OnTap Magazine

When you pour this beer, you know why glassware was invented. A pewter mug or ceramic stein simply wouldn’t do Dr.Acula justice. This new fruit ‘n’ veg beer from Folk & Goode pours like blood. Well, sort of. It’s deep red, although with good clarity, and topped with a delightful fuchsia foam – something a pint of blood probably wouldn’t have. The nose is confusing, and yet beguiling. There’s some sulphur and then the tell-tale earthy whiff of beetroot – one of the key ingredients in this brew. But there’s also a cherry-like sweetness, brought on by the various berry additions – blackberry, blueberry and blackcurrant. On deeper inhaling, the aroma emits notes of rooibos – sweet and yet savoury, with a distinct earthiness. And then there’s a slight sour note in the background that reminded me of the fermented turnip juice I once sipped on in Istanbul. The base beer – a simple American wheat – is just a vehicle for the additions, although I personally couldn’t detect any of the added vanilla. If anything I would have to say it lacks a bit of beeriness. Blindfolded, I don’t know if I would know I was drinking a beer at all. But overall, it’s a very interesting brew – definitely not something you session, but it would be fascinating to use in a food pairing. – LC Folk and Goode Brewing & Distilling Co. DR.ACULA (5%ABV) 3.6 The 6th edition of 400 Brewing Company's sought-after Harambe strayed from the norm. Previous iterations were all around 10% ABV, but this time around it’s clear that brewer Carl Nienaber had a plan in mind: a 6.6% ABV beer in a 660ml bottle with 66 IBUs... you catch the drift? The theme is further carried on in the exquisite label design, a beery homage to the classic horror movie Rosemary’s Baby. So, onto the beer. Think grapefruit meets dark chocolate for the aroma with some light vanilla espresso at the back. On flavour, the hop notes show off extreme dry- hopping and make this beer a bit chewy but in such a nice way. It’s a touch roasty but it still remains very well balanced. I can’t wait to see what happens the seventh time around. – BL The 400 Brewing Company HARAMBE’S BABY (6.6%ABV) 4.0 This once-off collab between Aegir Project and Ukraine’s Varvar Brewery pours Ribena red, thanks to the addition of hibiscus. Hibiscus might give the colour, but the flavour of this gose is largely taken care of by the addition of pink peppercorns and sumac, a maroon-hued spice with a tart, citrusy profile. These extra ingredients give a prominent whiff of crushed black pepper and complex notes of pencil shavings, citrus and spice. The pepper continues on the palate, backed up by sharp red berries and a distinct minerality. Like Folk & Goode’s Dr.Acula, this is a savoury beer, and one that’s more for savouring and discussing than for swigging by the pint. It’s a delicate beer and while dominated by spices it has a restrained balance. The beer’s light, spritzy body adds to its drinkability. Would I drink it all day? I would not. Is it a well-made, interesting beer? It most certainly is. The collab was under discussion long before Putin’s Russia invaded Ukraine, with Aegir’s Rory Lancellas and Varvar’s Lana Svitankova kicking off discussions following her trip to SA last year. “When we began this collab in February, life was still pretty normal,” says Rory. “The Varvar team was going to work every day, cleaning tanks, mashing in and brewing epic beer. Today life in Ukraine couldn’t be more different. The everyday reality is impossible to imagine.” All profits are being sent to the Varvar team. – LC Aegir Project x Varvar Brew OCEANS APART GOSE (3.9%ABV) 3.8 ontapmag.co.za | Winter 2022 | 63