If you're into easy blondes, then Happy Sekanka is the woman to hook you up. Sekanka is no pimp, though she does like to push the "Easy Blonde" that is the flagship beer of the all-girl brewery Oakes Brew House in Modderfontein, east of Johannesburg, where Sekanka is brewmaster.Making up the rest of the team are co-owners Thea Blom and Delia Bailey. Blom is a chef and runs 33 High Street in Modderfontein. Bailey was a regular at the restaurant who became a friend."One night over drinks we were talking about things we really wanted to do. I had German friends who always talked about Europe's culture of microbreweries - it made having my own microbrewery seem like an old dream," says Blom.Bailey, a microbiologist, loved the idea of science colliding with the magic of co-mingling water, hops, malt and yeast."Delia said 'why not' and that's how we started - by brewing that first Easy Blonde in her kitchen."After ticking boxes for licensing, approval to build next to the restaurant - a historic house that's more than 100 years old - and importing brewing equipment from Germany, the brewery got started. That was two years ago."We came up with the name Oakes because we were making final plans under the big oak tree in the garden and we liked the idea of a bunch of girls being okes - or as we spell it, 'Oakes'," says Blom.Blom had worked with Sekanka at her previous restaurant, and knew she would be the perfect brewer and manager."I wasn't a beer drinker, I didn't even like the smell of beer, so I thought Thea was crazy when she phoned. But then I tasted the beer and I thought: 'I've missed out!'" laughs Sekanka.She describes their American ale, her favourite of the four Oakes beers , as "biscuity, with flavours of honey and caramel" - clearly a beer convert ."People can see how we brew, they love to ask questions and talk about their own home-brewing. Beer drinkers are jolly people," she says.Craft beer is about big taste, personality, having fun and bending rules. It follows that Oakes' beers have cheeky labels, like a weiss beer they call Wise Beer - "To drink wise is to drink in good company", or their Butt Stout, described as "a serious man's drink - full of ifs and butts".Bailey, who maintains her day job, says: "The microbrewing sector is sustainable only if there is exceptional quality, but South Africa is heading in a good direction."For Oakes I see small volumes, personal care and incredible flavour. We don't want to be big, we want to be known for quality and passion."Cheers to that!Oakes Brew House, 33 High Street, Modderfontein, 011-458-6018...