Woodstock Winter Beer Festival: Cape Town celebrates craft beer at Castle of Good Hope

World
Europe

02:24

To South Africa now, and can you imagine learning about the country's history while sipping a beer? Well, this year's Woodstock Winter Beer Festival took place at the historic Castle of Good Hope, the oldest building in South Africa. CGTN's Travers Andrews went to check out some of the finest winter beers on the show and filed this report.

Beers, beers and lots of beers, craft beers in particular, and ones where the presentation of the beverages are as important as the taste.

The Castle of Good Hope may be over 350 years old but it makes for a spectacular backdrop, for a festival of tastes, sights, culture and history.

This year's event attracted 17 craft brewers, many of whom specialise in specific types, from Indian Pale Ale to Weiss beers, which is testament to how this festival has grown.

ANNA ANDERSON, ORGANIZER WOODSTOCK WINTER BEER FESTIVAL "We started it at a parking garage in Woodstock and we had 2 thousand people turn out, so obviously each year it gets more popular, so this year we decided we needed a bigger venue but we still want to keep it inner city."

With historical figures such Zulu King Cetshwayo and Khoisan freedom fighter Doman looking on, the courtyard saw the hive of activity from beer enthusiast, which is far cry from its days of slavery.

Castle officials have been very supportive of the festival, as a way of contributing to microenterprise development and job creation. It is also one of the most popular pastimes in the Mother City these days.

TRAVERS ANDREWS CAPE TOWN, S. AFRICA "The craft beer scene has exploded in the Cape Town and that has lead to more and more micro brewers are opening up shop, many of whom want to be here attracting new customers."

GREG CASEY, DIRECTOR AFRO-CARIBBEAN BREWING COMPANY "Going to events like this get to expose your brewery to a lot more people, we always come here with new beers, trying to bring your brand forward in the market, so it is important to get people to try something new, try something different."

NICK BUSH, DIRECTOR DRIFTER BREWING COMPANY "We get to interact with the customers. We get to tell them about our products. We get to tell them how we make these crazy beers, of the passion that goes into them, the special ingredients. Then at the end of the day, those people who have tasted our beers will go to the shops and they will buy them and support us."

The event though also contributes to charity, which for the many hundreds of beer lovers here, is just another reason, to have fun for a day of indulgence at one of the countries most important landmarks, Travers Andrews. CGTN, Cape Town.