Article posted by Africa Geographic Magazine

beer5Ceder BrewIt’s easy to get lost in the Cederberg. Even in daytime, navigation to the farm where Ceder Brew is situated can be tricky. So fill your tank before you leave Ceres and have your map handy. There’s no fuel after Op Die Berg yet still cars arrive on empty tanks. Seventh generation dwellers on their farm Kromrivier, Melanie and Tania Nieuwoudt do not fit in any mould. A PhD in biochemistry, and an MComm in Logistics are but the beginning of their distinctions. If subtle, faultless elegance is what you’re after in beer, you won’t find anything better. I’m tempted to call this way of brewing feminine, in much the same way that burgundies are described in the wine world.

Their labels, immaculately designed by Melanie, allude to another dimension of the time-bubble that is Kromrivier − conservation. Part of the Cederberg Conservancy, the Nieuwoudts are piloting an effort to extract alien fish and return endemic species to the river, some the subject of their beer names. A tasty Pumpkin Ale, redolent of fritters, and a beautifully fragrant Cherry Blonde named Sarie Marais, round off their staples: Catfish Pale Ale, Sand Fish Weiss, and Chubbyhead Stout.

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