There are a few reasons why people enjoy sipping Cape Town craft beer in a quiet corner of Woodstock.
They come for beer-brewing tips, raw materials and a chat with like-minded fans of hops and malt. Or they just want an affordable, cleansing ale.
Beerguevara started in Newlands in 2012. Anthony Cawood and Andrew Cook capitalised on the availability of spring water near their shared home - their wives are sisters - and started brewing beer. Short of a consistent ingredient and equipment supplier for the all-grain brewing system they fancied, they started a business doing just that.
Beerguevara plays on Cape Town's craft revolution craze, with a tongue-in-cheek reminder to support the little guy. "We were lucky. We got into craft beer at a time it was taking off," says Cawood.
Beerguevara took on another partner and transferred to its Salt River arcade location in March last year. The on-site bar opened this month. It is a modest setup, with four or five ales and perhaps a lager on tap.
Drinking aside, a mostly male clientele shops at Beerguevara, selecting from assorted yeasts, 40 speciality malts and 35 types of hops. Beer-brewing starter kits and brewing workshops also move fast here.
- Beerguevara, Shop G7, Salt Circle Arcade, 374 Albert Road, Woodstock. Bar open Fridays until 7pm, Saturdays until 2pm. Call 021-447-0646, www.beerguevara.com. Order beer kits at yuppiechef.com