Beer in South Africa: history, traditions and breweries
South Africa combines old African beer traditions with the history of one of the largest brewing groups in the world.
History
Long before Europeans arrived, people in southern Africa brewed beer from sorghum, and later from maize too. Among the Xhosa this beer is called “umqombothi”; it is still brewed for celebrations and ceremonies today.
In 1658 Jan van Riebeeck, the first Dutch governor at the Cape, had a brewery set up at the fort – half a year before the first wine was pressed there.
During the gold rush, the Castle Brewery was founded in Johannesburg in 1895; it became South African Breweries (SAB). In 2002 SAB took over the US brewer Miller and, as SABMiller, became the second-largest brewer in the world, until AB InBev bought the group in 2016.
Small breweries have been opening since the 1980s. Mitchell’s in Knysna was one of the first in 1983; today South Africa has well over a hundred craft breweries.
Traditions and drinking culture
Umqombothi is cloudy, slightly sour and low in alcohol. It is drunk together from a large clay pot that is passed from hand to hand.
Under apartheid, Black South Africans were for a long time not allowed to buy alcohol freely; this ban only ended on 15 August 1962. Many people met in “shebeens”, private bars in the townships, which are still part of the culture today.
Fun facts
- Castle Lager was brewed in 1895 for the many gold diggers and miners of Johannesburg.
- In Newlands near Cape Town the Swede Anders Ohlsson started brewing and created Lion Lager. The Newlands brewery still exists.
- In 1988 Yvonne Chaka Chaka sang the hit “Umqombothi” about the traditional beer. The song can also be heard in the film “Hotel Rwanda”.
- In 1897 South African Breweries became the first industrial company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
- The word “shebeen” for the taverns in the townships comes from Irish.
Typical beer styles
- Umqombothi
- Lager
- Craft beer of all styles
Beer cities and their stories
Johannesburg
The Castle Brewery was founded in 1895 for the gold diggers. South African Breweries still has its headquarters here.
Cape Town
Jan van Riebeeck had a brewery set up at the fort in 1658. Later, in the Newlands district, Anders Ohlsson brewed Lion Lager; the brewery still exists.
Knysna
In 1983 Lex Mitchell founded Mitchell’s here, one of South Africa’s first small breweries.
Soweto
People still meet in the shebeens, the bars of the townships, where umqombothi is often drunk too.
Breweries and their stories
South African Breweries (Castle)
Founded as the Castle Brewery for the miners of the gold rush. As SABMiller the group became the second-largest brewer in the world; since 2016 it has belonged to AB InBev.
Known for: Castle Lager, Castle Milk Stout
Newlands Brewery
Goes back to the Swedish brewer Anders Ohlsson, who brewed Lion Lager here.
Mitchell’s
One of South Africa’s first small breweries.
Known for: Forester’s Lager, Raven Stout
Timeline
- for centurieswhole country
In southern Africa beer is brewed from sorghum. The Xhosa call it “umqombothi”, and it is passed from hand to hand in a large clay pot.
- 1658Cape Town
Jan van Riebeeck has a brewery set up in the fort at the Cape – half a year before the first wine is pressed there.
- 1895Johannesburg
During the gold rush the Castle Brewery is founded for the miners – the origin of South African Breweries.
- 1897Johannesburg
South African Breweries becomes the first industrial company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.
- 1962Soweto
On 15 August the ban that stopped black South Africans from freely buying alcohol is lifted. Shebeens remain meeting places to this day.
- 1983Knysna
Lex Mitchell founds one of South Africa’s first small breweries in Knysna.
- 2002Johannesburg
SAB takes over the US brewer Miller and, as SABMiller, becomes the world’s second-largest brewer.
- 2016Johannesburg
AB InBev buys SABMiller.