2019 AFRICAN BEER CUP

Amidst hot competition for the best beers on the African continent, eight Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) Africa brews were awarded trophies at the inaugural African Beer Cup, held in Cape Town this week.

Gold awards went to Botswana’s St Louis Lager in the Standard American Beer category, Swaziland’s Sibebe Lager in the International Lager category, South Africa’s Castle Milk Stout in the Dark British Beer category and Nigeria’s Hero Premium Lager in the Alternative Fermentables Beer category.

“It was exciting to be awarded all three spots in the hotly contested International Lager category, with Tanzania’s Kilimanjaro Premium Lager and South Africa’s Carling Black Label claiming silver and bronze,” said Tshepo Tloubatla, Beer Culture Manager, SAB and AB InBev Africa.

AB InBev’s Cape Town-based craft brewery Newlands Spring Brewing Co was awarded a bronze for Jacob’s Pale Ale in the British Bitter category as well as for the Passionate Blonde in the Belgian Ale category.

The African Beer Cup, an annual competition which seeks to crown the continent’s best beers, was open to licenced, commercial breweries large and small, as long as the beers entered were brewed in Africa. Entries were judged by a panel of judges who had completed the international Beer Judge Certification Programme. The competition was founded by local beer industry movers and shakers Lucy Corne, editor of On Tap Magazine and founder of Brewmistress.co.za, and Shaun Duthie, brewer and former president of the Southyeasters Homebrewers Club, out of a love for beer and a desire to nurture a stronger beer culture across the African continent.

“Beer has been an intrinsic part of African and South African culture for hundreds of years, bringing people together as they mark life’s special moments of celebration and contemplation, from the most remote rural settings to ekasi and the ‘burbs,” said Tloubatla. “We are proud that our beers have been recognised among the continents finest.”

AB InBev’s beers are expertly crafted by men and women who have spent years developing the distinct and unique ability to brew beer. “The level of technical skill used to formulate the perfect beer recipe is matched only by the brewer’s passion, quality of ingredients and love for beer. No two beer styles are alike and the breadth of our categories is celebrated by our passion to brew variety.”