Beer made in PE for Germans
Special order after brewery hits right note with visiting musicians
THE newest taste from a Port Elizabeth brewery will soon be experienced halfway across the world, when the first shipment of Curuba reaches Germany next month. The beer, produced by Dockside Brewery, was ordered by and created for a German jazz orchestra that visited Port Elizabeth in September 2016.
The husband-andwife team behind the brewery, Karl and Jane Schlaphoff, said their biggest market consisted of tourists – which is how they met the members of the Curuba Jazz Orchestra.
“On their day off the members of the orchestra stopped at our brewery for a beer tasting,” Jane said.
“For us, it was great to meet this dynamic group.
“They invited us to watch them perform at Pearson High School – and we were blown away.”
The band stayed in touch, eventually reaching out to the Schlaphoffs to request a beer designed especially for them.
“After the beer was created for them, it became more serious. In December last year, they e-mailed us and said they definitely wanted the order by April.
“It took a few weeks. We had to make a full ton of beer.”
Karl, who experimented with flavours to create the final product, describes it as a light flavour.
“A curuba is a passion fruit from South America,” he said. “It’s close to a floral flavour.”
He had to recreate the curuba flavour, using various fruits and rose blossom.
“They will only taste it for the first time when their shipment arrives, and we will open some here as well then. I’m excited, but will only be able to relax when they’ve had the first taste and they are happy.”
While Karl was perfecting the taste of the beer, Jane was preparing to export the final product, which was sent from the brewery’s premises in Rogley St, North End, last week.
“There was so much to learn about exporting,” she said.
“We will definitely focus on doing more of it now that the teething stage is done.”
The pair also hope to tap into the local market more.
“It’s funny because people from overseas book [tastings in our Boardwalk taproom] a month in advance, but there are people around the corner who don’t even know who we are.”
The brewery, which opened in 2013, mostly delivers their variety of 42 beers to customers in Johannesburg and Durban.
“[Our production] depends on our demand, [which] is increasing now,” Karl said.
They will taste it for the first time when their shipment arrives