Sip, savour, and celebrate: Explore South Africa's brewing culture this International Beer Day

Crack-opening a can of crisp and cold lager is unarguably one of the best ways to end a long and tiring week on a Friday evening. It also acts as a perfect segue to slide into a relaxing weekend. Often a go to drink, beer has cemented its place as a perfect companion to friendships, food, and celebrations. The drink has withstood the test of times and remained ever-popular even though its production began centuries ago. Beer is the oldest recipe in the world and its origins can be traced back to around 5,000 BC.

To salute this existence and the efforts of brewers for bringing the combination of mere hops and barley to fruition into this fulfilling drink, Beer Day is celebrated globally. The occasion instituted in 2007 to bring beer aficionados together, marks its presence on the first Friday of every August. Amongst the many popular nations that consume beer wholeheartedly, beer drinking has been an integral part of the South African culture for hundreds of years. It is not only one of the largest consumers of beer but also often hosts various beer festivals to support the local beer culture. The country is also home to one of the largest homebrewing communities, spread across regions. ‘Umqombothi’ is the oldest South African Beer, brewed with malted sorghum and is traditionally prepared by each household during cultural ceremonies.

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If reading or even thinking about beer salivates your tastebuds and awakens the beer sommelier within you, then breweries in the Rainbow Nation should definitely land a place on your bucket list. Here is a list of five top-notch South African breweries you can visit:
Devil’s Peak Brewing Company, Western Cape

Located in the foothills of Devil’s Peak Mountain in Cape Town, the Devil’s Peak Brewing Company started its journey in beer in 2012. What started on a smaller scale in a bid to follow passion in brewing, today the company is one of South Africa’s craft beer behemoth and operates from the biggest craft breweries. While the brewery has moved to Epping due to expansion, the previous brewery in Woodstock has been turned into a restaurant and a taproom offering a tranquil atmosphere to enjoy unique craft beers and delicious accompaniments.


Emerald Vale Brewery, Eastern Cape

Surrounded with unspoiled natural beauty, Emerald Vale Brewery is situated in the green hills of Emerald Vale between Chintsa and Cefani Rivers. Established in 2012, the brewery produces mouth-watering beers from natural ingredients using rainwater, malted barley, select hops and yeasts that yield a variety of tastes. Complimenting the beers, its in house restaurant offers hearty and delectable meals including vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices. To bring people together, the brewery also hosts events throughout the year.

The Clarens Brewery, Free State

Situated in the heart of Free State town, The Clarens Brewery offers locals and visitors an opportunity to sample seven standard ales, the ciders, the liqueurs and spirits, and the special seasonal ales that make their way onto the menu from time to time. While the brewery is best known for its craft beers, The Menu at The Clarens serves lip-smacking dishes to go with your drinks. Based near the foothills of the magnificent Maluti Mountains, the brewery has an inviting and warm ambience. Tasting tours conducted by the brewery here are free of charge as well as it’s taproom is pet friendly.


Ballito Brewing Company, KwaZulu – Natal

Established in 2015 at the Shaka’s Head situated on Dolphin Coast outside Ballito in KwaZulu-Natal, Ballito Brewing Company has witnessed enormous success since its inception. The full-fledged micro-brewery is a result of Ursula and Gary hanging their boots in the corporate world to follow their passion of producing unique and innovative craft brew. Currently, the brewery offers eight different styles of beer and has recently added craft gin to its offerings. A tour with the brewery is an excellent way to explore the KwaZulu-Natal province.

L’abri Fountain Brew, Limpopo

A fully licensed farm pub, L’abri Fountain Brew is a must-visit brewery for beer lovers around the world. At all the times, the bar offers a minimum of six unique draft beers with a record of 25 craft beers available from seven different craft breweries. To complement its wide and unique variety of craft brew’s it also offers a range of food items and finely curated dishes tailor made to appreciate the beers. The brewery also offers beer tastings and beer and food parings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, to further share their rich knowledge about beer, the art of brewing and Craft beer.

For a craft brew connoisseur, South African breweries are a literal heaven and indulging in a taste tour in any of the above is a fantastic way to glimpse into the nation’s beer culture.