The people of Cape Town are adventurers. Whether it’s climbing a mountain or plunging rocks into the big blue, bar-hopping on Long Street or getting involved in the gallery scene, Capetonians are up for it all. Car trip? Say less!
Cape Town is the perfect city to plan an epic road trip. Hit the highway and Ceres, Langebaan and the Karoo to name a few are a few padkos and the gas tank away.
Locals travel for all sorts of reasons: a break, an escape, a beer? One of the best breweries around is located just over an hour and a half from Cape Town. A hidden gem filled with the best hops and history.
Drinking craft beer is a culture that has grown exponentially in Cape Town. In almost all watering holes, local beers are offered. We love to see it! However, reminding us of the magic of a unique find is the mountain brewery in Worcester.
Far from being commercialized, this family brewery takes what we know and love about craft beer back to its roots. Each bottle has a unique concoction – from the label to the flavor profile – that is masterfully crafted by the Groenewald family. The Groenewalds are well known for excellence in every endeavor they undertake and their beer is no different.
Nothing truly great comes from an easy journey. From the humble beginnings of brewing beer in their garage, the family has worked hard to develop what is now a world-class microbrewery. It’s not a story of pineapple beer and It’s okay. It is one of absolute courage and perseverance; mastery and know-how.
As a result, Mountain Brewing Company is renowned for serving up draft after draft of pure quality. The brewery has even been recognized in the latest edition of the World Atlas of Beer, featuring South Africa’s ‘most distinct’ beers.
The World Atlas of Beer is a book by Stephen Beaumont and Tim Webb, described as a definitive and essential guide to beer, with information on beers ranging from Trappist beers from Belgium to wheat beers from Bavaria, and now, thanks to the Mountain Brasserie; South Africa.
Under the direction of head brewer and owner, PG Groenewald, only the finest quality materials are selected to produce exceptional beers. Even the native fynbos (which grows in abundance on the mountains of Worcester).
Nothing is sweeter than cracking a cold one in order to drink it at the same time. The brewery is located 30km from Worcester in the Klipbokkop Nature Reserve, so pristine views are a given.
Using the landscape as inspiration, PG fused fynbos ingredients with untouched spring water flowing from the sandstone banks of the mountain. Add a little magic to the Mountain Brewing Company and the end products are just as unique and delicious.
The beers are so unique, in fact, that Mountain Brewing Company creations often don’t always fit into the traditional beer judge certification program categories. Yet this sparkling brewery has won numerous awards in South Africa. Cape Kraken Belgian Amber Ale, for example, first stole gold in 2015 and it all went from there, with the brewery winning six national gold medals for five of its beers.
The beers are deliberately crafted to form their own identity, taste and story. No two beers are alike. Beer tastings are a delight to experience, filled with first tastes and amazing aromas – an awakening of the senses. Visitors to this stunning venue can expect to taste everything from a pale lager with hints of fynbos and honey to a cherry ale made with the most divine local cherries.
Mountain Brewing Company is also home to a divine restaurant that follows the same recipe as craft beer: handmade, homemade, with real ingredients. Take a drive, learn about the beers and enjoy a delicious lunch. The burgers are amazing (even the buns are homemade)!
“Don’t drink and drive, stay instead,” the Mountain Brewing Company saying goes. With the accommodation offered at Klipbokkop and its conference center, visitors have plenty of options to turn this adventure into an enjoyable stay. Sitting on the porch sipping a lager overlooking the Kwaggaskloof Dam and the surrounding mountains, what are you waiting for?
Share the taste, discover the destination!
Mountain Brewing Company beers are available for purchase in line. For more information on one of the Western Cape’s most delightful hidden gems, visit www.mountainbrewing.co. Follow the brewery on instagram and Facebook.
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Drafts and laughs await at the Stellenbosch Craft Beer Festival
Picture: mountain brewery
