South African beer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
South African beer has a long history, with a corporate history dating back to the early 20th century.
Contents |
[edit] History
South African beer has had two main influences on its development. Firstly, European settlers who colonised the country brought expertise and know-how as the country was populated. Dutch immigrants from the 1650s onwards, and British, immigrants during the 19th and 20th centuries both contributed in different ways to the knowledge of alcohol production.
Another important but often overlooked influence has been indigenous knowledge. Local breweries, operated by the black population, especially groups such as the Sotho and Zulu, have been brewing forms of sorghum and maize beers long before any Europeans arrived.
[edit] Modern day
Today, South African Breweries (SAB) controls the vast majority of the South African beer market, and with the notable exception of imported brands such as Heineken, Guinness and others, SAB owns and produces all the major brands in the country, as well as owning Miller's Genuine Draft (American), Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and long list of other which makes it one of the world's second largest brewery. Their most popular and valuable brand is Castle Lager, which has a warm and heady taste, although this is often a point of contention.
They also produce Castle milk stout and Black Label, which is popular among the black population.
Most beer drunk in South Africa is lager, as the hot climate favours cold drinks. Ales are very rare and are only made by small breweries or imported.
Jo'burg beer, an independent business and low-priced beverage, is dominant among lower-income groups, and incorporates the tastes of traditional brewing.
A number of smaller breweries have sprung up in the past decades. One of these is Birkenhead Breweries in Stanford, near Hermanus in the Western Cape. They produce a number of lagers and ales.
Other commonly drunk beers in South Africa is Windhoek lager, a beer from Namibia made according to the Reinheitsgebod, as well as Tafel Lager, another Namibian import.
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
