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For Jacques Conradie, brewing just seemed to make sense. His garagiste-style brewery – the latest licensed addition to the ever-expanding Western Cape Brew Route – sits in the family winery, Karusa, just outside Oudtshoorn.

Jacques is well-qualified to make booze – a trained winemaker, he has worked at Graham Beck and several other Cape wineries before returning home to produce wine in the Klein Karoo. So far in his career, he has been responsible for making MCC, port-style wines, still wines and is keen to dabble in distilling. And as a 50/50 wine and beer drinker, it seemed like only a matter of time before he turned his hand to brewing.

At present, Karusa serves just one beer – an easy-drinking pale ale labelled Amber Gold. But there are big plans underway – a new 500-litre brewery was due to be delivered when we visited; Jacques is experimenting with new hops and different beer styles and there’s talk of hosting a beer festival later in the year – a perfect pursuit in a town where summer temperatures often top 40 degrees.

Once the brewery is fully up-and-running – which should be in October this year – there will be a trio of beers to choose from. For now, Karusa’s Amber Gold can be tasted on tap at the winery, at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge and at the well-priced and much raved about Bello Cibo restaurant in Oudtshoorn.

Karusa is based in Schoemanshoek, on the way to the Cango Caves.
Website: http://www.karusa.co.za
Tel: 044-272 8717

Lucy Corne is a beer and travel writer. She is currently visiting every brewery across South Africa for a forthcoming book on the country’s beer culture, entitled African Brew. Read more about Lucy on her website www.lucycorne.com or read her boozy blog, The Tipsy Traveller at http://blog.getaway.co.za/author/lucy-corne.

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