South African Breweries

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South African Breweries, Castle Lager (South Africa) The huge South African Breweries became even more dominant when it took over the US Miller Brewing Company in 2002 to form SABMiller, now one of the globe's brewing giants. This is their bed-rock product, the ubiquitous beer of South Africa. It pours a medium gold colour with moderate white head. Brewed from South African barley, Southern Star hops from George, and some South African maize, the nose is very fresh and citrussy, with lots of lemon peel and grassy notes, and a touch of sweetcorn. On the palate it is refreshing, light and zippy, with a certain sweetness and very little hop character. Internationally-styled and rather bland, but refreshing enough. 5.0% ABV, 33cl, �0.99, Majestic, Surf4beer.

South African Breweries, Castle Milk Stout (South Africa) Purchased in South Africa, this stout pours an inky black colour with a thick, creamy coffee-coloured head. The nose is creamy too, with a malt-biscuit sweetness and small liquorice and even a hint of blackcurrant aromas. The palate is thick, creamy and sweet-edged, with lots of fruity character and a nice charcoally Irish stout dryness at its core. The dark roasted coffee and nutty character, with a bitter edge of burnt toast and Pontefract cakes, is joined again by the sweeter edge in the fnish of a very nice style of stout. 6.0% ABV, 75cl.

South African Breweries, Hansa Pilsener (South Africa) Handed to me as I arrived at a lovely guesthouse in Wilderness on the Garden Route by the owner, the can says �With a kiss of Saaz hops�, as well as revealing that both barley and maize are used in the brewing. The colour is a medium gold, with a decent white head. On the nose it has quite a nice hoppy Pilsner style, with some creamed sweetcorn and a little honeyed note. On the palate it is quite a nicely-styled beer, with quite a full mouthfeel and a really crisp citrussy fruit quality before a decent grassy hop acidity and softening touch of malt supports the finish. Rather a good beer from the giant SABMiller. 4.5% ABV, 34cl, �1.35, southafricanshop.co.uk.