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one side. The remaining mash is cooked until a crusty sediment forms. This is known as and can be eaten as a . When making , the isidudu is left to cool for a day. After the mixture has cooled, it is poured into a large plastic vat and the that was set aside is added. A small amount of sorghum and malts are added and the brew is stirred with a tra- ditional stirring spoon called an iphini. The vat is covered with a lid and blanket (to retain heat) and left in a warm place overnight to encourage fermentation. The traditional method of testing to see if the brew is ready is to light a match close to the vat. If the match blows out quickly, the brew is ready. If the match remains lit, the brew is not ready. This is due to the presence of large amounts of carbon dioxide, which does not allow for combustion of the match. When the brew is ready, the © SABMiller plc fermented mash is filtered through a large metal strainer to remove the spent grains. The sediment at the bottom of the vat is known as intshela and is added to the strained beer to give extra flavour. The spent grains are squeezed out and are usually cast onto the ground TAB with SAB for chickens. The brewer of the beer traditionally gives thanks to the ances- tors while casting the corn. Once the An introduction to the Traditional beer has been strained, it is poured African Beverages category into a large communal drum known as a gogogo. It is ready for sharing with friends and family. When guests The brewing of traditional beer is common in rural Africa arrive at the brewer’s home to taste the and varieties and types depend on local customs and beer and join in the celebration, they traditionally bring a bottle of brandy, as resources. As the Institute of Brewing and Distilling, in a symbol of gratitude! conjunction with SABMiller, prepares to offer a General Certificate in Traditional African Beverages (TAB) in 2017, Chibuku SABMiller’s Chibuku is a commercial we take an introductory look at the category. sorghum beer based on umqombothi; the main grains used are malted raditional umqombothi (from the Xho- between regions and the recipe is often sorghum and maize but may also Tsa language, one the official South passed down through the generations. contain millet. Chibuku beer is popular African languages), is the typical home The beer is traditionally prepared over throughout Southern African countries made African beer brewed from maize, a fire outside of the house and then such as Botswana, , , maize malt, sorghum malt, and passively cools to ambient tempera- and . In these markets water, and commonly found in South Af- tures outside. The ingredients used are sorghum malt is used as an impor- rica. This beer has a low alcohol content typically equal measures of maize meal, tant ingredient, elsewhere less to no (usually less than 3%) and is known to crushed mealie malt (corn malt) and sorghum is used and the beer is more have a heavy and distinctly sour aroma. It crushed sorghum malt. The maize malt commonly known as ‘opaque beer’. is very rich in Vitamin B. In appearance, provides a lighter-toned beer with a SABMiller produced a total of the beer is opaque and light tan in colour mellower flavour whilst the sorghum almost six million hectolitres last year and has a thick, creamy and gritty con- malt provides a darker beer. as well as half a million hectolitres of sistency (from the maize). Umqombothi The ingredients are mixed in a cast- non-alcoholic versions. With five key is cheaper than local commercial iron pot, known as a potjie in South Af- markets plus another five develop- , brewed from and hops. rica. Four measures of warm water are ment markets they operate 31 plants added. The mixture is left overnight and around the continent – some stand Traditional method of preparation starts fermenting, bubbles appear and alone, some integrated onto clear beer Umqombothi is brewed following a sour odour can be detected. A small sites. A feature on SABMiller’s produc- traditional customs which vary slightly portion of the wort is removed and put to tion methods for their chibuku brands

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will feature in an upcoming edition of from malted millet and is common Brewer and Distiller International. throughout West, Central and East Af- , so called by rica. Millet Beer varies in taste and al- the need to shake the carton before coholic content between ethnic groups. drinking it, is a another commercial The Institute of Brewing and umqombothi brewed by Chibuku, and Distilling has teamed with SABMiller remains a popular beer in Botswana, to produce a General Certificate in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi. In Traditional African Beverages (GCTAB) Zimbabwe it is known as ‘scud’. It is qualification to be launched in 2017. sold in paper cartons or brown plastic Aimed at brewers and operators and containers with a wide blue lid, and based upon the very successful General has a powerful yeast flavour that is off- Certificate in Brewing, this qualifica- set by a lemony tang - when the liquid tion and its learning materials is the has been consumed and you reach the latest addition to the General Certificate bottom of the carton, standard practice range of qualifications covering malt- is to slurp up the pile of sludge that ing, brewing, distilling and packaging remains. (beer and spirits). The qualification will Millet beer, also known as Bantu be open for entries from around the beer (another opaque beer), is made TAB industry later in 2017.

and built a beer hall to specifically sell and Super League The history Chibuku. So successful was the project that matches. Chibuku soon a lavish beerhall and clinic were built. contributed $25 000 of Chibuku Tractors and graders were purchased for to this stadium and the district. Soon, Chibuku had a £1 million trained the national Brewing a good beer is an investment in the country. The first brewer- soccer team in 1980. art. On the Copperbelt, ies were built in Fort Victoria, Que Que, Chibuku ran a Zambia (formerly Northern Sinoia and Chiredzi. national competition- Just add water! Rhodesia) in the 1950s a To keep pace with growing demand, with the Chibuku Trophy worth $16 000 with man called Max Heinrich who had studied new mushroomed across the $5 000 for the winners. The stadium was fermentology in Berlin perfected that art. country. Between 1962 when the first called Chibuku stadium. Every day he would send out his specially was opened in Fort Victoria up to Chibuku is a proud sponsor of suc- brewed beer, made with the finest local 1979, 20 additional breweries were opened cessful Chibuku Road to Fame musical ingredients, in a delivery truck and he in every major population centre. After showcase-in association with the National would record customer response to each a series of talks with the Salisbury City Arts Council. This property has become a brew. Heinrich adjusted the beer recipe Council in 1979 – the council decided to massive platform for identifying musical all the time, depending on the customer’s lease Rufaro Brewery to Chibuku. Chibuku talent across the country and giving it a response until it was perfect and met with bought the plant, equipment and trans- platform to shine. Being a proudly African the customers’ full approval. The recipe port while brewing and distributing both beer – Chibuku also sponsors the Nesham- details were always entered into a book Chibuku and Rufaro beer – though the wari Traditional Dance Festival and through right up to the perfect formulation. Hein- Municipality kept the beer outlets. parent (part owned rich’s workers referred to the recipe book by SABMiller) plays an active role in the as ‘e-book-u’ – the root of what is now Shake-Shake and Scud Intwasa Festival in Bulawayo. one of the most famous beer names not The introduction of a only in this country, but across southern convenient wax coated Did you know? Africa north of the Limpopo – Chibuku! cardboard carton made a Early in its history, the Chibuku brand huge impact on Chibuku produced other high protein products, a Early years in 1969. The people’s non-alcoholic called Munkoyo and The early years of the Chibuku beer brand beer became available a sweetened biscuit – Fortibik. In 1978 in the country were spectacular. Municipal- in a red and blue pack the scientists at Chibuku’s Seke labora- ities and local authorities with inefficient that spread across the tory announced an amazing new product brewing technology and operations gave country like a veld fire. – dry beer. The Chibuku beer powder was up control to Chibuku after it was intro- In 1991, the business A two litre scud packed in 15 kg bags that made 100 lit- duced to Rhodesia from the Copperbelt in invested in a revolutionary returnable brown ers of Chibuku and had to mature for 24 1962. Chibuku had several advantages, not plastic bottle. It was named the ‘Scud’ after hours before drinking-and would last for only did Chibuku supply a great tasting, the famous missile used the Gulf War. Sales up to 4 days. In 1983 from a new Re- consistent and standardised product – the continued to rise with automated Scud bot- search and Development laboratory a new high food content also helped mitigate the tling plants rolled out across the country by non-alcoholic nutritious beverage called four percent alcohol – limiting the hango- 1994. Sunshine Liquid Maheu was introduced. ver effect. The product quickly became a hit with customers. Chibuku - Soccer and Music Credits Chief Seke was one of the first and most In 1979, a joint venture was entered into Delta Corporation Company History Book important contacts for Chibuku. After a with the Chitungwiza Urban Council to build – 1899-1999 month of negotiations he set up a council a soccer stadium for the Premier League SAB Miller plc www.ibd.org.uk Brewer and Distiller International October 2016 z 29 l BREWING

often filtered and pasteurised. The big brewers have also over the Out of Africa years launched a range of clear beers using the indigenous African ingredients Use of indigenous African blended with malted barley in some brands. Heineken Nigeria has the Leg- ingredients in brewing end Extra and Star Lager brands and SABMiller has Eagle Lager and Indlamu brands to name a few. African microbrewers have also been experimenting with different cereal. Lethu Tshabangu, founder brewer of

iStock.com/Jamie Evans Ukhamba Beerworx is one of those brewers who have successfully launched a sorghum brewed beer. He brews his using sorghum malt grist mixed with about 30% malted barley. He describes his beer as being fresh, spicy and with unique flavours of malted By Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, generations of women in my family. sorghum; traditionally a Belgian style Brewster’s Craft Even though my grandmother and that has had a proudly South African many women before her never really make-over. Clement Djameh, co-founder understood the scientific principles of of ’s first microbrewery, Inland Throughout the centuries, the brewing process, I am in a special Microbrewery, also produces several brewers have explored use of position of having been taught and styles of beers making use of exclusively mastered both the traditional and sorghum malt. different ingredients for beer modern brewing practices. Sorghum is about 70% starches; making to create beers of In this article, I aim to showcase the therefore a good source of fermenta- range of commercially available beers bles during brewing. The starch does various flavours and tastes. brewed with the various indigenous not contain gluten giving the cereal that Most of the beer styles we African raw materials, where brew- extra health benefit. Brewing with sor- know of today came about ers have merged the ‘African’ and the ghum malt is not easy and has a number ‘Western’ processes. I hope to inspire of challenges, some being: when a group of brewers more brewers to start experimenting • Not all available sorghum varieties are within the same geographic with these ingredients, making proudly suitable for brewing or malt that well. African beers and to share with the rest • The sorghum grain doesn’t contain a location started to use of the world our own special beer styles. husk like barley does, this makes mash similar ingredients following separation through a lauter tun not easy Cereal grain to achieve. Other means of mash sepa- similar brewing practices. Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, also known ration can be used or otherwise a small as sorghum, (mabele (Pedi, Sotho, portion of barley can be used as part of ith the current and predicted Ndebele), amabele (Zulu) and amazimba the grain bill. Wgrowth of the craft brewing in- (Xhosa)) is a tropical cereal grass that • Sorghum has a higher gelatinisation dustry, in specifically, now has been cultivated in Africa for many temperature (~80°C), compared to bar- is possibly the perfect time for African centuries. ley (~63°C). Gelatinisation is the temper- brewers to start showcasing our own To those only familiar with clear ature at which the starch granules take special way of brewing and our range beers, an encounter with traditional Afri- up water and swell, exposing the starch of unique brewing raw materials. Why can beers made with sorghum malt may molecules to enzyme degradation. At do we all have to brew German beers - be quite shocking. This is because the the high gel temperatures of sorghum with German malts, German hops and beer is not a clear, sparkling liquid many cereal the amylase enzymes get dena- German yeast, when we have similar are accustomed to; but is an opaque, ingredients locally? We have sorghum porridge-like beverage with suspended and millet as substitute to barley, hun- solids. Its colour varies from a pale buff dreds of herbs as substitute for hops, to a pink-brown depending on the type so why do we still find only a handful of of sorghum used. The beer has a distinct brewers using these easily available and sour taste from the lactic acid fermenta- proudly African ingredients? Often you tion and has a very short shelf-life. hear people talk of traditional sorghum Both SABMiller and United National beers as being an “acquired taste”; what Breweries (part of Diageo) have over the about a Weiss, a Wit, a Double IPA – are years produced different ranges of com- they not an “acquired taste” too? mercial Traditional African Beers (TAB) For years, I have been home-brew- such as SABMiller’s Chibuku brand. ing traditional beer using sorghum These are similar to the homebrewed malt and maize, as taught by mother, versions, being sour, thick and opaque based on a recipe passed on through but with extended shelf-life as they are

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tured. Either exogenous enzymes are of the boil, this to capture the full flavour added to facilitate the starch breakdown essence of the herbs and also to sterilise or malted barley added to the mash post them. We also add fynbos honey, making gelatinisation. Loxton Lager a truly African beer. Stuart Thompson, brand owner and founder African herbs brewer of Loxton Lager, started working In the modern world of brewing, hops on his recipe in 2010 on his 20L home- take centre stage. But it wasn’t always brew system. Over the years, he has this way. Before their use became wide- worked on and perfected his recipe to spread, hops were actually frowned upon become one of the successful brands in in favour of the wide range of herbs and the South African microbrewing industry. spices that were used to flavour beers Another very commercially successful • Allow for a few weeks of beer aging and also acted as preservatives. Mixtures brand brewed with buchu is from Dog to balance off the flavours. of these herbs are known as gruit. and Fig Microbrewery. Sean Barras, • Check medical side effects of your The African continent is full of such BrewMaster at Dog and Fig also started chosen herb, including medically rec- herbs and spices, with many still wildly working on his IPA recipe in 2010. He ommended dosage limits. growing in our fields. Many of these also adds the buchu as leaves or shred- • To give a more complex flavour herbs have medicinal attributes, ranging ded as tea bags towards the end of boil. character, look at mixing a few herbs from anti-inflammatory, anti-depres- together. sant, and pain relief and are able to cure and honeybush • You still have to use some hops as a range of diseases. These herbs also Other herbs which have received to lot the herbs don’t have the same anti- act as preservatives and have antioxidant interest for flavouring beers are rooibos microbial capability. properties. Currently, various herbs are and honeybush. Rooibos is a bush • Ensure you have a good balanced base used by a number of brewers to impart plant growing in South Africa’s fynbos, beer and that the flavours from the herb flavour and aroma. Hops are still used with species name Aspalathus linearis. do not become too overpowering. to impart bitterness, but what we find According to the South African Rooibos • Sterilise the herbs prior to addi- is that the beers flavoured with these Council, rooibos is not a true tea, but tion, especially when added at or post herbs have an extended shelf-life. actually a herb. Rooibos has gained fermentation. Danie Odendaal, a Brewmaster at popularity due to its great refreshing SABMiller and a part-time homebrewer taste and unique red colour, while also In this article, I have highlighted some is one of the brewers who have been boasting a range of health benefits. Hon- of the beer brands currently avail- experimenting with African herbs for eybush (Cyclopia meyeriana) is a genus of able commercially that use some of the past three years. After looking at the some 20 species of flowering plant that the indigenous African brewing raw typical herbs historically used to make also grows within the fynbos. Honey- materials. There are many other Gruit , he soon realised that none of bush gives a mild sweet taste, exquisite brands not covered here. Having said those herbs actual grow in South Africa. honey aroma. Use of rooibos has created that, there is still a lot of research that He then concentrated his research into some issues within the industry with one needs to be conducted on the already the locally available herbs and he initially company having filed a patent on the existing brands and also research on identified 22 herbs that he started ex- use of rooibos in any alcoholic beverage. other potential ingredients that can be perimenting with on various base beers. Even though the patent is still pending, used. Microbiology and Biotechnology He found the African wormwood to be this has not stopped many brewers who Masters students at the University of the most interesting, as it lends a bit- believe no one brewer has sole right the Witwatersrand are working to iso- terness perception that differs from the to use of this naturally growing plant. late Saccharomyces cerevisiae species traditional hop bitterness. He combines Beer brands using rooibos are growing from wild areas in Africa. Hopefully the African wormwood with other herbs and include Smack Republic Brewing in the not so distant future, we’ll be and spices, such as stinging nettle, Company’s Honey and Rooibos , able to brew beers with not only water, yarrow, sage, black pepper and corian- Independent Beer and Spirit Company’s cereal and herbs from the African der in his brews. Interestingly, Danie’s Cochoqua Red Ale and Stellenbrau continent but also brewers yeast. Gruit IPA won the best beer award at the Red Lager. The use of rooibos has also brewsterscraft.co.za Worthogs Homebrewers Club Festival gained attraction in other alcoholic held earlier this year. beverages for example Windermere A number of homebrewers and com- Rooibos wooded cider. mercial brewers have also experimented If you are looking at using some with the buchu herb. Buchu, native to herbs within your brewing process, South Africa, is harvested from the dried common advice from more experienced leaves obtained from the species of Ago- brewers has been: thosma Betulina and Barosma Betulina. • Use as little as possible, less is more. Taste and odour of the plant is described Most of these herbs are very flavour ac- as spicy, resembling blackcurrant, but tive and can impart very harsh flavours also reminiscent of a mixture between to final product. rosemary and peppermint. Loxton Lager • Check availability of your chosen herb, which I brew under contract for Human- also looking at seasonal availability. brew uses a mixture of buchu and other • Use the herbs as fresh as possible. Karoo herbs for flavouring. The herbs Recommended, within 2- 8 weeks of are added in leaf form towards the end picking. www.ibd.org.uk Brewer and Distiller International October 2016 z 31