The inaugural African Beer Cup named Cape Town’s Stormy Smoked Porter the best beer in Africa. The beer is brewed in Cape Town by Drifter Brewing company.
According to IOL, there were over 150 brewers at the event. It was a culmination of brewers, beer enthusiasts and experts on the 18th of May in Cape Town.
The beer competition attracted 143 entries from 11 African countries: Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. There were winners from seven different countries with Kenya’s Bateleur Brewery also clinching an award.
The beers were judged in early May by a panel of beer experts, brewers and qualified judges in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Shawn Duthie, the beer competition co-founder and director said, “In order to get the best results possible, all beers in the competition were judged twice by two different panels.”
This was made possible by following the guidelines of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) which emphasizes a strong focus on stylistic accuracy.
Cape Town’s Stormy Smoked Porter won the coveted slot. Each winner of the beer competition took home a piece of art to celebrate their win, designed by Cape Town artist, Jesse Pearson.
Winners of the 2019 African Beer Cup:
Category: Standard American Beer
GOLD: Anheuser-Busch InBev – St Louis Lager (Botswana)
SILVER: Shields Indie Brewing Company – White Falcon (South Africa)
BRONZE: Mad Giant – Super Session (South Africa)
Category: International Lager
GOLD: AB-InBev – Sibebe Lager (Swaziland)
SILVER: AB-InBev – Kilimanjaro Premium Lager (Tanzania)
BRONZE: AB-InBev – Carling Black Label (South Africa)
Category: Czech Lager
SILVER: Spilhaus Brewery – Premium Lager (South Africa)
BRONZE: Hoghouse – Pumba Pilsner (South Africa)
Category: Pale Malty European Lager
SILVER: Cape Brewing Co. – CBC Lager (South Africa)
BRONZE: Darling Brew – Slow Beer (South Africa)
Category: Pale Bitter European Beer
GOLD: Roof of Africa Craft Brewery – Roof Draught (Namibia)
SILVER: Urban Brewing Co. – Judas Peak Blonde Ale (South Africa)
BRONZE: Darling Brew – Blood Serpent (South Africa)
Category: Amber Malty European Lager
SILVER: Brauhaus Am Damm – Brauhaus Märzen (South Africa)
BRONZE: Spilhaus Brewery – Märzen Lager (South Africa)
Category: Amber Bitter European Beer
BRONZE: Hazeldean Brewing Co. – Vienna Lager (South Africa)
Category: Dark European Lager
GOLD: Brauhaus am Damm – Brauhaus Dunkel (South Africa)
BRONZE: Clockwork Brewhouse – Schwarzbier (South Africa)
Category: Strong European Beer
SILVER: Doctrine Brewing – Twisted Talisman (South Africa)
Category: German Wheat Beer
GOLD: Urban Brewing Co. – Talisman Weissbier (South Africa)
SILVER: Jack Black Beer – Atlantic Weiss (South Africa)
BRONZE: Berg River Brewery – Dunkler Doppelbock 2018 (South Africa)
Category: British Bitter
BRONZE: Newlands Spring Brewing Co. – Jacob’s Pale Ale (South Africa)
Category: Pale Commonwealth Beer
GOLD: Darling Brew – Rogue Pony (South Africa)
BRONZE: Hoghouse Brewing Co. – Hogtale African Pale Ale (South Africa)
Category: Brown British Beer
GOLD: Afro Caribbean Brewing Co. – Pirate Porter (South Africa)
SILVER: Darling Brew – Black Mist Orange (South Africa)
BRONZE: Oxenham Craft Brewery – The Thirsty Fox Amber Ale (Mauritius)
Category: Irish Beer
SILVER: Darling Brew – Gypsy Mask (South Africa)
Category: Dark British Beer
GOLD: AB-InBev – Castle Milk Stout (South Africa)
SILVER: The Franschhoek Beer Co – The Stout (South Africa)
BRONZE: Stellenbosch Brewing Co – Eike Stout (South Africa)
Category: Pale American Ale
GOLD: Mad Giant – Killer Hop (South Africa)
SILVER: Stellenbosch Brewing Co – Born Free Pale Ale (South Africa)
BRONZE: Richmond Hill Brewing Co – Car Park John (South Africa)
Category: Amber & Brown American Beer
BRONZE: Shields Indie Brewing Company – Red Special (South Africa)
Category: American Porter & Stout
GOLD: Drifter Brewing Company – The Stormy Smoked Porter (South Africa)
BRONZE: Bature Brewery – Black Gold (Nigeria)
Category: IPA
GOLD: RIOT Beer – Valve IPA (South Africa)
SILVER: Jack Black Beer – Skeleton Coast (South Africa)
BRONZE: Afro Caribbean Brewing Co. – Jungle Paradise (South Africa)
Category: Belgian Ale
SILVER: Hey Joe Brewing Company – Wit (South Africa)
BRONZE: Newlands Spring Brewing Co. – Passionate Blond (South Africa)
Category: Strong Belgian Ale
SILVER: Hey Joe Brewing Company – Blonde (South Africa)
BRONZE: Hoghouse Brewing Co. – Haybale Saison (South Africa)
Category: Historical Beer
GOLD: Stellenbosch Brewing Co. & Little Wolf – Sorghum Gose (South Africa)
Category: American Wild Ale
GOLD: Little Wolf – The Sour Plum (South Africa)
SILVER: Little Wolf – Passiflora (South Africa)
BRONZE: Hoghouse Brewing Co. – Nose to Tail Sour Ale (South Africa)
Category: Fruit Beer
SILVER: Bateleur Brewery – Fruit Fly (Kenya)
Category: Spiced Beer
GOLD: Humanbrew – Loxton Lager (South Africa)
BRONZE: Shields Indie Brewing Company – Back in Black (South Africa)
Category: Alternative Fermentables Beer
GOLD: AB-InBev – Hero Premium Lager (Nigeria)
Category: Wood-aged beer
GOLD: Hazeldean Brewing Co. – Bourbon Barrel Sour Mash Milk Stout (South Africa)
Category: Speciality Beer
BRONZE: Shields Indie Brewing Company – Soul Power (South Africa)
