Beer Hunting South Africa

South Africa 475 all out
v England 342 all out
South Africa 248-5 declared
England 101 all out
South Africa win by 280 runs

England win the Series 2-1

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Centurion, Pretoria

Twitter @ball_sup

Final Tally of South African different Beer ticks 121

Right. A big Blog. Here's the contents. Go to your own bit.

South African Beer overall wrap up & Awards.
South African Beer tidy up, last few days.
Cricket, Day 5
Cricket Series Wrap

South African Beer overall wrap up & Awards.

I've thoroughly enjoyed my trip through the South African craft beer scene. The research and planning side of it made easy by Holger Meier (The Beer Book & Craft Beer Map) & Lucy Corne (Beer Safari). And, of course by the Internet.

I've got no real idea, but I'd guess that it's easier to get from home brewer/micro startup to retail in South Africa than in England. And, I think the SA scene is reaping that benefit at the mo.

Overall impressions. In general, I've enjoyed keg beers more than bottles. Just seem fresher & full of flavour. I'm still a HopHead and PROUD. I've enjoyed the hop forward bitter beers more than the others. I've found many South African beers nice but safe. Nothing wrong in that. But, only a few Wow Factors with Klaxon Alerts.

A few beers have not been as described. “How the Hell is she/he calling that an American Pale?” for eg.

I applaud & support any brewer who is trying stuff with local South African herbs, plants & particularly Hops. Keep going fellas. But, have to say, nothing of that nature has grabbed me.

Outside of the Hop Bombers, I've really enjoyed the Wit/Weiss. Seem to come out well from the water & ingredients. And, they're well suited to the Summer climate & lazy afternoon bevvying. And some of the American Pales have been very well put together.

The Awards

Hop Bombers Top 5

5. Cape Brewing Co., Cape Of Good Hops, Imperial IPA 7.5%.

4. Woodstock Brewery, Californicator American IPA 6.5%.

3. Devils Peak Brewing Co., The King's Blockhouse IPA 6%.

2. Sabie Brewing, Dravidian Draught.

1. My favourite South African beer. Anvil Ale, IPA.

Best Wit/Weiss - Wild Clover, Eagle Weiss 4.3%.

Best Lager/Pilsner - Cape Brewing Co., Pilsner 5.2%.

Best Stout/Porter - Long Mountain Brewery, Porter 6%.

Best American Pale - Long Mountain Brewery, American Pale Ale 4.5%.

Best range - Anvil Ale, Dullstroom. All Winners.

Best Find - Those Mitchell beers on keg in the ground at Newlands.

Annoyingly, a few of the standout beers were drunk right at the beginning of my trip. I've been waiting for them to be overtaken. But, they never were. I'm thinking particularly of Anvil Ales & Sabie Brewing.

I benefitted from three belting bottle shops. Step forward - Riverside TOPs, Nelspruit, Hillcrest TOPs & Liquorcity Claremont. You will remain Gods in my little corner of South Yorkshire.

South African Beer tidy up, last few days.

The cricket finished before they'd got to the drinks break. So, we had ages to head up to Capital Craft in Hatfield.

The waiter was superb. But, the place was trying a bit too hard. Hipster. Too cool for school. And, the two beers we chose were off. Recover.

A lot on. Therefore, a good place. I went;

Stimela Brew, Straight Arrow, Amber Ale on keg at 5%.

Hate City Brewing, Insurrection Steam from a bottle at 5.4%.

Last knockings alert. Chuck all your Rand into the kitty. Airport Craft Brewers, Domestic Landside at Tambo Airport. I'm not sure. The kit is there. But, nowt going on. I've surreptitiously tried to follow the pipework. But I can't quite see enough to trace the kegs back to the visible tanks.

I've given them the Inquisition. Barman says, Kegs brewed at Swagga.

Anyway. Nominally six on keg. I've gone;

Airport Craft Brewers, Country Ale on keg at 3.8%. Over ripe peach sweetness. Dry, hardly there bitter in the finish.

Airport Craft Brewers, English IPA on keg at 5.8%. Hmmm. Not much going on there. Only a hint of bitterness. Can't really tell the difference between the two.

Airport Craft Brewers, Red on keg at 4.5%.

Cricket, Day 5

There is a context. But, that remains very poor. With respect, finished like a Championship Div 2 game with a long drive home for the away team. Players playing for their places. Ranking points at stake.

Fair play to the Saffers. They made it happen. But, when batting to save the game. Best plan is bat to save the game. None did. That is how you define failure.

Cricket Series Wrap

Glass Half Full. Superb from England. I'm thoroughly privileged to have been with the tour from the start. You earn this, they have. Poor at times, maybe. Superb when it mattered, definitely.

The mind sticks on that 399 stand between Stokes & Bairstow at Newlands. Double whammy for Bairstow’s first Ton. And, that Broad spell at The Wanderers. Taylor’s short leg catches.

There are questions. No pussyfooting. Hales failed. Be decisive. First Test of the Summer. Compton up top. Ballance at three. Do it.

No pussyfooting. Anderson underperformed. When fit, the four seamers are surely Anderson, Broad, Finn & Stokes. Wood is fifth. But, Woakes has not uprooted trees.

Glass half full. A great, young nucleus. Away series wins are rare. This. Was. One. Salute.

271/553