology (CUT) Free State to compete in the Intervarsitybrew: Brewing & Tasting Challenge 2023. This was the 16th year the competition took place. It was a busy and vibrant gathering. Over three days the teams gathered not only to compete, but to share their knowledge and experiences of brewing. Activities included tastings, lectures, presentations and career guidance. The beautiful central atrium of the CUT's Hotel School was filled with beer experts and brewing enthusiasts. The competing students came from the fields of food science, microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, environmental health, and engineering. During the event they were all exposed to the impressive breadth of the beer industry, providing an opportunity to mingle with big players in the industry. One of the many impressive presentations was from Petr Vesely, the Global Brewing Director of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer. The team from the University of Cape Town (UCT) won Best Beer on Show for their American IPA, named Public OutCryo. The team described their IPA as "an explosion of hops and a balance of bitterness." Member of the team, Nicole Uys, says: "We have been a female-led team for the past couple of years and very proud of it." UCT also won Best Beer on Show at last year's Intervarsitybrew.  The category winners were: • Best IPA: University of Cape Town (Public OutCryo - American IPA) • Best Sour Beer: Central University of Technology (CUT) (Champopo - Berliner Weisse) • Best African Wild Ale: Stellenbosch University (Chimera - Italian Grape Ale) • Best Aged Beer: Central University of Technology (CUT) (Grumpy Old Goat - Old Ale) • Best Lager: University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg (SANDZ Lager - American Lager) • Best Low-Alcohol (Summer) Beer: 1000 Hills Chef School (Ed Sheeran's Foot - Catharina Sour) The award for thebest label designwent to the teamfromRhodes University for their Inombe, a Hazy IPA. This year's Mentorship Award went to Errol Cason from the University of the Free State for the exceptional warmth and wisdom with which he motivates his students. Zoleka Lisa, board member of the Beer Association of South Africa and the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at South African Breweries (SAB) congratulated all the winners. "The Intervarsitybrew is such an important platform for the beer industry to come together to celebrate its rich heritage and culture. The students are so inspiring. We celebrated while placing emphasis on responsible drinking, with everybody aware of how important mindful alcohol consumption is. That is also why BASA, apart from other support, has sponsored a special award for best low-alcohol beer. It is all about creativity, innovation, moderation and bringing people together." Competition coordinator, Olga de Smidt fromtheCUT's Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology (CAFSaB), thanked all the teams for their dedication. "The entrants continue to impress us every yearwith their energy and talent. Their passion for the craft inspires everyone who attends Intervarsitybrew. The students take so much pride in the products they’ve developed. Although there is serious competitive rivalry, there is also always the sense of a beer community truly coming together to better their craft, make connections and have fun." UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN'S IPA IMPRESSED THE JUDGES AT THE 2023 INTERVARISTYBREW Image Credit: Maryke Venter ontapmag.co.za | Summer 2023 | 7