Welcome to another Beers of the World post! I have been very very lucky recently to receive some amazing gifts in the form of beers I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to taste. I didn’t know anything about the craft beer scene in South Africa, but some limited research tells me that it’s massive! Lots and lots of microbreweries producing some really exciting stuff.
The two beers below aren’t necessarily ground breaking in style, but they’re a great introduction to a scene that I’m hoping to try a lot more from in the near future.
Darling Brew Slow Beer (4%)
First up was Slow Beer or, as we would usually call it…lager. I loved the packaging though, with the bright yellow lettering and shapes based on the geometric tortoise (hence the ‘slow’). This was a fizzy little number, with a white head which disappeared pretty quickly. To the taste…well, to be honest, it’s not a style I’d usually order so I don’t want to be unfair. It was light and refreshing with a little caramel lingering about. While it wasn’t bad, it certainly wasn’t memorable.
Darling Brew Bone Crusher (6%)
Now, what I hope I’ve managed to get across in these photos is that Bone Crusher is incredibly carbonated. It is absolutely fizz tastic. This is okay, but a little strange paired with a slightly heavier body that you would associate with a witbier such as this. Beautifully bananary (try saying that 5 times fast) on the nose with a hint of coriander, this was packed full of flavour with banana, clove and orange peel all bursting through. Other than the fizz it reminded me of a St Bernadus, which is a compliment as I love me a Bernie.
Impressed and intrigued so far. Bring it on, South Africa!
The Crafty Beeress 