Living in Australia for much of my life, I am used to the exorbitant cost of craft beer ($10+ for a pint…), so moving to Cape Town has brought me a lot of happiness with the cost of great beer being a third of the price. With cheap beer comes the responsibility to try as much beer in the land as possible. Cape Town is known around the world for its beautiful wine farms, however it has now become a must do for beer connoisseurs with there being over 30 micro-breweries to visit in the Western Cape. To make it easier for you, we’ve narrowed down our favourite drinking holes when visiting the Cape.
Starting with one of the most well known craft breweries in South Africa, Devil’s Peak Brewing Co has grown enormously since starting in 2012. Make sure you head to their Tap Room in Salt River and indulge in their beer and food pairing board while taking in the magnificent view of Devils Peak Mountain. Their award-winning flagship beer is the King’s Blockhouse IPA, but our pick is their delicious Pale Ale.
When it comes to beer drinking ambiance, there aren’t many places I’ve been to that can rival Jack Black Brewing Co. Situated in the middle of an industrial zoned area in Diep River, the effort of getting there is well worth it once you check out their tap room and get stuck into their amazing beers. If you’re in town, head there on the last Friday of every month, where they host ‘Food Truck Friday’, with amazing street food and live music.
In Cape Town’s creative hub, Woodstock, there are an abundance of places to drink craft beer, but one of our picks is Drifter Brewing Company. Their tasting room is set up to feel like you’re on an old sailor’s vessel and their beers go down a treat too. Try their Stranded Coconut Ale that makes you feel like you’re on a tropical island paradise.
If you’re keen for a mission and looking for an ‘off the beaten track’ brewery, then look no further than Saggy Stone near Robertson (about a 2 hour drive from Cape Town). After a 10km drive on a dirt road, you are met with a stone walled brewpub with a majestic mountainous back drop combining to make one of the most spectacular places to drink beer in the country. The beer is good, but their hospitality is even better, with the owners letting us stay after close to watch the rugby while leaving money behind for the beers we drunk in an honesty system – thanks again Jackie!
When heading to Stellenbosch for wine tasting, don’t forget about stopping by a brewery called Zebonkey. The beers here are about as quirky as their German owner, who is extremely accommodating to guests, with him often encouraging visitors to make use of his braai facilities. If you’re in an experimental mood, try their ‘Poseidon’ beer, which is brewed using 15% salt water from False Bay.
Another Stellenbosch brewery that must not be missed is Stellenbrau. At first glance, the tap room is a classic case of a man cave (sport on the tv and great music), where once you get to know their friendly staff, one beer turns into six pretty quickly. Another reason to visit, is that Stellenbrau has one of the most uniquely South African beers, with their Rooiibos (Indigenous South African herbal tea) infused lager – the Governer’s Red, one to definitely try!
Being a beer lover, I couldn’t help but open up three tours which showcase a number of the coolest craft breweries to visit in Cape Town. The Craft Beer Safari visits four breweries to corners of Cape Town unknown to tourists, while the Urban Safari and the Wine, Beer & Biltong Safari open up breweries in town and in Stellenbosch respectively.
Written by Drew Campbell
Kiff Kombi Tours
Related Tag: Cape Town Tour