Located in the heart of the Newton Cultural Precinct in Johannesburg, The SAB World of Beer is the home of beer culture in South Africa.
Located in the heart of the Newton Cultural Precinct in Johannesburg, The SAB World of Beer is the home of beer culture in South Africa.
It is also the country’s primary destination for exploring the history and science of beer, explains Vicki Rothman, SAB World of Beer marketing officer.
In the many times that I have visited the property, I have never given much thought to its size except that it is huge.
The property, which measures 3 988 square metres, is a heritage site and rented from the municipality by SABMiller the second largest listed company on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) by market capitalisation.
SABMiller is also listed on the London Stock Exchange.
According to Chris Gilmour, investment analyst at Absa, the weak Rand should help Rand hedge JSE stocks such as SABMiller (2), BAT (1) and Richemont (4), and so if you love your beer, drink away and buy the SABMiller stock while you are at it.
SABMiller is one of the world’s leading brewers with more than 200 beer brands and some 70 000 employees in over 75 countries and six continents.
It also has growing businesses in soft drinks and is one of the world’s largest bottlers of Coca-Cola products.
It was in 1895 that SAB was founded with share capital of £350 000 and £300 000 of debentures (The drink of choice in South Africa's dusty prospecting fields was raw potato spirit mixed with tobacco juice and pepper. Small wonder beer was well received).
One of the new features is in Hathor’s Hall, named after the ancient Egyptian goddess. The story of the origins of beer in Egypt is reinterpreted through a light-hearted animated film that is played out in a holographic effect. This is the only permanently installed holographic effect of its kind in South Africa., she says.
Castle Lager (a very popular beer brand) launched from a newly-commissioned lager brewery – capacity 50 000 barrels per annum.
Inside the property
Rothman explains that The SAB World of Beer was opened on 15 May 1995 by former president Nelson Mandela.
Since then, it has become a popular tourist attraction and conferencing venue, achieving a five star rating for its conferencing facilities.
In his address during the opening, former president said: “This centre will also help to remind us of a history we neglect at our peril. Inevitably, a product as integral to the culture and economy of a society as is yours, traces in its own history, the history of its society.”
It opens six days a week and hosts interactive tours where guests experience a journey through time, highlighting the beginnings of Castle Lager and the story of Charles Glass into the tombs of Egypt and mining townships of Johannesburg’s early days.
The property has also achieved a five star rating for its conferencing facilities and recently hosted and sponsored the 4th annual SA hotel guest relations conference.
It focuses on beer tours, conferences and events.
On green living, Rothman says they encourage staff members to print less and when they do, to recycle paper.
“Our suppliers are aware of the importance of greening hence we only use bio-degradable soap in our bathrooms and also opted for hand towels instead of air dryers,” she says.
Furthermore, she says goods are bought in bulk to save on waste of packaging material, and where possible, they request that event organisers use reusable products as décor instead of paper or plastic.
“Our conference delegates are served tap water in jugs by default unless they specifically request bottled water.”
The property has also achieved a five star rating for its conferencing facilities and recently hosted and sponsored the 4th annual SA hotel guest relations conference.
The SAB World of Beer property employs 11 permanent staff members, four temporary tour guides, four catering staff (which increases with big functions), five cleaning staff and four security officers, she says.
History of beer
For many African cultures (me being an African and all), beer is widely drunk when celebrating; it could be marriage, birth of a new child, and African beer – Umqombothi (rich in Vitamin B) is very special because it is brewed by women.
Rothman explains that Jan van Riebeeck founded Cape Town in 1652 and was also the first man who brought clear beer to South Africa.
When gold was discovered in Johannesburg in 1886 the population grew and the demand for beer increased.
In 1888, Charles Glass built the Castle Brewery in Johannesburg and introduced Castle Lager. He sold this Brewery in 1896 and as the demand for beer increased, investors became increasingly interested in the lucrative opportunities that brewing offered.
South African Breweries was born in May 1985 and has become one of South Africa’s leading companies as well as Africa’s largest brewer.
“As Africa’s largest brewer, engaging with craft brewers is a big part of what we do.
“We see them as partners in continuously growing and nurturing the South African beer culture,” points out Rothman.
Included in the rate are the tour guide, one half way beer, and souvenir glass, two drinks vouchers redeemable in the Tap Room and bar snacks while enjoying the panoramic views of the pristine Newtown district.
Not only do we want to ensure our future success as a business, but also help build a vibrant and healthy South African beer market, she says.
Property tours
During my recent tour of the property, I had the pleasure of meeting a dynamic young woman, Dineo Khomokholo, who is fan of Brutal Fruit – she is young after all.
She was spewing stats that left my head reeling and not even reading; maybe when you work in a liquid environment, you are able to absorb all the information and remember it quickly.
She says over 49 367 litres of lager are sold each minute.
According to Rothman, the beer tours are a fun and interactive journey which tease all senses and the itinerary has been upgraded using new and exciting technology to enhance the storytelling.
Yes, the first thing you will encounter is Charles Glass, SAB brewmaster welcoming you to his world, then you are given a glimpse into the history and culture of beer.
One of the new features is in Hathor’s Hall, named after the ancient Egyptian goddess. The story of the origins of beer in Egypt is reinterpreted through a light-hearted animated film that is played out in a holographic effect. This is the only permanently installed holographic effect of its kind in South Africa., she says.
Visitors are then taken to the greenhouse to see how barley and hops are grown and tended and then soon after, guests learn more about the beer making process.
Tours lasts for 90 minutes with 45 minute tours available upon request. Adults pay R65, pensioners and students (R55), and children up to 17 and school tours per student pay R15.
Included in the rate are the tour guide, one half way beer, and a souvenir glass, two drinks vouchers redeemable in the Tap Room and bar snacks while enjoying the panoramic views of the pristine Newtown district.
The SAB World of Beer entertains over 38 000 visitors per annum.
Delicious pub lunches are also available, and the gift shop offers a wide variety of branded merchandise, beer gear and sports accessories.
A highlight for me was learning that Black people were not allowed to buy and drink European beer hence the widespread growth of shebeens, says Khomokholo.
According to Wikipedia, a shebeen was originally an illicit bar or club where excisable alcoholic beverages were sold without a licence.
Another excerpt from former president’s speech: “People will also be reminded that, for all their hole-in-the-wall status, shebeens played an influential role in our cultural development, particularly in music and writing. This is where many of our top artists honed their talents.”
Khomokholo says nowadays, shebeens are businesses which sell beer freely and some operate from a business property type, whereas back in the day they used to be run from a household.
While touring, be sure to check out the African Lion Bar which was a popular spot during the mining era in downtown Johannesburg (back then, women were not allowed in this bar) and The Shebeen Oasis established in 1965 in Soweto - it is here that you will see and hear the shebeen music and the decor, the good old days.
The Shebeen Oasis established in 1965 in Soweto - it is here that you will see and hear the shebeen music and the decor, the good old days.
Interesting statistics
1. Top 3 selling beer brands currently are Castle Lite, Caste and Black Label.
2. SAB World of Beer entertains over 38 000 visitors per annum
3. SAB operates seven breweries and 42 depots in South Africa
4. SAB has an annual brewing capacity of 3.1 billion litres – 31 million hectolitres
5. It uses 160 000 tons of maize and 280 000 tons of barley annually
6. Its distribution fleet travels more than 57 million kilometres a year – that’s 150 trips to the moon
7. SAB contributes more than 3 percent of the country’s GDP
8. SAB’s contribution to government’s tax haul amounts to R10.2 billion – 1.7 percent of all tax paid in South Africa
9. SAB supports over 355 000 jobs through its value chain in South Africa
10. It is the second largest listed company on the JSE by market capitalisation. – Denise Mhlanga
Print
