OnTap Magazine

I t’s the heart of winter and the temperature is nearing -50°C. Not exactly the ideal weather for an evening stroll, so when the scientists on South Africa’s Antarctic base are not making ground-breaking discoveries, what are they doing? Well, the isolated team has found creative ways of keeping busy and boosting morale, from lm festivals with other Antarctic bases to boot- tossing competitions. eir bar, the Sastrugi Inn, plays a role in bringing normality to their lives in this most unfamiliar of environments. It is a dedicated place for relaxation and team-building. On my visit to the base I was welcomed with an ice-cold Windhoek — a happy sight after an 18 hour trek in the back of deteriorating retro- tted container called the ‘caboose’. eir beer stocks had diminished rapidly over their last few months in isolation, so it was a generous evening on their behalf, sharing all they could as we drank well into the early hours of the morning. AN EPIC JOURNEY My journey to the White Continent – and my journey into beer – began at university, when I found myself aboard the SA Agulhas II on a week-long cross-disciplinary cruise called SEAmester. e objective of the cruise is to encourage interaction between young South African post-grads, scientists, lecturers and eld specialists in a hands-on, practical environment on board the state-of-the-art research vessel – a true symbol of South Africa’s dedication to scienti c exploration and innovation. is experience equipped me with the technical skills required for a three-month expedition to Antarctica over the summer months. is expedition is known as the takeover operation for the South African National Antarctic Expedition IV (SANAE IV) Base. At SANAE IV, agship of the South African National Antarctic Program (SANAP), the ten-strong dedicated overwintering team is replaced, the base is restocked and general maintenance and upgrades commence for the takeover period. For multiple reasons, the only time this can happen is during the summer months. Winter conditions are too extreme: there is complete darkness and the sea and air conditions prohibit planes or ships from reaching that region of the Antarctic continent. roughout and in-between these operations, ground-breaking scienti c research takes place. I was involved in oceanographic data collection, meaning that most of my time was spent on-board the ship. It was during that time that I read about the great Sir Ernest Shackleton and garnered a small understanding of the conditions he and his brave men endured. Evidence of science in a frothier form became apparent when visiting the base. Beer and brewing had somehow made their way to the most isolated region in the world, o ering a crucial part of the culture and community for the small team. During the SANAE 53 expedition, three years before I visited, a good and proper Oktoberfest was held at the base. e team dressed in dirndl and lederhosen, they decorated the smoking room to mimic a Bavarian beerhall and, of course, they had carefully brewed their own Kölsch. While Oompah music rang down the halls, the team spent the day celebrating beer. It would be safe to say that the winner of the day was their proudly homebrewed Kölsch. TURNING ICE INTO BEER You might not expect brewing ingredients to be a priority when packing for a year-long expedition in complete isolation. However, there is little you can do to stop a committed homebrewer. Science in a frothier form The SA Agulhas II visits Antarctica twice a year ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2019 | 19