St Francis company brews up a storm
● Kromme Rivier Witbier grabs honours at national competition
It was a long stint in hospital – with ample time to think – that led to the opening of the St Francis Bay Brewing Company – and now, a prestigious win at the South African National Beer Trophy Awards.
An excited Lance Kabot, 50, founder of the brewing company, said this year’s awards had been tough – with the points needed to win medals having been increased.
Nevertheless, Kabot’s company became the first from the Eastern Cape to take a category title at the awards with the St Francis Brewing Company’s beer, Kromme Rivier Witbier, winning the Wheat Beer category.
The award ceremony was held at the Beer House in Cape Town at the end of August.
Aside from the Kromme Rivier Witbier, the company brews ales with interesting names like the Beach Blonde, Lighthouse Ale, Storm Rider Stout and Wildside Ipa.
Kabot said his love for brewing beer started in the 1990s when he travelled to America and worked at craft beer firm La Jolla Brewing Company, in San Diego, California.
“I loved working in breweries, and I was amazed by the beers I tasted while I was working for the brewing company,” he said.
Kabot’s decision to open his own brewing company came after a difficult time in his life – a serious surfing accident in 2012 that left him with a broken neck, languishing in hospital for almost five months.
Kabot, who at the time was working as a manager at the Flower Valley Conservation Trust just outside Gansbaai in the Western Cape, said his hours in a hospital bed brought his vision for a company to life.
“While in hospital, I had a lot of time to think and decided I should do what I enjoy most – brewing beer and sharing the tapestry of tastes with others.” he said.
“I knew the time was right to invest in this life-long dream.”
So, in 2014 he started his company and is now thriving in the craft beer industry which, he says, is becoming increasingly more professional.
“I love beer and I’m very passionate about making it.
“I hope in the next years I’ll be distributing for the whole of South Africa and for the world.
“I am very proud that the Kromme River Witbier won the Trophy for the Best Wheat Beer in SA against the likes of entries from the big breweries – Darling, CBC and Jack Black.”
National Beer Trophy manager Jean Vincent Ridon said the judges were overjoyed with the quality of the beers entered this year.
“This shows the dramatic improvement of beers in SA, creating more enjoyment for the consumer.
“After all, [the trophy] is a purchasing guideline for beer lovers,” he said.
The aim was to give a platform for small innovative brewers like the St Francis one to show it could be as good as the large corporations, he said.
“I am proud that the quality of beers improves nationwide,” Ridon said.
“Having almost every province represented in the National Beer Trophy shows that the beer culture is spreading.
“The world of beer is made of diversity and [the awards are] proof that the market can accommodate talented craft brewers and global brands.”