Central SA
Free State university wins category in beer competition─── TSHEHLA KOTELI 12:10 Tue, 24 Oct 2023
"Although there is serious competitive rivalry, there is also always the sense of a beer community truly coming together to better their craft, make connections and have fun."
The Central University of Technology’s team (Champopo – Berliner Weisse) won the Best Sour Beer category at the Intervarsitybrew: Brewing & Tasting Challenge 2023.
The board member of the Beer Association of South Africa and the Vice President of Corporate Affairs at South African Breweries (SAB), Zoleka Lisa, congratulated all the teams from 17 tertiary institutions for taking part in the competition. This past weekend’s competition was the 16th year of the competition and it has become a set fixture on the beer calendar. The team from the University of Cape Town won Best Beer on Show for their American IPA, named Public OutCryo.
The team describes their IPA as "an explosion of hops and a balance of bitterness." Member of the team, Nicole Uys, said: "We have been a female-led team for the past couple of years and are very proud of it." UCT also won Best Beer on Show at last year's Intervarsitybrew.
The Central University of Technology hosted the Intervarsitybrew: Brewing & Tasting Challenge 2023. Photo supplied
All 17 teams were challenged to create brews in specific categories that were evaluated according to the international Beer Judge Certification Programme (BJCP) guidelines. The category winners were:
- Best IPA: University of Cape Town (Public OutCryo - American IPA)
- Best Sour Beer: Central University of Technology (CUT) (Champopo - Berliner Weisse)
- Best African Wild Ale: Stellenbosch University (Chimera - Italian Grape Ale)
- Best Aged Beer: Central University of Technology (CUT) (Grumpy Old Goat - Old Ale)
- Best Lager: University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg (SANDZ Lager - American Lager)
- Best Low-Alcohol (Summer) Beer: 1000 Hills Chef School (Ed Sheeran's Foot - Catharina Sour)
The team at Rhodes University received recognition for their outstanding bottle label design and won the top prize in that category for their Inombe Hazy IPA. Errol Cason, hailing from the University of the Free State, was honoured with this year's Mentorship Award due to his remarkable ability to inspire and guide his students with warmth and wisdom.
“The competition aims to encourage young people to pursue a career within the age-old tradition of brewing, with this year’s event co-hosted by the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) and the Central University of Technology (CUT) Free State, through CAFSaB and the CUT Hotel School.”
The competition aims to encourage young people to pursue a career within the age-old tradition of brewing. Photo supplied
Lisa added the Intervarsitybrew is an important platform for the beer industry to come together to celebrate its rich heritage and culture. “We celebrated while placing emphasis on responsible drinking, with everybody aware of how important mindful alcohol consumption is. That is also why BASA, apart from other support, has sponsored a special award for best low-alcohol beer. It is all about creativity, innovation, moderation, and bringing people together."
During three days, the teams convened with the dual purpose of competing and exchanging their insights and brewing experiences. The agenda featured a range of activities, such as tastings, lectures, presentations, and offering career advice. The participating students hail from various academic backgrounds, including food science, microbiology, biochemistry, biotechnology, environmental health, and engineering.
“The entrants continue to impress us every year with their energy and talent.” Photo supplied
“They were all exposed to the impressive span of the beer industry. Research shows that the beer industry supports 248,000 jobs in South Africa in one form or another. This represents 1 in every 66 jobs in the country.”
Competition coordinator, Olga de Smidt from the CUT's Centre for Applied Food Sustainability and Biotechnology (CAFSaB), thanked all the teams for their dedication.
"The entrants continue to impress us every year with their energy and talent. The students take so much pride in the products they’ve developed. Although there is serious competitive rivalry, there is also always the sense of a beer community truly coming together to better their craft, make connections, and have fun."
