OnTap Magazine

Africa is (and will always be) in my bones THE APPRENTICE Recently joining the Mondo Brewing Company in Battersea, London, Ryan Charlton is just starting out as an apprentice brewer. He hails from Bluff in Durban and has lived in the UK for the last decade. What has your experience of brewing in the UK been like? When I came to England I knew nothing about ale, having only drunk lagers and milk stout my whole life, courtesy of SAB. It was an eye-opening experience seeing the variety of beer styles here and the amazing brewing history that the UK has, being one of the oldest brewing countries in the world. It took me a little while to accept cask beer into my life but I now embrace it with open arms. Watching the brewery scene grow and getting to be a part of the scene here in London has been amazing. And I’m seeing the same thing happen back in Durban. South Africa still has some way to go to get to London standards but it’s getting there. What are your favourite things about the beer scene in South Africa? As the brewing scene is still in its infancy there is a lot of room for experimentation with different flavours, for example the new hops being grown in the Western Cape. That is something I would love to get my hands on when I next visit. I love seeing the new breweries pop up and tasting every beer I can get my hands on. What do you drink when you return to South Africa? As soon as I step foot back in Durban I will cleanse my body with a Black Label, just for respect to the Bluff crew. Once that is done and dusted, I will stop off at a little brewery by my parents’ house – East Coast Brewing Company – and have one of their core IPAs or seasonals. I have gone there for a few visits and they have some solid beer. After that I will search for any new breweries that have sprung up and promptly start my beer roaming adventure. THE BREWER Rudilynn Coetzee was born in Douglas, Northern Cape. She worked for several years in the medical device industry in South Africa and the UK, finally moving to Britain in 2009. Rudilynn began her brewing career at Lovibonds Brewery in 2014 and still works there today. The brewery is situated in Henley-on-Thames, about 40 miles west of London. Does South Africa have an influence on your work? Africa is (and will always be) in my bones. The Koreans have a description of a person’s cooking which translates as something like ‘the taste of your hands’. Knowledge rests in muscle and bone. Brewing is the same. Do you plan to return to South Africa? What do you drink when you’re there? I return every few years to visit family and friends, and was fortunate to judge best of show in the first African Beer Cup in 2019. My first stop is always a swim in the Atlantic, then a homebrew with my best friend, followed by a visit to the Devil’s Peak taproom (my old neighbourhood brewery), ending the day with a few pints with Lucy Corne, who I met while judging at the World Beer Cup, and then another swim. THE HEAD OF OPERATIONS Brett Moore was born in Mhlume, Swaziland and spent three years living in South Africa as a teenager. He moved to the UK in 2007 and currently works for the London Beer Factory in West Norwood – a mainly residential part of South London. Does your background have an influence on your work today? Growing up in a tropical paradise meant we had so many fruit trees in our garden. We never bought fruit, we just had what was in season in our small garden. Mangoes, granadilla, avocado, all kinds of citrus, papaya – it was amazing. Sourcing fresh fruit for our barrel programme and fruited mixed fermentation beverages [at the London Beer Factory] has been fun for me. When I open my own brewery I'd like to donate to conservation charities in Southern Africa and also make my brewery as sustainable as possible, championing recycling, minimising waste products and so on. What are your favourite things about the beer scene in South Africa? It seems less intense than the UK, more about trying new things and enjoying the experience. Lager is still king and for me nothing goes down better in the heat. Do you plan to return to South Africa and what would you drink? Only for a holiday. Hansa Pilsener is my first drink when I'm back. Preferably on a beach! ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2021 | 37