WATCH: Brewers share a passion for craft beer

Published Mar 22, 2018

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Durban - When it comes to craft beer, Trevor Maarschalk of 1000 Hills Brewing Company has this advice: “Don’t get caught up in the romance of brewing, if you’re not prepared to do the long yards.”

It’s hard work, he insists. “It’s only 15% fun, the rest is cleaning, sterilising and sanitising, and bottling.”

For Maarschalk, the passion started 12 years ago with his first home brew. It became a keen hobby. And he still uses his first home brew kit when he’s experimenting with new recipes.

“And then I wanted a change of direction from corporate life,” he says.

His job at that time involved importing machinery into the country. “The brewing part of the chef’s school was for sale. But I bought the school,” he said.

The 1000 Hills Chef School second-year students include brewing as part of their course. They are even allowed to create their own recipes.

“It’s great to work with them and draw out their expertise,” Maarschalk says, “Although they often come up with the weirdest things and get way ahead of themselves.”

The school has its own pub with a deck which overlooks the Valley of a 1000 Hills. When the taps are open, it’s popular with locals, and the students pull the pints and serve customers as part of their course.

They also have to learn the grunt work like stacking palettes. “And cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.”

The school does beer and food pairings with the food they have devised and prepared themselves. “They learn a new appreciation for complementary and contrasting flavours,” he says. “Durban is still very much a classic beer and burger culture, but take a dark strong Belgian brew and pair it with a dark chocolate dessert,” he says.

Personally, he’s not fussy when it comes to beer. “I’m even getting to enjoy those I didn’t enjoy when I first started. I’ve warmed to wheat beer. It’s an acquired taste,” he adds.

When Maarschalk took over the brewery two years ago, he inherited 18 different labels which he’s simplified to five.

“I’ve developed my own recipes. And then it’s a tweak here and a tweak there. It’s a trial and error thing. And you have to have broad shoulders. Not everyone’s going to like your beer, but at least they’re trying it.”

His advice to budding brewers? “Be careful,” he says, “You might land up buying a chef’s school.”

For Shaun Standeaven of the Standeaven Brewery it all started while he was working on cruise ships. He had seen and enjoyed the beer culture overseas. “I came back to visit the family and was looking for opportunities. I could go back on the ships, but there’s no place like South Africa.”

He initially started with a bakery supplying Durban restaurants and markets but was investigating the brewing scene. “In 2012 I started brewing in my garage. Then I started making beers we enjoy, hoping others would enjoy them too. We launched at the Good Food and Wine Show, and we haven’t looked back since them,” he says.

Today the brewery and

its companion business The Gin Co have taken over a number of sheds at the family mushroom farm with a

number of stills that can brew 2000 litres a time.

Besides the regular range, Standeaven likes to create limited edition brews. His most recent offering was a coconut and chocolate porter that was sold out at this month’s Clarens Festival. “It was a real crazy beer, but it sold out. In fact all our beers were well received. We only came back with one keg,” he says.

“Every year for my birthday I make an unusual brew and invite my mates around. I like to keep my creativity alive. I am determined to have fun with what we do instead of pleasing corporates.”

Standeaven is passionate about the fact that his beers are organic, and they even grow their own yeast. He offers up a cup of locally grown hops to smell. “Did you know hops and dagga are sisters?” he asks.

Save the date:

CraftFest is on April 29 at the Shongweni Farmers and Craft Market from 10am to 4pm. Tickets: R100 adults, prebooked, R50 Children 12-17. Children under 12 free. Book through Quicket at www.quicket.co.za. Tickets R120 at the gate. Like our Facebook at www.facebook.com/CraftFestIOS.

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