OnTap Magazine

The sole male contestant in the Africa Day Mqombothi Brew Contest took the top prize, earning the title of 2021 Shebeen King. Sibusiso Skosana, founder of 1632Crafts in Thembisa, was one of 10 competitors in the contest, which seeks to champion the brewing of traditional beer. The competition was organised by Johannesburg based Brewsters Craft in partnership with The Box Shop Lifestyle and was held on Vilakazi Street in Soweto. Supported by the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA), Chibuku, and Mohope Craft Beer, the competition was held in celebration of Africa Day. Traditional homebrewers were invited to showcase their brewing skills in front of special judges. Skosana won a R5000 cash prize, a gift voucher from Africa Brew and Tolokazi Beer, goodies from local brands Zyle clothing and Nubian Beau, and of course the title of “Shebeen King”. “I decided to take my brewing seriously and learned the basic African way of brewing umqombothi,” says Skosana. “My hard work paid off as I was crowned the 2021 Shebeen King against nine strong women. I would like to thank the sponsors for all the prizes that I’ve received.” Apiwe Nxusani- Mawela, founder of Brewsters Craft, was inspired to start the competition in 2017. “The idea came after reading an article in which umqombothi was part of a list of soon-to-be-extinct food products,” says Nxusani-Mawela. “The author noted that young people are now spending all their time in urban city areas and ooGogo back in the villages do not have anyone to pass the tradition of brewing to. With this contest, my aim is to celebrate and educate people about beer brewing in Africa in order to preserve our African culture and heritage. “SHEBEEN KING” CROWNED IN AFRICA DAY IN BRIEF Hermanus brewery Folk & Goode has moved into Black Oystercatcher winery. Fraser Crighton stays on as brewer and will continue brewing Fraser’s Folly beers alongside the Folk & Goode range and the Old Tin Hat label, also owned by Folk & Goode. Port Elizabeth based Dockside Brewery has reopened under new management. New owners Marius and Christy Reyneke and Jaco Parsons took over late last year and have been slowly rebuilding the brand. The new taproom on Rogley Street is now up and running, serving three new beers: light lager, pale ale and the flagship cream ale. Look out for them in cans soon. The Brewers Co-op, a nano-brewery based in Woodstock, Cape Town, has closed down, announcing the sale of the equipment and lease. The cooperative brewery, which saw 15 brewers sharing equipment and tap space, struggled through last year’s lockdowns, with most members choosing to sell their shares. Over the years the Co-op launched a number of successful brands, including Ukhamba Beerworx, Little Wolf and Beerworks. UMQOMBOTHI COMPETITION 20 | Winter 2021 | ontapmag.co.za