Limited edition craft beers on tap at Hammies

Surge of new local brands on sale 1 42 28 18 19 44

THE Cape Town Festival of Beer is under way at Hamilton’s Rugby Club for its sixth year of celebrating all things craft beer.

More than 60 breweries, both local and international, are featuring limited edition beers brewed for the weekend’s festivities.

As South Africa’s largest annual gathering of beer enthusiasts and beer novices, new Cape Town brands are among the 200 beers that attendees can sample.

Woodstock’s Drifter Brewing Company hopes its coconut infused beer launched a week ago will be a favourite this weekend.

“The coconuts are grown in Mozambique, and it’s light and easy to drink,” said Nick Bush, owner and head brewer. “So far we’ve had a very good response and we can’t keep up.”

John Burger, owner of Stickman Brewery, came from Stikland in the hopes of his brand gaining some exposure.

“We’ve been operational since June, and our aim is to brew beers that people like and enjoy,” Burger said. “This is our opportunity to introduce ourselves, since a lot of people don’t know us.”

Another newcomer to the festival is the Aegir Project, which launched two months ago.

For owner Rory Lancellas, the festival is a space for those who are passionate about craft beer to get to know quality brands, but he wishes the public had the same appreciation for the beverage.

“The craft beer scene here is still very young, and instead of having a gradual build-up like the scene in America, we experienced a sudden surge,” Lancellas said.

“We tend to follow trends, but I believe that we will eventually start setting them.”

Lancellas also noted that time was needed to find craft beer’s place in South Africa. “We might need a few more years,” he said. “But we will eventually create our own unique style of beer.”

● The festival end tomorrow. Tickets are R150 each. See www.capetown festivalofbeer.co.za