It’s a case of heads you win for a Zululand brewer, whose curiously named Zulu Blonde beer will be stocked at British pubs before next month’s Rugby World Cup.
Richard Chennells said his beer was among 10 international beers selected by JD Wetherspoons in England – which has more than a thousand pubs across the UK – to be served at pubs during the World Cup.
“I’m just a small-time brewer, I probably have the smallest brewery in the country,” said Chennells candidly.
His Zulu Blonde beer, which is not named after a black African with blonde hair, was developed more than 10 years ago after years of “trial and error” and tinkering with his father, Graham, and uncle, Mark.
Chennells explains that “Zulu” refers to the beer’s origin, in Zululand, and “Blonde” is the type of pale ale that he brews.
His beer is only available on tap in South Africa at his family hotel, The George, in Eshowe.
But how does it taste: “It’s a very golden beer, it has a sort of honey aroma, it’s very fruity and slightly bitter,” he said.
He is considering plans to roll out a bottled range in the future after being overwhelmed last year when he bottled it and found that people were willing to pay up to R40 a bottle.
Chennells, who attended the American Brewers’ Guild in the US after growing tired of his life in the banking sector in the UK, said many mistakes were made before they arrived at Zulu Blonde beer.
“When we started we played a lot with the ingredients and had different ranges like a pale ale and our own lager, but eventually we realised that the Zulu Blonde was the one and I’ve been growing it since then,” he said.
Chennells said he was proud to be putting Eshowe on the world map and was looking forward to feedback from the UK, where he aims to brew up to 100 000 litres.
Eddie Gershon, a spokesman for Wetherspoon Pubs, said in a press statement that they would also serve beers from New Zealand, Japan and Australia.
“Each has been selected after being chosen as the ‘best of the best’,” Gershon said.